Immaculate High School Teachers Awarded Grants for Innovative Projects

DANBURY, CT – Four teachers at Immaculate High School in Danbury have been awarded grants from Foundations in Education, an initiative supporting Catholic education in Fairfield County.

The funding will support projects ranging from computer assembly to medical training and sewing for charity.

The awarded grants include:

• "Building the Basics: Student-Created Computers from Scratch" – Mr. Anthony D’Ausilio ($5,278)
• "CNA Laboratory Medical Mannequin" – Mrs. Marie Hatcher ($4,151)
• "Stitching Knowledge, One Thread at a Time!" – Dr. Stephanie Rugg and Ms. Celeste Andrei ($1,134)

“These grants allow our students to explore new areas and apply their knowledge in meaningful ways,” said Head of School Wendy Neil. “We are proud of our teachers’ commitment to innovation.”

D’Ausilio’s grant will provide students the opportunity to build and program a fully functional computer using a 6502 microprocessor. “This initiative will create a collegiate-level laboratory, allowing students to construct computers from the chip level and deepen their understanding of computer design,” he said.

Hatcher’s grant will support the school’s Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) program by funding a medical mannequin for hands-on training. “This will greatly enhance learning and allow us to become our own testing center for the Prometric Certification Tests,” Hatcher said. The program currently serves 26 students, many of whom go on to careers in health care.

Rugg and Andrei’s project will introduce students to sewing, with an emphasis on crafting heart-shaped pillows for Matthew’s Hearts of Hope, a local charity. The teachers say the initiative fosters patience, perseverance, and service.

Now in its eighth year, Foundations in Education provides grants to support creative teaching projects and professional development in Catholic schools. The initiative aims to promote excellence and long-term student impact.