Valley View Foundation Hands Out More Than $30k in Grants

What's the easiest way to get young boys to read? 

According to Katherine Rios Thomas of , it's rather simple: save the books about boogers.

Thomas' "Operation Save the Booger-Books to Hook Boys," an educational program at Ward, was one of more than 25 programs that received grants from the Valley View Educational Enrichment Foundation this year.

Foundation President Michael Lawler, speaking at the school board's meeting Monday night, recognized the 26 grant recipients, which totalled more than $31,000.

"Save the Booger-Books" received $1,000 from the foundation, but grants ranged anywhere from just a few hundred dollars to more than $3,000.

This is the 16th year the foundation has supplied cash to programs in the district. Since 1994, the foundation has doled out nearly 700 grants totaling more than $1 million and affecting approximately 220,000 students.

Without the foundation, many of the district's innovative and comprehensive programs would be not be possible.

Programs must be designed to enrich the educational experience of students in Valley View and can focus on such subjects as reading, math, language arts, history, cultural diversity, music, teaming senior citizens with elementary students, art, physical education, peer mediation and positive behavior support among others.

The foundation relies heavily on donations to produce its funds and holds regular fundraisers throughout the year to meet that goal.

One of those evenets, the , will be held on Oct. 15 at 9 a.m. at  where the ducks will be launched into the DuPage River. Duck sponsors can win prizes of $1,000, $500, or $250. 

The foundation can be reached at 815-886-7831, by mail at VVEEF, PO Box 1608, Bolingbrook, IL, 60440, or by e-mail at the web sitewww.vveef.org.  Donations are accepted online through the web site.

Here is a complete list of 2011-12 approved grants:

Title

Amount

School

Applicant Name

Choral Risers for Fine Arts

$2,361.77

B. J. Ward 

Paige Treat

Raz-Kids.com (interactive, leveled, online library)

$1,623.75

B. J. Ward 

Susan Severson

Operation Save the Booger-Books to Hook Boys

$1,000.00

B. J. Ward 

Katherine Rios Thomas

Brainpop Equals Brainpower

$1,495.00

B. J. Ward 

Katherine Rios Thomas

Brainstormers Assemblies

$2,635.00

Hermansen

Paula Jensen Hallahan

Awesome Authors

$602.31

Pioneer

Amy Stone

21st Century Tools/Motivating Students in Reading

$2,736.50

Oak View

Sharon Peterson

Radically Improving Reading with Raz-Kids

$1,558.70

Oak View 

Sharon Peterson

Reading the Dolch Words

$720.00

Jonas E. Salk 

Aireen Santiago

Making Global Connections

$3,000.00

J. R. Tibbott 

Ana Wilson

Literacy Clicks

$1,149.00

Independence 

Heather Hernandez

Non-Fiction Connection with TrueFlix

$395.00

Independence

Heather Hernandez

1,2,3, Read with Me

$476.71

B. J. Ward 

Katherine Rios Thomas

Wildcat Preschool

$480.20

B. J. Ward

Katherine Rios Thomas

Differentiating with Technology

$1,200.00

Pioneer

Kimberly Hanahan

Bouncing Off the Walls in the Library

$375.00

Brooks

Alan Holtz

Mock Sibert Award 2012

$700.00

Brooks

Alan Holtz

Free Your Mind with the Book Club

$750.00

Brooks

Alan Holtz

Reality Bytes

$736.00

Martinez

Elizabeth Stephens

Breaking the Cycle and Learning to Live

$1,494.00

Phoenix Experience

Vicki Morrow

Wave Your Flag High

$400.00

J. R. Tibbott 

Erin Llewellyn

STAMP Out Bullying Presentations

$2,400.00

Lukancic 

Michelle Matulis

Motivating and Inspiring Young Adult Readers with Award Winning Books

$1,200.00

Romeoville High

Stephanie Brunetti

Life After High School

$200.00

Romeoville High

Stephanie Brunetti

Guys Read!

$500.00

Romeoville High

Stephanie Brunetti

Choir Sound Equipment

$3,052.97

Bolingbrook High

Lawrence Fisher