Driving Simulator Among Projects Funded By Grants From District 113 Foundation

HIGHLAND PARK, IL — The nonprofit dedicated to directing tax-deductible donations to District 113 high schools awarded its annual grants this week to selected programs at Deerfield and Highland Park high schools.

This year's grantees include six for initiatives at Deerfield High School, three at Highland Park and one for a motivational speaker to train students at both schools.

The District 113 Education Foundation, launched in 2007, operates a competitive grant program. Staff of the district propose projects that are not funded by the school board and foundation representatives foot the bill.

This year, the program awarded nearly $33,000 in grants, according to a spokesperson, with amounts ranging from $180 to $10,000. Foundation leadership declined to release the amounts of the individual grants.

"This is proprietary information and we have some limitations in terms of what we can make public," said spokesperson Karen Frey told Patch.

The signature grant for the 2024-25 covers the cost of a driving simulator for Deerfield High School, which will be open to all students, including those in special education programs. The simulator is supposed to show student drivers the dangers of distraction and intoxication as a motorist.

Other grants allocated to DHS include money that "facilitates the enhancement" of the weeklong DHS Arts Alive celebration, which features visits from professional artists.

Another covered the cost of a keynote address by Northwestern University professor Danny Cohen at Genocide Awareness Day, which was held last week on both campuses.

Two grants will go to purchase artificial intelligence software — School AI, which promises to "enhance both staff productivity as well as student learning" and Gamma AI, which eliminates formatting and design work for content created by DHS social studies students.

And another grant covers the cost of a print subscription to the teen-focused New York Times magazine, Upfront.

At Highland Park High School, environmental science students will receive a grant-funded set of oxygen probes, allowing them to collaborate with local organizations to raise trout in the classroom, carry out water quality testing in the area and release them into the Rosewood Ravine.

Another grant pays for improvements to the HPHS drop-in center, which will create sensory spaces, therapeutic tools and iPads for "mindfulness applications."

And the third HPHS grant will establish a new club to connect teens with seniors suffering from dementia. The Memory Mates club will give students the chance to develop leadership skills, compassion and confidence, according to foundation representatives.

Compared to last year, the foundation awarded an additional nearly $5,000 worth of grants.

“We were so impressed with the variety of grant applications received this year that will benefit students of both high schools and are very proud we are able to support the teachers in a meaningful way,” said Mary Beth Arzac, president of the nonprofit. “We are especially honored to expand the Driving Simulator to Deerfield, and support equity and inclusion for students who might otherwise not have a realistic driving experience.”