CITGO Donates $5,000 to fund STEM Education
April 2, 2015- During a recent Board of Education meeting, Foundation trustees recognized CITGO as a Platinum Grant Underwriter. The funds will be used specifically to enable resources and programs in the areas of science, technology, engineering and math (STEM).
Pete Colarelli, CITGO government and public affairs manager, presented a check to the Foundation trustees and expressed the company’s dedication to helping schools teach essential skills to tomorrow’s workforce. He also said CITGO engineers and scientists would welcome the opportunity to volunteer in the schools and share their expertise.
The Foundation is accepting grant appications from staff through April 15. Funded programs will benefit district students during the 2015-2016 school year. Since 2010, the Foundation has funded over $120,000 in grants to teachers in all curricular areas.
About CITGO:
CITGO Lemont Refinery is a strategic supplier of transportation fuels, particularly in the upper Midwest. The refinery has crude processing capacity of 167,000 barrelsper-day (bpd) and manufactures several grades of gasoline, diesel, jet fuel and high-quality hydrocarbon solvents used in the production of paints, adhesives and coatings. The refinery has a long history of supporting the needs of the upper Midwest.
Foundation Surprises River Valley Teacher with $2,000
January 27, 2015- Archer Daniels Midland Company (ADM), parent company of American River Transportation Company’s (ARTCO) location in Lemont, recently donated $2000 to the School District 113A Educational Foundation. The donation will go toward a living laboratory garden, bringing education outside the classroom.
“ADM and ARTCO have been strong supporters of the Foundation, and we were thrilled to learn that support will continue through this grant,” said Shelley Taylor, Foundation President. “Such support from local businesses strengthens our schools and our community by providing a better education for all of our students.”
Grant money will be used to purchase supplies for the garden that is being built in the River Valley courtyard. The project began in 2014 with the help of supplies donated by Chad Stauber, owner of Olde English Gardens in Lemont. Local Eagle Scouts Spencer Bailey, Eric Beechen and Harrison Schatz lent their time and talent to the project as well.
The project is the brainchild of Sonya Raymond, a fifth-grade teacher at River Valley. The main goal of the program is to achieve a higher level of engagement of students of all abilities by providing outdoor learning opportunities for the environment and agriculture.
Students will learn to identify flora, fauna and wild life in the Lemont area. They will develop an awareness and respect for the environment while learning the benefits of healthy eating habits. The program will be available to over 1,300 students in kindergarten through fifth grade across two elementary schools serving Lemont and Woodridge, and has become a true community effort.
The donation was given through ADM Cares. “We strive to make a positive difference in the communities where our employees live and work and we are happy to support a program that combines education and agriculture,” said Todd Hudson, Commercial Director at ARTCO’s facility in Lemont. ADM Cares is a social investment program that directs funds to initiatives and organizations that drive meaningful social, economic and environmental progress worldwide. The program comprises three distinct focus areas: supporting the responsible development of agriculture, improving the quality of life in ADM communities and fostering employee giving and volunteer activities.
Toshiba Grant Funds Solar-Powered Model Cars
September 14, 2014- The Foundation helped Michelle Rakoczy secure a $1,000 grant from Toshiba to purchase supplies to build solar-powered cars. Her fifth-grade students learned about simple machines, solar energy and design by building and racing the cars using kits and recycled materials.
By designing and building their cars students learned about using solar power, gear ratios, reducing friction, and how to build strong, lightweight machines. Along with a great hands-on learning experience, the class had a whole lot of fun racing their creations!
13 New Grants Awarded in 2014!
March 24, 2014- Thank you to our amazing community of donors! With your help the Foundation awarded 13 new grants totaling nearly $20,000 to district teachers in April, 2014.
Your donations funded resources and programs that will enhance the district’s curriculum and resources, allowing teachers to bring to life critical concepts for our students.
