At their last meeting of 2012, the Lyme-Old Lyme Education Foundation (LOLEF) awarded three more grants to schools in the Region 18 School District. LOLEF President Mike Kane comments, “We were delighted with the quality of applications received in our Fall Grants Cycle.”

The grants awarded were

• over $10,500 for Lyme-Old Lyme High School to buy a 3D printer for a multi-disciplinary team encompassing technology, arts and science.
• almost $900 for Lyme Consolidated School to purchase a Portable Document Camera for integrating hands-on student learning with 21st Century Technology.
• over $8,000 to Lyme-Old Lyme Middle School, where 24 e-readers will serve as a pilot study for the media center reading and teaching program.

These grants bring the total awarded to local education initiatives in 2012 to over $40,000 and more than $125,000 awarded since the Foundation’s inception.

The 3D Mojo Printer and Pack will enable high school students to fabricate authentic, functional models in Biology, Chemistry, Art Sculpture, and Tech Ed.  Prototype models can be created in 3D before going full-scale with final concept.  The printer will enable students to experience engineering capabilities that are currently available in the workplace, transforming a student’s drawing into real life models.

The 3D printer will enable students to realize critical 21st century skills required to be successful in the workplace: collaboration, problem solving, analyzing and creating.

This technology allows students access to cutting-edge technology.  An loaedn printer has already been used to fabricate parts for the high School’s Award Winning Robotics Team 236 and by students to fabricate parts for the music department allowing speedy repairs to one of the drum kits.

The Document Camera is a modern day version of the overhead projector, allowing teachers at Lyme Consolidated to share student work in real time, to review student essays, homework pieces, textbooks, projects or discussion pieces and can be shared with the entire class or at their popular “town meetings”.

The e-readers will provide struggling readers with audio options, large text and search capabilities, note-taking and text-to-speech functionality.  They will allow educators in various curricular settings to reduce the budget for paper books.

The Foundation’s next fundraising event is their 1^st Annual Trivia Bee where teams from nearly 30 local businesses and families will compete for the prestigious “honey pot” award.  The Bee will be held on January 25^th 2013 at the Lyme Old Lyme Middle School and the event is free for the audience.  If you are interested in entering or sponsoring a team, you should download an entry form here.

The Foundation is also in the middle of their Annual Fundraising Appeal and more information can be found on their website.

The Lyme-Old Lyme Education Foundation is an independent, 501(c)(3) non-profit charitable organization established in 2006 to support and enhance public education in our community. The Foundation is governed by a volunteer Board of Directors and supported by an advisory group of members from the LOL community.  Past fundraising initiatives have included the Artistry in Motion 5k Road Race and its Annual Golf Tournament.