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Westford Education Foundation (WEF) received a $50,000 gift from Middlesex Savings Bank on Jan. 25, part of a $1.2 million donation given by the bank to 24 education foundations within its retail branch territory. The money will fund innovative education programs in Westford.
“We are surprised and very appreciative for this unexpected boost to our fundraising efforts,” said Kelly Guthrie, WEF President. “We often get more teacher requests for grant funding than we can afford to award, so this will help meet that demand in our spring grant cycle.”
Since its inception, WEF has awarded more than $295K in grants, benefiting hundreds of educators and directly impacting more than 6,000 public school students in Westford, according to foundation officials.
Some notable grants over the years include The Living Lab Brook Book Project, Indigenous People Museum, 3D Modeling and Printing, Columbia University Teacher Conferences, Instrumental Music Technology, Digital Media Portfolios in the Elementary Classroom, Historical Mannequins, Every Color Sings, Go Direct Science Probes, and Responsive Classroom Training.
WEF, an independent non-profit organization, was founded in 2003 by a group of parents who sought to promote innovative educational initiatives and champion life-long learning. The volunteer board of directors builds a wide community of support, fosters ideas, channels resources, and funds learning programs, said WEF officials.
WEF awards grants for innovative projects consistent with the Westford Public School curriculum but beyond the scope of the approved WPS budget. WEF also awards grants for professional development and Westford community projects in support of life-long learning.
