Grants at a Glance

Have you ever built a computer? Well thanks to a grant written in 2014 by Stephanie Doty, the Technology Integration Coordinator at Hopkins School and funded by the Education Foundation, many 4th and 5th graders can say they have! This 4-week program where students are given a Kano Kit, a DIY computer set designed to help assemble a computer from scratch, and learn basic coding skills. Ms. Doty notes that this is a powerful learning tool because the computers are “stripped down and using world and blocks to program.” Perhaps that could lead to a greater consideration and appreciation for their beloved devices.

This grant was given to Center School for a yearlong, hands-on STEM classroom experience, which engaged nearly 400 students in critical thinking, creativity, collaboration, and communication. It culminated in a visit from a mobile museum, Mobile Ed’s STEM Museum which all students were able to participate in. Students were given the opportunity to explore stations focusing on numerous STEM concepts; Robotics, Holograms, Newton’s Cradle, Friction Raceway, Geometric Shapes, Electricity Generation and more. According to Principal Dubeau “students of all abilities and learning styles readily investigated and explored, deepening their growing understanding of STEM concepts.”

It all began with a little help from the Hopkinton Education Foundation; the Middle School’s The Sky’s the Limit Courtyard Transformation Project that is. For over five decades, a 7,680 sq. ft “courtyard” – enclosed at the center of the school – has sat unused. In 2012 as part of the 20th Anniversary Celebration, the Education Foundation raised $7,800 in seed money to transform the unused courtyard in the Hopkinton Middle School. Since then, it has blossomed into what it is today; The Sky’s the Limit Courtyard Transformation Project. After two summers of extensive work, the Sky’s the Limit Courtyard was officially opened with a ribbon cutting ceremony on October 21st. Over this last year, the Ed Foundation provided additional funding of $2,200 towards an outdoor science lab, which should be incorporated into the Courtyard in the upcoming year.

Walking into Hopkinton High, you are able to see a live, digital display of student artwork thanks to a grant given in 2015 for a digital gallery. Students are now able to not only display their artwork, but teachers can use this medium for student critique, publish and experience student artwork in a whole new way!