Foundation grants top $500,000

The Wilton Education Foundation (WEF) gave students in Wilton’s four public schools a back-to-school present of $100,000 for arts and technology education during the foundation’s recent board meeting. This grant, plus others made since 2010, accounts for more than $500,000 in funding provided by WEF, according to the foundation’s Oct. 15 press release. Kit Smith, WEF co-chair, said the fundraising is an all-volunteer effort and this year, the grants will be used for: A top-of-the-line recording studio in the high school. Chromebooks for all the schools. Hardware and software to expand STEM programming. A student publishing project. Social innovation competitions. Staff development opportunities for faculty in all four schools. WEF began to ramp up its fund-raising efforts six years ago with innovative programs based on education and family participation, such as Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader, Reading Rocks and the Get Smart 5K family race. Scott Weber, the foundation’s other co-chair, created another innovative fund-raising program — Acoustic Wilton concerts, which featured Wilton student musicians. “There are so many incredibly talented student singer, songwriter, musicians in our town and Acoustic Wilton’s goal is to put them and their music onstage and to celebrate their musical gifts,” Weber said in the press release. “The students learn how to give back or ‘play it forward’ with their talents as all funds raised through these concerts are reinvested back into the music and arts in our schools. The students are leaving an awesome legacy for those aspiring singers and musicians looking for the opportunity to showcase their talents.” Weber said the recording studio grant this year, the broadcasting studio last year and the master classes in music are “examples of this legacy.” Over the years, WEF grants have been used to purchase SMARTBoards, iPads, staff development and to further music and art in Wilton’s schools. To learn more about the Wilton Education Foundation, visit: wiltoneducationfoundation.org.

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