Grants, Awards and Freebies — March 1, 2018

Music to your ears

Can New York City public schools make it two in a row? Melissa Salguero of PS 48, the Bronx, won the 2018 Music Educator Award at the Grammy Awards on Jan. 28. Music educators now are invited to apply to become the 2019 winner. The Music Educator Award was established to recognize current educators (kindergarten through college, public and private schools) who have made a significant and lasting contribution to the field of music education and who demonstrate a commitment to the broader cause of maintaining music education in the schools. Winners of this program are awarded a $10,000 personal honorarium, a matching school grant and a trip to the 2019 Grammy Awards. There are also honorariums and matching school grants available to nine finalists and 15 semifinalists. Anyone can nominate a teacher for the award. Nominated teachers will be sent a link to the application. Teachers do not need to be nominated in order to apply for the award. The application is a series of multiple-choice questions which are auto-scored and ranked. The top 200 or so applicants are named quarterfinalists and invited to submit supplemental materials consisting of essays and videos. There will be a two-step screening of the quarterfinalists, after which 25 semifinalists will be selected. The Blue Ribbon Committee will then select the winner and nine finalists. The finalists will be announced in December and the winner will be announced during Grammy Week.

DEADLINE: March 31.
CONTACT: Grammy in the Schools

Consider the possibilities

The Siemens Foundation is seeking entries for its 2018 Possibility Grant Sweepstakes. The sweepstakes offers one school a chance to win a science lab makeover and/or STEM-related equipment, supplies or technology. Eligibility: K–12 schools. Educators can enter daily. The winner will be chosen through random drawing. Previous winners are not eligible to enter. Funds: $10,000 award.

DEADLINE: April 27.
CONTACT: Siemens Foundation

Teachers wanted to beta test software

Professor Weissman’s Software is looking for teachers of Algebra 1 Common Core who are interested in beta testing the latest version of its tutorial software for the New York State Regents. The topics and problems covered are from Algebra 1 Common Core Regents Exams since their inception in 2014. Software does not need internet or installation since the software works off a USB flash drive. Teachers will be able to copy the software onto student USB flash drives for their home use.

CONTACT: mathprof@math911.com; Math 911

Summer workshop options

Each year the City Gardens Club of New York City pays program fees for a limited number of New York City public school teachers to attend activity-oriented summer workshops at the New York Botanical Garden; Brooklyn Botanic Garden; Queens Botanical Garden; the Horticultural Society of New York; a residential program on Hog Island, Maine, offered by the National Audubon Society; and a residential program at Shelburne Farms in Shelburne, Vermont. Scholarships cover the costs of tuition, “P” in-service credit where available, course materials, and room and board when applicable. Elementary, middle and high school teachers who teach science in the classroom are eligible.

DEADLINE: April 6 for Hog Island; May 4 for all others.
CONTACT: Application forms and descriptions of the programs are available at City Gardens Club.