Local school district recieves grants to fund art, other initiatives

Cautious Munchkins hide among the trees in the Muse Machine's production of "The Wizard of Oz."

Cautious Munchkins hide among the trees in the Muse Machine's production of "The Wizard of Oz."

The Vandalia-Butler Foundation has been awarded nearly $7,000 in educational grants to support such innovative initiatives as a Muse Machine, artist-in-residence at an elementary school, and yoga instruction for preschoolers in the Vandalia-Butler City Schools, all primarily done through the VISIONS Endowment Fund.

This year’s awards include:

• $3,014 to Smith Middle School to partially fund a spring trip to Camp Kern for fourth graders. The grant includes $900 for 10 scholarships and $1,314 for camp T-shirts. The Vandalia-Butler Foundation stepped up with an additional $800 to cover expenses for National Honor Society students to assist with daytime activities.

• $2,100 to Demmit Elementary School for first graders to work with a Muse Machine artist-in-residence on creating a script, choreography and music for a live performance.

• $950 to Butler High School to purchase a “real care baby simulator” — an electronic baby — to help students in a child development class learn parenting skills.

• $750 from the Vandalia-Butler Foundation’s Cotterman Fund for yoga classes and the purchase of a color printer, copier and toner cartridges for Vandalia Preschool to support special needs preschoolers.

Every year, the VISIONS Endowment Fund grants a minimum of $5,000 to classroom teachers to fund creative learning opportunities for students in the district. To date, more than $58,000 has been awarded through dozens of grants.

For those wishing to make a contribution to the VISIONS Endowment Fund, tax-deductible donations can be mailed to VISIONS Endowment Fund, P.O. Box 90282, Dayton, Ohio 45490. To make an online donation, visit www.visionsendowmentfund.org.

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