The Franklin Education Foundation (FEF) this month marks
25 years of supporting Franklin schools. To commemorate the
milestone, the FEF is looking back at the numerous programs its efforts have
helped make possible – from the first Empty Bowls project at Franklin
High to the purchase of ukuleles for fifth-grade music students. Birthday
festivities include a special fundraising campaign to propel the
organization into its next quarter-century.
Since its founding in 1997, the FEF has awarded grants to educators seeking
to innovate in ways that fall out outside of traditional school budgeting
processes. FEF volunteers screen applications and work with district
administrators to select projects deemed most worthwhile in that particular
grant-review cycle. To date, the FEF has provided in excess of
$350,000 for such projects.
“The Franklin Education Foundation was established to provide district-wide
fundraising of benefit to all schools under the leadership of the Franklin
School Committee,” said Pandora Carlucci, one of the organization's
co-founders. “Grant proposals selected for funding covered the costs of
creative, innovative, educational programs that were not included in the
traditional school budget.”
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| Left to Right: Roberta Trahan, Mary Kroon, Lisa Brady, Dave McNeill, Phil Sweeney, Pandora Carlucci, Rick Lacroix, and Krishna Shetty |
To fund the grants, the FEF has relied on donors large and small. Generous
individuals and businesses have enabled the foundation to fund projects in
each of the town’s schools. Examples include an ecology project in which
students conducted field research on the well-being of aquatic and
terrestrial habitats surrounding Franklin High School, assistance to
seventh-graders at Annie Sullivan Middle School with astronomy studies,
books for Remington Middle School students to study ancient Greek myths, and
math boxes so that students at Kennedy Elementary School could practice math
concepts at home with their parents.
To continue its efforts in support of these sorts of programs, the FEF is
asking for the community’s financial support this month. In the spirit of
the Day of Giving tradition, the organization is conducting a campaign
lasting 25 days as part of its 25th birthday celebration. Franklin residents
are asked to make a gift via the foundation’s website at
franklined.org/get-involved/donate
This 25 days of giving fundraising campaign kicks off May 4, which is the
birthday of Horace Mann, the Franklin native who championed quality
public education for all.
With the support of the community, the FEF can build on its achievements
and help educators and students continue to thrive.
