Archive: Around Town

IPEI, the Ithaca Public Education Initiative, may be best known for its grants for Ithaca City School District (ICSD) teachers and for the Kids Discover the Trail! collaboration with the ICSD and Discovery Trail. Yet, IPEI also manages numerous Awards funds including for seven presented this June at the end of the school year.  According to the Awards funds’ criteria, two were presented to graduating students; one each to an underclass student, a student organization, and a new teacher; and two for district activities.

The Noreen Moore Memorial Award was awarded for the first time at the Ithaca High School Senior Awards Convocation on June 9 to Aishiaa Welch. Yvonne Everhart and her daughter Angela, the daughter and granddaughter of Noreen Moore made the presentation in memory of Noreen Moore, who was an active member of the ICSD staff and community.  Everhart expressed that her mother “fought throughout her life for families in need. To remember her contributions, this scholarship is presented to an Ithaca High student who has the potential and desire to make the world an amazing place.”

This year’s Carol Jean Buckley Scholarship for Students in the Arts recipient is Elias Spector-Zabusky. Robin Booth and Susannah Berryman made the announcement. The scholarship in memory of this member of the Ithaca High Class of 1983 provides scholarship assistance for talented students pursuing advanced study in the arts.

Mary John, president of the Ithaca High Class of 2011, introduced the two IPEI Senior Class Gift awardees. The seniors voted for Christopher Carver, Social Studies teacher, to receive this year’s New Teacher Award. Two plaques, listing all the recipients of the Senior Class Awards since 2004, have now been mounted in the Ithaca High library next  the circulation desk.

John also announced that the Student Organization Award winner is Pennies for Peace. In the past year Pennies for Peace raised over $6,000, which will sponsor a school built by the nonprofit organization, Help the Afghan Children (HTAC). HTAC "is dedicated to improving the lives of children in Afghanistan through quality education and helping them become educated, healthy productive citizens. The IHS Pennies for Peace club has helped students to get involved with philanthropy on a global scale, and counteract the vast tension and misunderstand-ing that often unjustly targets Islamic cultures.”

Sabrina Lopez received the Raymond C. Loehr Environmental Science Scholarship Award. A ninth grader last year, she received her award on June 7 at the Awards Ceremony for Underclassmen from Stephen Yale-Loehr.  The Raymond C. Loehr Innovative Science Teaching Award will be announced in the fall.

The Phyllis B. Brodhead Library Media Technology Fund grants funds to the ICSD Teacher Librarians who were mentored by the late Brodhead when she was the Boynton Librarians.  Electronic readers this year will be purchased for use next school year. E-readers are desired by the Teacher Librarians since text can be manipulated (magnifying for ease on eyes, clickable words with definitions, speaking text). These features are especially helpful for challenged readers. Department Chair Nan Bell wrote in the proposal.  “I love to think of Phyllis downloading her favorite books and ticking through them on her little reader! She would know how to encourage students to adopt the technology as well.”

Books are purchased for 5th grade students with funds from the Ian Alberta Memorial Fund.  This grant supports books that complement Kids Discover the Trail! experiences during their field trip to the Cayuga Nature Center.   A plaque with a picture of Ian, Ithaca High Class of 2001, has now been hung at the Cayuga Nature Center.

v7i27