CB Education Foundation Awards $17,500 in Grants
The Central Bucks Education Foundation has awarded $17,500 in its latest round of grants to CBSD teachers, supporting various initiatives including two innovative technology endeavors that expand hands-on learning opportunities for students across the district’s 15 elementary schools.
A portion of the funding has been used to provide Chomp Saws to every elementary school, giving students safe, accessible tools to transform everyday cardboard into engineering projects. At Jamison Elementary School, fifth-grade teacher and technology innovator Jared Hottenstein has already integrated the Chomp Saws into a series of interdisciplinary lessons.
“Students designed an interactive lesson on polygons to teach first-graders many different shapes, using a Star Wars theme, and creating cardboard polygon sculptures, mobiles, and a star-gazing experience in our student created planetarium,” Hottenstein said. “It is inspiring to watch students design, process, and cut cardboard with the care and precision as if they are cutting expensive mahogany!”
The foundation also funded the purchase of 3D printers for every elementary QUEST classroom, expanding access to computer-aided design (CAD) and fabrication tools at an early age. The addition of 3D printing allows students to move from concept to creation, strengthening problem-solving, spatial reasoning, and design-thinking skills.
In addition to these district-wide initiatives, the foundation approved several other grants that support a wide range of student experiences, including:
- Drones for students at CB West
- A sensory space at Doyle Elementary School to support self-regulation and emotional wellness
- Support for ninth-grade attendance at a Tamanend Shakespeare performance
- Translation-support AirPods at Buckingham Elementary School
- A student-run snack cart business at Jamison led by autistic support students
- A community mural created by Lenape Middle School art students for the Doylestown Historical Society
The Central Bucks Education Foundation is funded entirely through private and business donations, allowing it to bring innovative ideas from classrooms to life across the district. For more information or to support future grants, visit the Central Bucks Education Foundation website.