2008 Grants

P.S. 241 in Harlem

Big Sister/Little Sister Math and Science Club

Last year we told you about Valerie Johnson, a math teacher at P.S. 241, a public school in central Harlem in New York City. She wanted to start a club that would provide young women with math and science tutoring, test prep training, and math- and science-related enrichment activities. Last year's Foundation grant made this a reality: Foundation funds bought balance-beam scales, microscopes and educational software, and funded a science-related field trip. The club met two days a week after school last Spring, and activities included homework help, math games, using laptops to explore the "Geometer's Sketchpad" software, and learning how to use the balances and microscopes.

This sort of club--especially with its cooperative structure--is an excellent match for the Foundation's goals. For this reason, we're happy to be supporting Valerie's club again this year.

The Young Women's Leadership School in the Bronx

Robotics Club

Our 2007 grant to The Young Women's Leadership School to support a robotics club on their Bronx campus was a great success. The girls did will enough in their local Bronx competition to advance to the city-wide competition, an even did well enough there to place in the top third of the contestants. We're glad to see Foundation funds going toward making math and science accessible and fun to young women. The Board has decided to continue our support of the TYWLS robotics club for another year.

Stamford, Connecticut Public School System

The Foundation plans to make a significant commitment to the Stamford, Connecticut public school system. So far, we've decided to support two programs, and we're considering others. The first program is an educational program related to climate change, which will consist of up to 15 girls taking six classes, once a week after school. Secondly, we are trying to sponsor Stamford students' participation in a three-day-long program called Women in Science, a program held during the February and April school breaks that gives students the opportunity to meet women scientists and become educated about their field of science.