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BVEF
​OSTERMAN FAMILY FOUNDATION GRANT 

Founded in 2012, the Osterman Family Foundation awards funding for projects and events that focus on empowerment, financial freedom, alternative education opportunities, and career pathways. Areas of focus may include, but are not limited to:​​

  • Hosting workshops or events focused on building essential social-emotional skills like collaboration, resilience, and self-awareness.

  • Implementing mentorship or peer support programs to foster emotional well-being and career exploration.

  • Incorporating project-based learning opportunities that emphasize real-world applications, teamwork, and problem-solving.

  • Bringing in guest speakers or facilitators to lead discussions on topics such as mindfulness, self-advocacy, and goal-setting within a career and life context.

Award Amounts: up to $2,000

 

BVEF INNOVATIVE ACADEMIC GRANT

The Blackstone Valley Education Foundation awards grant proposals that best articulate a plan that includes ONE or more of the following:

  • Connection between academic preparation and career readiness.

  • Collaboration with schools, businesses, and community.

  • Catalyst for career, employability, or skill development.​

Proposals should not include purchase of materials, programs, or equipment unless there is a well-articulated connection to student outcomes OF PARTICULAR INTEREST to the Blackstone Valley Education Foundation is a request that:

  • Promotes skill development for or knowledge about STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math).

  • Provides career awareness for grades Pre-k through 12th grade.

  • Sustains or strengthens career readiness initiatives.

  • Connects an academic subject to career opportunity awareness.​

Priority will be given to those requests that strive for matching or additional funds from their local or other foundations or from other school initiatives that build capacity.

Award Amounts:  up to $1,000

 

BVCC COMMUNITY EDUCATION/TRANSPORTATION GRANT

The Grants will be awarded to cover transportation costs to destinations that will enhance career awareness for students in grades Pre-k through 12 throughout the region. 

Award Amounts:  up to $500

 

UNIBANK ENRICHMENT GRANT

Founded in 1870, UniBank has served the financial needs of the Greater Blackstone Valley and Beyond for nearly 150 years.  UniBank contributes to the overall quality of life and economic health of the communities it serves by providing a high level of financial soundness and integrity.  UniBank employees pride themselves on their strong commitment to the local community and are frequently visible in a wide variety of volunteer services.

The intent of the UniBank Enrichment Grant is to encourage creative learning experiences for students that extend beyond the traditional classroom.  Areas of focus may include, but are not limited to:

•       Field trips to explore careers
•       Field trips to enhance cultural experiences
•       Bringing learning programs and events into the school for the      

         benefit of groups of students.

Award Amounts: up to $2,000

 

APPLICATION PROCESS:

Applications for the 2025-2026 School Grants will be available February 1, 2025. 

 

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2024-25 Grant Applicants
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Whitinsville Christian Academy 

United Nations Professional Development    

Students Served: 50 students per year and 3 educators 

 

This funding is going to help  run a program that not only teaches students elements of Chemistry and Engineering, but also would involve global collaboration.  Having the students engaged in science that includes studying real world issues aligned with the core values of the Whitinsville Christian School.  By partnering with the Global STEM Education Center, our science department would receive not only professional development training in creating a global classroom, but curriculum coaching, and the ability to join a network of educators from numerous countries who are looking to collaborate online with other STEM classrooms in a variety of research projects.  The main focus of our studies would concentrate on the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. In collaboration with schools in South Africa, England, and potentially Norway, the students and teachers study the development of new technologies for water treatment, clean energy, and the creation of sustainable green communities.   These projects provide students with the opportunity to conduct research and collect real data which would be shared in a global network.  In addition to this shared research, the students work in conjunction with their global partners to learn about each other’s cultures, customs, and gain a deeper understanding of being part of a global community.  

 

Milford

Sunspotter Telescopes at Milford High School

Students Served: 130

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The sun is a prominent and important feature of our sky, yet it is rarely observed in traditional high school classes. Sunspotter telescopes change this -- they are safe and quick to set up and align, so they are well-suited to schools. Unlike traditional telescopes, they are durable and can be viewed by multiple students at the same time. The goal of the project is to enrich the student learning experience by allowing students to safely observe the sun using durable equipment that will last decades. A classroom set of 4 Sunspotters was funded and this will allow small groups to observe the sun, its motion through the sky, and how its features change over time. 

Boston Museum of Science   

Students Served: 50 students - 4 educators 

 

Many of the goals of this project are in relation to providing newcomer students with cultural experiences in their new country. The first goal of this project is to provide newcomer students an American field trip experience. This is an experience that is commonplace for students born in the United States, but for our students who immigrate here as teenagers, it is something unknown. By taking students on a trip like this, they are able to experience a piece of American culture and they may never have an opportunity like this again. Another goal of this trip is to allow students to travel outside of Milford, which for many of our students, does not happen often. They will get to see Boston and for some of them this will be the first time they see a true American city. In addition, for some students this may be their first time inside a museum and the Boston Museum of Science is an excellent introduction to a museum experience as students are able to learn so much while there and this may hopefully spark their interest and creativity and inspire possible career paths for these students. As these students have never experienced formal learning outside of a classroom, this experience can demonstrate how they can continue learning when they are no longer in school and show them why they are learning everything they are learning while they are in school. The final goal of this field trip is to help prepare students to take the Biology MCAS. In the Boston Museum of Science, students will be able to see how people are using the things they’ve learned in their biology class in the real world. They will be able to make so many connections to the things they’ve learned in class and this will help solidify their learning and this should help them when they take the Biology MCAS because they can draw upon not only the things they learned in their class but also upon their experiences and what they learned at the Boston Museum of Science.

 

Blackstone Valley Tech

2025 Mass DECA Career Development Conference in Boston, MA for 30 Blackstone Valley Tech DECA Students   

Students Served: 30 students and 3 educators

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This supported a portion of registration costs for upwards of 30 BVT DECA students in grades 9-12 to attend the multi-day 2025 Mass DECA Career Development Conference to significantly improve and develop leadership skills, provide students with a unique opportunity to explore business related careers, and enable them to develop essential employment skills transferable to any career pathway. The Mass DECA Career Development Conference is a 3-day, 2-night conference typically held annually in Boston, MA.  The DECA state conference includes workshops for students on finance, communication styles, tips and tricks for competing, social media, and workplaces, as well as numerous networking opportunities with business and higher education professionals. Also, BVT typically has DECA students interested in running for state DECA officer positions, requiring students to campaign at the state conference and thus utilize a combination of all their communication, marketing, and leadership skills. During the conference, BVT DECA students shall also participate in competitions (Ex. role play, written/hybrid events, team, management, marketing), requiring them to utilize leadership and communication skills to complete given tasks. Students shall be judged by industry experts, where interactions and feedback from judges after competitions shall assist BVT DECA students in identifying their leadership strengths and skills needing further improvement. Feedback shall also better prepare students for additional experiential learning and career exploration opportunities, including DECA competitions, especially for those students advancing to the national conference. 

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Northbridge

Mock Election 2024 - NES    

Students Served: 970

 

Students will learn about the presidential role and the election process as appropriate to their grade level (Teachers will be instructed in regards to neutral and unbiased presentations. Students will then participate in a mock presidential election following similar procedures to local elections. The hope is to collaborate with the town of Northbridge for this project as well. 

 

Douglas 

Douglas Middle School Book Club 

Students Served: 300 students 

 

The goal of this initiative is to get more books in more children's hands, to encourage reading for enjoyment, improve communication skills, and improve relationships between students and students and students and  teachers by giving opportunities to discuss novels and relevant issues in books in a relaxed atmosphere of small groups. This is a school-wide initiative to create book clubs across the board. The money from this grant was used to buy 20-25 copies of various novel titles so that students at the middle school have a wider variety of options to increase reading engagement and achievement across all grades. Books will be displayed in the library with a Google form created with a synopsis of each book.  Students and Teachers/Staff choose one book to read in 4-6 weeks.  

Each month- students/teachers have a few days to browse titles and summaries and choose the novel they want to read.  Once every 4-6 weeks there is a Day 0– During a 30-40 minute period students move to locations in the school for a book discussion.  Each teacher/Staff has a group to monitor depending on what they choose to read. Critical thinking questions are used and given to ELA teachers after each group. 

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