In support of education in Western Washington, BECU has awarded community grants to 49 local schools, including six elementary schools in Kent – East Hill, Glenridge, Martin Sortun, Meridian, Sunnycrest, and Sunrise.

It is the 11th year that BECU has awarded more than $100,000 in community grants to support education projects that help promote student excellence.

“BECU school grants allow us to support programs that previously lacked the funding to get started,” said Tom Berquist, senior vice president of member strategies at BECU. “We love awarding grants that can make an impact on student success and are inspired every year by the schools who receive the grants.”

BECU school grants are given out each year to local schools to help fund educational materials, programs and events, environmental learning trips, and technology tools such as calculators, microscopes, electronic dictionaries and more. Grants are awarded in three categories: financial literacy, environmental sustainability and technology tools. Each grant is awarded based on specific need up to a maximum of $2,500.

The funding for recipients will go toward a variety of school programs, from green school certification, to outdoor education and technology for literacy and math. BECU received approximately 84 applications and narrowed it down to 49 based on eligibility of the request, impact on student learning, number of students reached with grant funds, and potential on-going use of the item or program.

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KENT SCHOOL NEEDS

• East Hill Elementary – Grant will purchase online licenses and headphones to provide accelerated fluency/comprehension support targeted to under-achieving intermediate students (4-6) via computer assisted technology that promotes efficient, effective reading through teacher-facilitated, independent student learning and progression.

• Glenridge Elementary – This grant will be used to purchase the online reading program called Raz-Kids.

• Martin Sortun Elementary – This grant will be used to improve STEM education and student learning via innovative technology-based approaches using the NXT Mindstorms Robotics Systems and iPads.

• Meridian Elementary – This grant will be used for Outdoor education scholarship assistance.

• Sunnycrest Elementary School – This grant will be used for an Accelerated Reader Test software upgrade from 4,280 books to more than 150,000 books and add vocabulary, literacy and Spanish.

• Sunrise Elementary – This grant will be used to purchase an iPad, case, screen cover and apps appropriate for use with speech/language therapy students.