ELEEF dance brings out education enthusiasts

Date: 3/26/2010

March 29, 2010

By Courtney Llewellyn

Reminder Assistant Editor



EAST LONGMEADOW -- Parents, educators and those interested in providing a fuller school experience to students in town came together on the first day of spring to enjoy ELEEF's annual dinner dance and comedy night fundraiser.

ELEEF, the East Longmeadow Educational Endowment Fund, is a non-profit private foundation whose purpose is exclusively educational and charitable with the primary goal of enhancing the educational opportunities offered in all the public schools.

"We can't thank ELEEF enough for the dedication and hard work they do for our children," Bill Fonseca, chair of the School Committee, said. "It keeps getting bigger and better, and the grants directly benefit kids in each of our schools."

A total of $16,929 in grants was awarded this year. Recipients included:

• Judy Fletcher, Carol Dunn and Karla Shea of Meadow Brook for the Visualizing and Verbalizing reading program for comprehension development for grades K - 2

• John Wiedersheim of Mapleshade for a Toshiba tlp-xc2500au projector with document camera for use by all teachers for grade 4

• Donna Whitman of Mountain View for SET puzzle sets for development of whole brain thinking skills for gifted and talented students in grades 3 - 5

• Lynne Kerber at Birchland Park for document cameras for use by all teams for grade 7 English

• Mike Naglieri and Suzanne Collins at Birchland Park for an Adobe Premiere Elements program for video editing in the TV studio for gifted and talented students in grades 6 - 8

• Val O'Connor at Birchland Park for Geometer's Sketchpad Geometry Software for math in grades 6 - 8

• Cathie Morsch at Birchland Park for Density Sets, Pocket Microscopes and Multi/Volt Meters for science, technology and engineering in grades 6 - 8

• Peter Van Buren at the high school for PASCO Probeware Physics Bundles and accompanying equipment including light, magnetic and charge sensors for physics students in grades 9 - 12

• Eric Ezer at the high school for 'Look Out Wall Street,' stock market board games for business students in grades 9 - 12

Wiedershiem described the new projector he was awarded as 'an overhead projector with bells and whistles,' adding that it will really help both teachers and students better explain their work because 'it's very interactive.' A computer can be plugged into the projector to provide a more complete lesson.

'The Visualizing and Verbalizing Program teaches kids how to create images in their minds while reading,' Dunn explained. 'It stimulates their minds in a different way.'

Both educators noted they were grateful to ELEEF for providing them the funds to enrich their classroom activities.

'ELEEF really helps fill the gap for what's not in the budget,' parent Russell Sabadosa told Reminder Publications. 'It's nice to see more technology in each classroom.'

Parent Niloufar Shoushtari added, 'The enrichment programs are needed. They are important for childrens' imaginations.'

Chair of the East Longmeadow Board of Selectmen Jack Villamaino said that from the town's point of view, ELEEF's mission is more important than ever. 'As we are facing reduced aid from the state, organizations such as ELEEF, which raise external funds for the benefit of our students, are turning into some of the best friends the town could have.'

'We're really looking forward to next year,' Al Kasper, president of ELEEF, said. That's because the foundation sold its East Longmeadow Monopoly games this year, and when they're sold out they will have brought in about $40,000 to the endowment. That would allow for more grants to be funded.

'The teachers really understand what the endowment is all about,' Kasper said. 'The quality of grant applications we get now is amazing. We're disappointed we can't fund them all.'

As of presstime, a total of $7,550 was raised by the silent auction at the dinner dance alone.

ELEEF's next fundraiser will be a golf tournament taking place May 24 at Elmcrest Country Club. The tourney will feature awards, raffles and a luncheon. To sign up for a foursome or tee sponsor call Al Kasper at 642-4131 or e-mail eleefboard@hotmail.com.

For more information on the foundation, visit www.eleef.org.