Orchard Farm School District Receives Nearly $1,600 In Mini-Grants

Programs from the Orchard Farm School District received $1,593.00 in mini-grants from the St. Charles County Alliance for Business, Learning and Education (ABLE), a partnership between local businesses, education organizations and St. Charles Community College.

The purpose of the ABLE Mini-Grants for Schools Program is to provide funds and support to teachers in participating school districts for school enrichment programs that focus on career development, career exploration and/or career readiness skills.

The mini-grants are funding projects at Discovery Elementary School, Orchard Farm Middle School and Orchard Farm High School.

At Discovery Elementary School, Dr. Rene Yoesel received $500 for the Discovery Elementary Annual Career Fair, where Parents, community members and businessmen/leaders from the six career paths will be invited to share information regarding their careers to all elementary students PK-2 at Discovery Elementary (students in grades K-2 from the Orchard Farm Elementary campus will also be attending). 

At the Orchard Farm Middle School Ms. Lisa Mann received $448 for Eagle Explorers, a career/life skills readiness program that consists of touch screen, tablet devices which will give students with limited motor skills the ability to independently access career exploration websites and participate in activities that encourage appropriate social and life skills for future careers.

Ms. Jennifer Carson, also at Orchard Farm Middle School, received $270 for her project, “Create It, Advertise It” – What Does it Take to be an Entrepreneur? Where students will get to become entrepreneurs! They will create their own product and will be responsible for coming up with a jingle, a logo, and will produce a commercial to reach their target market.

At the Orchard Farm High School, Mr. Bryan Borgerding received $375 for his project, Control Survey and Differential Leveling.  The students in the Civil and Architectural Engineering class will use the equipment purchased to complete two activities. In one activity they will learn how to do differential leveling and in the second activity the students will learn how to do a control survey using a surveying loop. The second activity will be part of a final project that involves creating a commercial building.

St. Charles County ABLE was created in collaboration with local business leaders and participating school district personnel to foster workforce readiness and educational programs for kindergarten through 12th grade students in the community. A business and education partnership, ABLE empowers young people by preparing them for the future. Orchard Farm School District Assistant Superintendent Dr. Timothy M. McInnis and Orchard Farm High School Assistant Principal Mr. Greg Jones serve on the ABLE Foundation committee.