Foundation for a Strong Education: An inside look at the District 88 Foundation ‘Technology updates in physics’ mini-grant

Pictured is District 88 Foundation Chairperson Sharon Kucik.

Since the 2013-14 school year, the District 88 Foundation has been proud to award mini-grant funds for staff members to implement instructional opportunities that benefit students at Addison Trail and Willowbrook. To date, the foundation has awarded 76 mini-grants, for a total of more than $36,500!

That funding has supported a rain garden, cooking programs, music tools/software, theatre events, technology enhancements, providing mentor speakers and more. Through the Foundation for a Strong Education column, we’re excited to share how these mini-grants are benefiting our students. The column will run in the District 88 Newsletter on the last Friday of each month during the school year and provides direct feedback from teachers and students on how these innovative programs and projects are making a positive difference in our buildings.

This month, we’re thrilled to showcase the “Technology updates in physics” mini-grant for Willowbrook.

About the mini-grant: Funding from this mini-grant allowed Willowbrook physics classes to buy wireless Bluetooth-capable force sensors, which allows students to use their own devices to interface with the sensors in a more intuitive manner (pictured above). Pupils can take their data with them on their devices, and they can more easily manipulate the graphs on their devices to analyze their data. The wireless sensors also allow for certain experiments that are impossible with wired sensors.

School year(s) the mini-grant was awarded: 2017-18

Number of students who have benefited from this mini-grant to date: 80

Staff member(s) who applied for/received the mini-grant: Willowbrook science teacher Eastman Tiu

How did this mini-grant impact student learning? “The access and recording the data on my device was easier … There are fewer steps, and it’s easier to navigate.”

- Willowbrook student Talhah Waheed, class of 2020

The District 88 Foundation is a member of the Partnership for Inspired Education (PIE) Foundation, a 501(c)(3) charitable organization that serves public school students in District 88, Addison School District 4, District 45 and Salt Creek School District 48. Founded in 2009, PIE is designed to be the foundation that supports a long-term partnership with the community, businesses, schools and, most importantly, the children served. For more information about PIE, go to www.piefoundation.org.

The District 88 Foundation hosts and participates in a variety of events each year to raise money, and those funds wouldn’t be possible without your support. Your generous donations allow us to continue providing mini-grants, which could not otherwise be funded through the District 88 budget.

You can make a donation by:

  • Mailing your tax-deductible contribution to:

PIE Foundation
P.O. Box 5438
Villa Park, IL 60181

*Please make checks payable to “District 88 Foundation”

Thank you for your continued support of the District 88 Foundation.

  • The Foundation for a Strong Education column provides an inside look into mini-grants provided by the District 88 Foundation for staff members to implement instructional opportunities that benefit District 88 students. This feature will share how these mini-grants are making a positive difference at Addison Trail and Willowbrook to build futures for our students and help accomplish District 88’s mission of working for the continuous improvement of student achievement. The column will run in the District 88 Newsletter on the last Friday of each month during the school year. For more information about the foundation, go to www.dupage88.net/foundation.