IPEI is at the Ithaca Alternative Gift Fair!

For a few more hours, you can come support IPEI at the Ithaca Alternative Gift Fair!

Here are the gifts that you can buy to support IPEI this holiday season:

$5 -  Books for elementary students to take home that complement Kids Discover the Trail! activities

$10 - Fine Arts Booster Group brings artists to support literacy and creativity into the ICSD schools

$15 - IthacaSTEM supports science, technology, engineering, and mathematics activities in the ICSD

$20 - IPEI Grants for innovative projects strongly impact student engagement in the ICSD

$Open Amount - IPEI connects school and community to enhance the education of every student in the ICSD 

We'll see you at the Fair!

Give Your Support to IPEI This #GivingTuesday

Today is Giving Tuesday! Giving Tuesday, like Cyber Monday or Black Friday, is an opportunity to get in the holiday spirit by donating to the non-profit organizations that work hard for your community year-round. This year, we think you should donate to IPEI, and we've got ten great reasons why!

10. IPEI's Kids Discover the Trail! Ithaca takes 2,900 ICSD elementary schoolers to eight Discovery Trail sites each year!

9. During the 2012-2013 school year, IPEI allocated more than $230,000 in grants, awards, and programs to Ithaca City School District teachers, schools and students!

8. Since 2001, the Fine Arts Booster Group has recycled 137 instruments, and granted over $144,000 to Ithaca City School District arts education, including 292 mini-grants!

7. This year, IPEI expanded with a new affiliate! IthacaSTEM Advocates provides teachers, parents, students, and schools with funding and opportunities for collaboration with Ithacans in STEM fields!

6. IPEI collaborates with many local Ithaca businesses. (Check out our honor roll!)

5. Each year, IPEI grants Red & Gold Grants up to $500 to bring interactive materials, special guests, and more to enhance the classroom experience of ICSD students! 

4. IPEI connects members of the Ithaca community to ICSD schools. And successful schools need community engagement!

3. The annual IPEI Spelling Bee. Need we say more?

2. IPEI helps make great kid-focused community events like Galumpha and Vitamin L concerts possible!

1. IPEI grants increase student engagement - and engagement matters!

So please, consider giving to IPEI this Giving Tuesday. We are grateful for all of your support!

Click here to give to IPEI for Giving Tuesday

Grants, Engagement, And Why IPEI Matters

Last year, IPEI allocated more than $230,000 to enhance the education of ICSD students through Teacher Grants, Red and Gold Grants, Community Collaboration grants; its two affiliate organizations; awards from special funds; and the Kids Discover the Trail! program. This year, we received research-based proof that IPEI initiatives are making a big difference for Ithaca kids.

Data from reports submitted by teachers who were awarded grants during the 2012-13 school year showed that student engagement rose by an average of nearly 50% following IPEI grant-funded activities. And for students identified as "performing below grade level," the average increase in engagement was even higher, almost doubling after participation in IPEI-funded programs!

So just what is student engagement? It's an important component of learning that can be difficult to measure. IPEI asked teachers who funded programs and activities with IPEI grants to observe students' body language, verbal participation, physical participation, independence, and excitement before and after the grant-funded activities.

We at IPEI are overjoyed to have what we have always believed officially confirmed. We are excited to continue providing resources to the amazing teachers of ICSD. But we can't do that without your  engagement - so consider donating to IPEI today!

Support IPEI - because engagement matters!

A Message From IPEI's Executive Director

I just completed my second month as IPEI's first Executive Director.  It's been a wonderful two months, and I am energized by the enthusiasm of all who are impacted by our work.

On my first day at IPEI, I had the privilege of attending the opening convocation for all teachers of the Ithaca City School District as they started the new school year.  As I was introduced around, each teacher I met expressed warm gratitude for IPEI's support of their ideas and dreams for their students.  It was so heartwarming. 

At the ribbon cutting for IPEI's first office at the Just Be Cause Center this fall, I heard a story that truly signifies what IPEI is all about.  A former Ithaca City School District student walked into our office to thank IPEI for a grant that allowed him, while in his senior year at IHS, to explore his dream for a career in music, a dream that is now becoming reality. 

I was so impressed by this testimonial. IPEI strives to engage our students in learning that will lead to their future success, to make their dreams come true.  And IPEI's commitment to partnering with teachers and community organizations creates the strong roots from which these successes blossom.

IPEI makes a tremendous difference in the lives of our students, in the classrooms of our teachers, and in the strength of our community. I look forward to continuing IPEI's work with the schools and the community to keep the dreams alive. 

IPEI Fall 2013 Grant Deadlines

It may seem hard to believe given last weekend’s heat wave, but it is already October! And with October comes deadlines if you’re a teacher, staff member, administrator, parent, or community member with a great idea for a grant. Here are some important fall deadlines to keep in mind:

• Teacher Grants, due November 1st - these grants of up to $1,500 are awarded to teachers for innovative projects that bring community resources into the classroom and selected through a competitive review process
• Red and Gold Grants, due October 21st - these grants of up to $500 are awarded to teachers and anyone else in the school community including students and parents for projects that strengthen and enrich the schools
• Fine Arts Booster Group (FABG) Mini-Grants, due October 30th - these grants are awarded to support arts activities in the schools, including collaborations, visiting artists, and musical equipment
• Community Collaboration Grants - these grants of up to $3,000 are awarded to community organizations wishing to initiate curricular-enhancing projects with district schools. You can be apply for a Community Collaboration Grant at any time.

We have already received a number of great submissions, and can’t wait to see more!

For more information, visit our website or give us a call at (607) 256-4734.

Kids Discover the Trail! Featured at Chamber of Commerce Business After Hours

On Wednesday, October 9th, IPEI’ will host the monthly Tompkins County Chamber of Commerce Business After Hours highlighting Kids Discover the Trail!  for the business community.

This month’s showcase will be held at Cornell Plantations from 5:00pm to 7:00pm. It will be a wonderful opportunity to learn more about this unique collaboration between IPEI, the Discovery Trail, and the Ithaca City School District that services 2,900 ICSD elementary schoolers. There will also be wine and beer, light refreshments, and door prizes that include memberships to the Johnson Museum, the Sciencenter, and more!

Tickets are only $12 and can be purchased here.

You can read the official release from the Tompkins County Chamber of Commerce below the jump:

Application for First Round of Red and Gold Grants Due Oct. 21st

Though the school year has just started, we know that Ithaca teachers already have lots of great ideas for their classes! If you are an ICSD teacher, administrator, librarian, or other staff member and you have an idea for a field trip, activity, or set of materials that needs funding, consider applying for an IPEI Red and Gold grant.

IPEI's Red and Gold grants are grants up to $500, and are designed to provide modest assistance for one-time classroom needs. For funding for ongoing projects, please consider applying for an IPEI Teacher Grant.

For more information on Red and Gold Grants, visit our website. To download the application for a Red and Gold grant, click here. For questions about the Red and Gold grants, email us at red&goldgrants@ipei.org.

Jenny Emerson, Fall Creek Teacher, Wins Loehr Award

Jenny Emerson, a fourth-grade science teacher at Fall Creek Elementary, is the 2013 of the Loehr Innovative Science Teaching Award. Emerson and her colleagues won the award for their work on the "Kids at the Creek" project, which is based on the Cayuga Lake Floating Classroom. "Kids at the Creek" has received an IPEI Red and Gold Grant three years in a row.

Ms. Emerson may only be in her fourth year of teaching, but she is already making a big impact. We at IPEI can't wait to see what this great teacher does next!

Fall Creek Elementary Principal Michael Simons and Loehr Award recipient Jenny Emerson

Learn more about Jenny Emerson and the Loehr award here!

Welcome Back!

Last week was the first week that Ithaca City School students returned to their classrooms. We at IPEI wish everyone the best in this new school year.

We're here to help teachers make the 2013-14 school year great! If you're interested in any of our grants for your classroom, please keep these dates in mind:

• Teacher Grants (up to $1500) - applications due November 1st
• Red and Gold Grants (up to $500) - applications due October 1st (Round 1), December 2nd (Round 2), February 24th (Round 3), April 21st (Round 4)
• Fine Arts Booster Group Mini-Grants - fall deadline October 30th, spring deadline February 1st

For more information on applying to our grants, please visit our website. Together, we can make this school year great!

Tonight We Toast to IPEI!

The air is getting a little bit colder and a lot less humid - fall is on the way! But before we become ensconced in apples, pumpkin spice lattes, and the other essentials of fall in Ithaca, the M&T Bank Summer Concert Series is having a double-header tomorrow night in front of the State Theater.

From 6pm to 9pm, you can hear local bands Second Dam and the Sim Redmond Band for free. In addition to all of that great music, our very own Jennifer Engel - not just Vice President of our board, but also a founding member of IPEI - will be serving drinks! All tips will go to IPEI.

So grab your sunglasses for an end of summer hurrah, and don't forget to tip your bartender!

Moving, Moving, Moved!

It's the beginning of August, and in Ithaca that means moving season! This August IPEI, like so many college and graduate students, moved into a new home - our first office!

The office is located at the Just Be Cause center on 1013 W State St. The Just Be Cause center is a not-for-profit development center founded by Jerry Dietz in memory of his late wife Judy. Judy was a pillar of the Ithaca community who devoted her time and passion to improving the little city she loved.

We are so grateful to Jerry for our great new space which will enable us to better serve the Ithaca City School District!

The Just Be Cause Not-For-Profit Development Center!

Jerry Dietz with IPEI Board President Terry Byrnes

IPEI Development Committee Chair Mary Grainger and Board President Terry Byrnes hard at work!

IPEI Welcomes Christine Sanchirico As First Executive Director

After an extensive search, IPEI has named Christine Sanchirico as its first executive director. Ms. Sanchirico has served the Ithaca community for years, and has an impressive history with local nonprofits. She was the executive director of Catholic Charities, executive director of the Ithaca Breast Cancer Alliance (now the Cancer Resource Center), executive administrator of the Women’s Community Building, and interim executive director of Literacy Volunteers of Tompkins County (now Tompkins Learning Partners).

“It is a true honor to join IPEI at such an exciting time in its history and to have the chance to work in partnership with such a dedicated group of board members and volunteers,” Sanchirico said in a statement. “I am the proud parent of three adult children, all of whom attended ICSD schools from kindergarten through high school. I witnessed first-hand the challenges and successes of our local educational system. I believe strongly in the necessity for alternative sources of funding to provide for those areas in which there are gaps in service and unmet needs.”

IPEI Board President Terry Byrnes said, “We are thrilled to have someone of Chris’ experience and level of commitment to our community and its youth join our organization." Stay tuned for more news about this amazing new chapter for IPEI!

Kids Discover the Trail! Featured in Park Photo Awards Project

If a picture is worth 1,000 words, this photography project is adorable and priceless.

Ithaca College senior Alexandra Evans profiled Kids Discover the Trail! for her submission to the 2013 Park Award for Photo Activism. The Award is a joint program of the Community Arts Partnership, Ithaca College's Park School of Communications, and the Park Foundation and was designed to connect students with the greater Ithaca community. Communications majors with proven photography skills and a dedication to community activism were paired with area nonprofits. Then, the students' nonprofit profiles were shown to the public at Cinemapolis in downtown Ithaca.

This video is a literal snapshot of the fun, wonder, and learning that makes KDT! such a great experience. We love this video and we hope you will too!

It's PARTY Time!

We at IPEI are preparing excitedly to move into our amazing new space at the Just Be Cause Center in the coming weeks. And now, you can share our excitement!

This coming Sunday, Agava is hosting the party of the summer - the first annual Just Be Cause Party! From 5pm to 9pm, there will be food, drinks, and live music to celebrate this great nonprofit center. And the best part is that the proceeds from this new annual event will be split between the JBCC and another local nonprofit. This year, we will help Loaves and Fishes celebrate 30 years of providing food, hospitality, companionship and advocacy for those in need in our community. 

Tickets are $50 each and include a fabulous dinner, dancing, and music provided by local favorites, Little Joe and the Big Shots. Tickets are available at Agava, Island Health and Fitness, Terra Rosa in the Triphammer Shopping Plaza, Pastimes in the Dewitt Mall, The Cancer Resource Center and CSP Management.

And remember, we're not having a party just because - it's a party for a Just Cause!

IPEI Welcomes Ithaca STEM Advocates as New Affiliate

This week, the Ithaca Public Education Initiative welcomed Ithaca STEM Advocates as the organization's newest affiliate. The Ithaca STEM Advocates work to provide K-12 students with additional opportunities in the areas of science, technology, engineering, and math by connecting teachers, student clubs, and ICSD-sponsored organizations for networking, support, and fundraising.

Ithaca STEM Advocates joins IPEI's long-time affiliate,  the Fine Arts Booster Group (FABG), under the fiscal "umbrella" of IPEI. For over a decade, IPEI has affiliated with FABG and Code Red Robotics because they are similarly dedicated to educational missions that are compatible with IPEI’s charitable purpose of fostering understanding of and support for the schools. The IPEI Board of Directors feel confident that an affiliation with Ithaca STEM Advocates will be similarly beneficial for Ithaca students. IPEI President Terry Byrnes remarked, "IPEI strives to enhance the education of every ICSD student and we are delighted to welcome the Ithaca STEM Advocates. IPEI will support and collaborate with this new organization to increase student access to and participation in STEM activities."

Illa Burbank, president of the newly formed Ithaca STEM Advocates, encouraged groups and individuals to get involved by visiting IthacaSTEM.org.  “Learn how you can assist in raising funds; help decide how funds are allocated; and find out how your class, club, or organization can benefit,” Burbank said. "We are also seeking volunteers for our board and committees, and for the associated organizations, as well as mentors from the technology community who want to work with our students and teachers."

Gifts can be made to IPEI and either directed to a specific STEM associate, or donated to Ithaca STEMto help fund its overall mission and operations.

IPEI and Library Lion Head Downtown

If you walk down Bank Alley, you may see a familiar lion that loves to read. Local artist Sandra Carr generously donated her time to capturing the beloved Kids Discover the Trail! character on a mural for IPEI. We love seeing such a great representation of our organization, and hopefully you will too!

Exhibition of IHS Student Art at TCPL

There are only a few days left in the Tompkins County Public Library's exhibit of art by Ithaca High School students! This stunning artwork display is a great way to beat the heat this summer. Don't miss it!

Photos courtesy of TCPL official website. 

Fine Arts Booster Group Awards 6 Scholarships

The Fine Arts Booster Group, an affiliate of IPEI, awarded six scholarships through the Rella and Barney Cohn Music Scholarship Fund. This fund was established by Abby Cohn in memory of her parents, and both honors and continues the excellent music education provided to the students of the Ithaca City School District.

Michael W. Allen, Director of the Ithaca Youth Bureau Summer Music Program, expressed his gratitude to Ms. Cohn, adding that "these scholarships...allow students who might not otherwise be able to participate in the Summer Bands at Cornell University's Lincoln Hall the opportunity to be part of this special program."