GIFTS

As part of our continuing mission to enhance educational excellence in the Berkeley Heights School District in New Jersey, the BHEF annually awards funding for programs and technology in the district through our BHEF Grant Program. In addition to grants, the BHEF donates funds in the form of special gifts to the school district. Gifts and grants are made possible through funds raised from BHEF-sponsored events and direct donations.
During the 2010-2011 school year, the BHEF donated over $100, 000 in gifts and grants to the Berkeley Heights School District. Much of this funding was donated in the form of special gifts which impacted a wide range of students and benefitted every public school throughout the district.
With these funds, the BHEF proudly supported the purchase of the following new technology, equipment and books:

14 Promethean Boards

Classroom library books at three elementary schools

190 Literary Lunch books at Columbia Middle School

The BHEF also sponsored speaker Matt Bellace, a youth motivational speaker and author of “A Better High”. Mr. Bellace’s program, “How to Get High Naturally” focuses on making healthy choices and was presented to Governor Livingston students and later to parents in the district in April of 2011.

Previous Special Gifts to the District 2006-2007
In addition to funding grants through our annual grant program, the BHEF specifically donated funds to support three unique programs during the 2006-2007 school year. The first two gifts were designed to impact children at each end of the educational spectrum and were named the “Bookend” projects, while the third gift impacted all three elementary schools in the district.
Our bookend gift for beginning students was the construction of the outdoor classroom at the former Early Childhood Center at Hamilton Terrace School, now the Mary Kay McMillin Early Childhood Center. In partnership with Fettes Brothers Landscaping and Construction, the BHEF funded an amphitheater that enhanced the science and nature curriculum and continues to provide an opportunity for teachers to incorporate aspects of outdoor learning into everyday learning techniques.
(picture)
Our other bookend gift for the opposite end of the educational spectrum was the implementation of a six-week Self Defense Program for every senior graduating from Governor Livingston High School in June of 2007. The BHEF partnered with Tiger Schulmann’s Mixed Martial Arts of Watchung to bring these timely, valuable self defense skills to students, many of whom were leaving home for the first time in the fall.
(picture)
Our third gift included the purchase of Promethean interactive whiteboards for each of the district’s three elementary schools. These Activboards transformed each classroom as they provided a touch sensitive screen allowing teachers and students to control a computer and the Internet directly by simply touching the board. The boards included an “Activote” integrated personal response system that permits the entire class to participate in the lesson and voice responses and opinions.

2006-07 Gifts