AthFest Educates 2023 – 2024 Grantees
We are proud to announce the 2023 – 2024 AthFest Educates grantees. The AthFest Educates Board of Directors is thrilled to be supporting the amazing work these individuals do every day on behalf of the young people of Athens-Clarke County. With this round of grants, AthFest Educates has now awarded over $627,000 in grants to support high-quality music and arts education.
Music and Arts Non-Consumable Equipment Grants
Grantee: Melanie Sgrignoli, Timothy Road Elementary
Award Amount: $750
Summary: Purchase a portable slab roller to facilitate more in-depth clay lessons with more K-5 students and focus on practicing the different clay techniques of pinching, coiling, slipping and scoring.
Grantee: Matthew Rubenstein, Burney-Harris-Lyons Middle School
Award Amount: $3,799.80
Summary: Purchase additional guitar sets for middle school Guitar Class so that every student has a guitar for use in class and at home. This will grant students the opportunity to practice outside of the classroom and will be highly beneficial to their development as a musician.
Grantee: Christopher Simpson, Clarke Central High School
Recipient of the Nick & Erin Maulding Grant
Award Amount: $4,808.95
Summary: Purchase of MalletKAT Keyboard Percussion Controller to enhance Band students’ education for keyboard percussion style instruments, such as marimbas or vibraphones. The incorporation of this project will contribute to the advancement of musical skills, cognitive development and overall enrichment for our students.
Grantee: Aaron M. Price, Cedar Shoals High School
Recipient of the Huber Engineered Woods Grant
Award Amount: $2,427.58
Summary: Purchase of microphones and accessories to expand the opportunities of Music Technology students to incorporate podcasting, studio recording, voice over work, and live music performances. This will allow students to incorporate real-world sounds into their Music Technology projects, beyond the computer-generated sounds they are currently limited to.
Grantee: Sarah Waller-Price, Coile Middle School
Award Amount: $2,412
Summary: Purchase 42 musical works by modern composers representing a diverse population including race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, and gender for the Band Program. These will expose students to quality works that are composed by people who represent them and will allow students to develop deeper connections with music by considering how culture, history and society play a role in the music that is created.
Grantee: Heather Garland, Clarke Central High School
Recipient of the Huber Engineered Woods Grant
Award Amount: $4,967
Summary: Purchase of Electric Kiln to accommodate increasing student interest and enrollment in 3D arts. This will enable more students to create ceramic pieces that are uniquely related to their life experiences and personalities and encourage more young artists to pursue future art careers and enhance their personal artistic development.
Grantee: Jacqueline Shirley, YMCA
Recipient of the Jeff & Young Green Grant
Award Amount: $1,288.96
Summary: Purchase of a sophisticated keyboard, microphones, and PA System for the Choir Program. All pieces of equipment will help introduce singers to additional music vocabulary, expose them to more complex techniques without the presence of other band members and enhance their practice experience which in turn enhances their performances.
Music and Arts Programs and Experiences Grants
Grantee: Madison Graham, Winterville Elementary School
Recipient of the Jeff & Young Green Grant
Award Amount: $700
Summary: Local jazz band, Kenosha Kid, will perform at the school’s “Lunch & Lawn” event. With the addition of Kenosha Kid, we help to build an inclusive and vibrant atmosphere where students, parents and the local community can come together to enjoy live music while nurturing a love for the arts and encouraging social interaction.
Grantee: Gayla Chambers, YWCO
Award Amount: $4,970
Summary: 32 Third grade girls will participate in the Puppetry Arts Program over the summer. They will attend a performance at the Center for Puppetry Arts and visit the Center’s Museum, and after, Ms. Wooten, Artistic Director of Wooten Woopets, and her staff will help the girls create their own puppets. Using Wooten Woopets, this project will stimulate children’s imaginations and allow them to expand and express their natural creativity.
Grantee: Kimberly D. Davis, Morton Theater
Award Amount: $4,400
Summary: 900 8th graders will attend a performance of the play “Brown v Board of Education: Over Fifty Years Later.” The 50-minute student version of the one-man play will help students understand and celebrate an important Supreme Court decision and will be part of an effort to educate CCSD students about the history of desegregation in Athens. AthFest Educates will provide funding for two student shows per day for two days.
Grantee: Miranda Brown, UGA Performing Arts Center
Award Amount: $5,000
Summary: 3000 CCSD students will attend performances at the UGA PAC that are tailored to students and last approximately one hour. The performances are often interactive, and the artist will conduct a 10-15 minute discussion session with the students at the end. The performances will include: the South African singing group, Ladysmith Black Mambazo; renowned latino dance ensemble, Ballet Hispánico; traditional Irish music group, Dervish; Grammy-nominated Mariachi Sol de México de José Hernández. AthFest Educates will provide funding for a percentage of the performances and study guides for the students.
Grantee: Ann Woodruff, Canopy
Award Amount: $3,000
Summary: Elementary and Middle School Special Education students will attend fun physical activity classes, adapted to their special needs, at Canopy. Last year’s one semester program will now be offered for the full year so that their students can experience movement regardless of ability. AthFest Educates will provide funding for the expansion of the program.
Grantee: Dr. Christina Hanawalt, Contemporary Art Studio After-School
Award Amount: $4,775
Summary: 20 Middle School students will participate in a 10 week Contemporary Art Studio program in connection with the Lamar Dodd School of Art and Athenaeum, engaging with current exhibits, artists, and participating in art creation. The program aims for students to develop a new or deeper understanding of contemporary art, an understanding for the ways artists work and make art, a sense of comfort with being in art buildings on UGA campus, and an overall excitement for art and the opportunities it affords. AthFest Educates will provide funding for a percentage of the supplies, transportation and other project costs.
Grantee: Elizabeth Bush, Barnett Shoals Elementary School
Award Amount: $5,000
Summary: Students will study public art and participate in the creation of a public mural under the direction of local artist, David Hale. This project hopes to cultivate a sense of pride, ownership, connection and responsibility for Barnett Shoals Elementary in its students. AthFest Educates will provide funding for the artist fee.