The Shelter Island Educational Foundation plans to give a creative kit to every young student residing here, no matter where they’re schooled. In a letter to preschool and elementary students and their parents/guardians, SIEF says the kits, from KiwiCo, are on their way.
“Be on the lookout for a special delivery,” SIEF President Janine Mahoney said in an email Saturday.
SIEF will distribute 163 kits to students in grades Pre-K 3 to 5. They’ll go to students attending Shelter Island School, the SI Early Childhood Learning Center, The Forest School, Our Lady of the Hamptons, Hayground School, and Ross School, as well as to those who are homeschooled, Mahoney said.
About the kits
The KiwiCo kits are targeted for specific age groups and provide hands-on learning in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math). All kits are age-based: Koala (2 to 4), Kiwi (5 to 8), Atlas (6 to 11), and Tinker (9+). Find details on the KiwiCo website, kiwico.com.
“Hopefully it will keep you busy and help you learn a bit about science, geography, or art,” Mahoney says in her letter.
Two Shelter Island School teachers — Elizabeth Eklund and Kerry Knipfing — ordered kits that specifically align with classroom learning, Mahoney said. They will present them to their students in class after the holiday break, she said.
‘Give a little something back’
SIEF is funded wholly by donors and staffed by volunteers. It typically provides grants in two cycles annually to fund programs and activities beyond those covered by the public school budget. Learn more, or make a donation, on the SIEF website, shelterislandedfoundation.org.
In a typical year, students, teachers, and organizations apply for funding for camps, trips to museums, or cultural events. SIEF concluded its latest grant cycle in November.
But this year, Mahoney said in her letter to students and their families, “because not only your school, but also all the fun trips and camps were canceled, we decided to buy this small educational gift for you and all of your friends who live on Shelter Island.”
“The SIEF Board chose to pursue this project as a way to give a little something back to our children, who seem to have given up so much this year,” she said.
“We would like to wish you and your family a wonderful holiday season and a Happy New Year,” Mahoney wrote. “May it be filled with magic and dreams, fine books, warm hugs, and plenty of creativity!”
