The WEA-Eastern Washington Council has been pleased to award COP grants to many of our local associations. Following are some examples of how these funds have been used to further community outreach.

 

Rosalia EA 

 

 

Thanks to the WEA-Eastern Washington Community Outreach grant, the Rosalia Education Association hosted an assembly called "Gears of Invention" by Rick Hartman, the teaching toymaker.

 

 

During this assembly Mr Hartman taught the students about inventing, making mistakes and never giving up on your dream. that evening REA put on a Family Night Build a Toy Workshop hosted by Rick Hartman.

 

 

Students and their parents explored art and science while having fun and creating their very own toy to keep. Not only did the families learn science and math concepts, but cooperative learning and problem solving were also used.

 

 

Rick Hartman is a former public school teacher and now a master toymaker, as well as a nationally-acclaimed children's presenter. He uses simple carpentry tools to construct amazing wooden folk toys. To learn more about Rick Hartman, the Teaching Toymaker, visit his website at www.toyworkshop.com.

 

 

 

Selkirk EA

 

 

The Selkirk Education Association requested and received a COP grant to help fund a community-wide project refurbishing the two city parks in their district, located in Metaline and Ione. The project took place in conjunction with Earth Day 2006.

 

 

 

The grant paid for paint and supplies, swing seats, transportation and food for a barbecue lunch. However, the project went beyond what the members and students had hoped for, when local businesses joined the effort. Six local businesses made industrial repairs, provided tools and supplies, and sent professionals to work with the kids.

 

 

From 9:00am to 2:00pm, Selkirk students from all grade levels worked with adults painting buildings, tables, and toys as well as planting trees and flowers. Younger students raked and picked up trash. As one student remarked, We got to paint and garden. Now when people visit here they can say, This is a beautiful  waterfront park!

 

 

Valerie VanDyke, past president of Selkirk EA, said that the COP grant project helped establish a partnership between the Association, the City Councils, students, families, volunteers and community businesses.

 

 

 

Mead EA

 

 

For the last several years, the Northwood Middle School team has received a COP grant from WEA-Eastern Washington for their community outreach project, the Community Garden in Loon Lake.

 

The seventh graders at Northwood plant this two and a half acre garden at Granite Point Park in the spring of each year. In the fall, the eighth graders harvest the garden and take the produce to the Loon Lake and Mead food banks. Last year the group took 2,137lbs of produce to the Mead Food Bank alone.

 

 

 

Project coordinator, Guy Pruitt, a teacher at Northwood Middle School, says, A lot of people in our school district and in Stevens County know about our garden and what it does for the Loon Lake Food Bank and the Mead Food Bank.

 

 

Pruitt also says that the community can see that public education can be taught outside the classroom as well as inside. We are thankful that we can help others. People might not know where Granite Point Park is but they know where the garden is on Highway 395.

 

Without the partnership of WEA-Eastern Washington, parents, staff and students, this project would not have been successful.

 

 

  

 

Harrington EA

 

 

Thanks to WEA-Easterns COP grant and the Harrington School Board, the Santas Workshop was a huge success! Coordinated by Grace Moeller, president of Harrington EA, there were more than 40 community members, staff members and students who created craft projects which were given as gifts to people within the community last December. All K-12 school students at Harrington were able to participate.

 

 

As seen from the pictures, the students had a great day creating projects which included family banners, wreaths, holiday center pieces and embroidered hats and scarves. The students, the volunteers and the staff agreed that a great day was had by everyone!