Recently, we went to visit a science classroom at the Curtis Tufts School. The Curtis Tufts houses a program for high school level students who, because of anxiety or other concerns, are unable to function well in the bigger high school environment. The therapeutic environment with small classes and close adult attention, allows these students to flourish academically despite their challenges. Their very engaging teacher, Mr. Thomas Morris, identified a Lego engineering kit and program which he knew would capture the students interest. Our grant process became part of their classroom work as they collaborated to write a grant to the MEF. Mr. Morris told me that one of the students was so engaged in writing the grant that his attendance improved dramatically. The students submitted the grant with the help of their teacher and then learned one of the hardest parts of grant submission: waiting to know if your grant was funded! They were jubilant to learn that they were successful. The MEF provided the funds for the Lego engineering kit and when we visited the students demonstrated to us a mechanical challenge that they were in the midst of solving. It was clear that they were fully involved with the challenge, they were improving their skills by using the Lego program, they were working together and they could stand before us and explain it. These students benefitted not just from the funds we provided, but from the whole grant writing experience.
