Ross Environmental Services, Inc.

ROSS CHALLENGE GRANTS PROGRAM FUNDS 3RD GRADE OPERA

Third graders at Midview West Elementary perform in their opera. The program
was funded by a Ross Foundation Challenge Grant.

This year marked the 25^th year of the Ross Foundation Challenge Grants program at the Midview Local School District.  Since the program first began in 1985, the Ross Foundation has appropriated more than $280,000 to the program supporting an impressive 720 innovative educational programs.

The programs are chosen by a committee of select Midview teachers at the all three educational levels, high school, middle school and elementary school, as well as Midview Local School District staff and administrators.  The committee reviews the applications and decides who will receive the challenge grants that year.  Grants awarded this year funded an eclectic group of programs, including the following:

•·        "Music Words Opera": West Elementary teacher Gloria Thomas and her third grade students had the opportunity to perform an opera for their friends and family.  The students were mentored by a representative from the Cleveland Opera On-Tour group.  The object of this program was to promote children's cognitive, language, social and physical development, as well a to foster their artistic development.

•·        "Bully Free Zone": The teachers at East Intermediate teamed up with the Midview Middle School teachers to raise awareness of bullying by purchasing books on bullying.  This program will allow students and teachers to discuss the topic of bullying in their 6^th grade language arts classes, while at the same time cover all language art requirements.  The idea is for the discussion to continue into the students' 7^th grade Health and Family Living class. 

This year 20 innovative ideas to were brought to life with the money from the Ross Challenge Grants Program.  The majority of the funds went to Midview Elementary schools, with only a few programs in the middle and high school received funds. 

• Environmental Services
• Transportation Services
• Incineration Services