Library grants awarded to schools in 3 counties

LAKEWOOD — Two Georgian Court University alumnae were among the Monmouth, Ocean, and Middlesex County recipients of 10 grants from OceanFirst Bank. Awarded by the OceanFirst Foundation’s new School Library-Media Center Enhancement Grant program, each grant totaled $25,000.

Georgian Court alumnae Rebecca D’Aleo, a media specialist at Cedar Creek Elementary School, Lacey, and Lisa Crate, a media specialist at the Carl W. Goetz Middle School, Jackson, were honored at a reception in September at the Crystal Point Yacht Club, Point Pleasant.

According to a press release, D’Aleo’s application to the grant program outlined her plan to offer fun incentives to inspire students to read. Her effort included purchasing approximately 1,300 books, and then printing a deck of cards for each student with the titles of the books on the cards. Students received journals to track their reading and were awarded medals based on the number of books they had read.

Crate’s program, Boys Open Up to Nonfiction-Centered Experiences (BOUNCE), focused on encouraging middle school boys to read. She used the grant to update the sports section of the library, as well as acquire new titles about science, the supernatural, animals and the most recent version of the Guinness Book of World Records.

The Freehold Learning Center elementary school, Freehold Borough, received a grant for its project, “Reading into the 21st Century.” Staff will use the grant for the following:

• “Reading Buddies,” in which students in grades three, four and five meet weekly throughout the school year to read aloud to a “buddy” in kindergarten, first or second grade.

• The lunchtime Book Club for grades three, four and five. This voluntary program was created to encourage students to read more outside the classroom as well as to provide an opportunity for them to discuss stories in a non-threatening environment, thus helping them to develop oral speaking skills. While a local group funded the initial purchase of paperback books for each grade level, they are in need of updated titles.

• “Battle of the Books” for grades four and five. Each year a list of approximately 15 titles consisting of a mixture of fiction genres and biographies is selected by librarians. After reading the selections, students form teams and “battle” each other by answering questions about the books. The grant will enable administrators to purchase enough books for both grades to participate.

• A new program focuses on storytelling. A group of teachers will attend a summer institute to become storytellers, as well as learn how to apply it to students’ literary education. They will also have professional storytellers visit throughout the year, helping the older students hone their oral language skills, build self-esteem and learn to appreciate and respond to other cultures and ideas. With so many students involved, the fairy tale and folk tale section needs to be updated. Listening centers will also be incorporated so that students can listen to, record and play back their own tales.

OceanFirst said its grant program is an effort to enrich the learning experience and encourage a love of reading and learning among students in the OceanFirst service area. The foundation received 133 applications from eligible public and private schools, from kindergarten through 12th grade. The foundation has contributed more than $13 million to more than 600 local charities in Ocean, Monmouth and Middlesex counties since its inception.