Dave and Sandy Perloff helped to launch the annual Washington County Robotics Expo, which brings together students, teachers, and the community to share their experiences in building, operating and programming functional robots.
This fall, Dave and Sandy Perloff will be celebrating their tenth year of educational grantmaking to public schools in Maine. Participating schools cover the entire state, from Berwick to Madawaska and from Greenville to Lubec. The grants support a wide range of teacher-initiated projects in the creative arts, language studies and physical education, among other areas. The Perloffs visit every funded program twice in the course of the school year.
When applying for a Fast Track Grant, teachers are encouraged to be “educational innovators, committed to planning, risk taking and results.” The Maine Community Foundation plays a key role in the grant program. The foundation recommends eligible school districts, coordinates with school administrators and supports teachers throughout the application process. To date, nearly 200 projects have been funded through MaineCF, with grants approaching $450,000.
Over the past five years, the Perloffs have developed an additional funding track specifically aimed at enhancing education in the area of science and mathematics. Focusing on smaller, rural schools as well as Day Treatment programs, the couple supply kits that contain everything needed to build, operate and program a functional robotic vehicle. So far 30 robotics programs have been funded, with over half of them located in Washington County and nearby Charlotte County, New Brunswick, Canada.
August 17, 2009