Quechee, VT – This spring, 16 students in Dartmouth College’s course “Leadership in Civil Society: Philanthropy in the Nonprofit Sector” invited grant applications to their “pop-up foundation,” formed for the purpose of the class. The students selected eight grant recipients, among them the Vermont Institute of Natural Science, which received $5,000 for its educational programs. Professor Ronald Shaiko, Senior Fellow and Associate Director for Curricular and Research Policy Programs at The Nelson A. Rockefeller Center for Public Policy and the Social Sciences, joined his students in honoring grant awardees on Thursday, May 23. Dartmouth College President Phil Hanlon and students presented the award to Vermont Institute of Natural Science Executive Director Charles F. Rattigan. The grant will be used to purchase needed supplies for STEM teaching kits used by VINS educators working in local schools. The kits are also available for use by teachers who partner with VINS.
“We appreciate the students’ feeling that our grant proposal was worthy of funding and President Hanlon for taking the time to participate in the award ceremony,” Rattigan said.
“This grant will allow us to enhance the quality of the teaching materials we utilize in our programs and increase the number of teaching kits available for teachers to borrow.”
—Hannah Gelroth, Director of School Programs and Teacher Professional Development
VINS is headquartered in Quechee, VT at the VINS Nature Center. For more information about VINS’ educational programs, please visit vinsweb.org/school-programs . VINS also invites visitors to explore the Forest Exhibit , which captures the sights, sounds and smells of a natural forest. Discover common trees in our area and how to identify them. Investigate the amazing diversity of mammals, birds, reptiles and insects that call the forest home. Also explore our new outdoor Adventure Playscape , a natural place for kids with elements for creative play, fun for all ages.
Photo caption: VINS Executive Director Charlies F. Rattigan accepts the award from Dartmouth College President Phil Hanlon and Dartmouth students Jaymie Wei and Grace Callahan.