First Financial Foundation awards Erma Dorrer classroom grant to Danielle Farley of Ramtown Elementary School
FREEHOLD, NJ (November 9, 2018) — Ramtown Elementary School 3rd grade reading teacher, Danielle Farley, was surprised by members of the First Financial Foundation with an Erma Dorrer classroom grant for the 2018-2019 school year. Ramtown School is part of the Howell Township K-8 School District.
Farley submitted a grant application to purchase a one year license for the Raz-Kids reading program for her students. The program provides hundreds of eBooks offered at 29 different levels of reading difficulty. Kids access their level through an interactive learning portal designed to keep them motivated and engaged. Every eBook allows students to listen to, read at their own pace, and record themselves reading. Students then take a corresponding eQuiz to determine their future instructional needs. Once a student has read 10 or more eBooks and passed the corresponding quizzes, they advance on to the next reading level where they have access to lengthier and more difficult text.
“I truly believe that READERS ARE LEADERS and that children all grow and advance as readers at different rates,” said Farley. “The children love this program. I would love to provide my students with the opportunity to access this program in the classroom as well as at home. This grant would provide the funds to make that happen.”
Since First Financial began with a group of Asbury Park school teachers back in 1936, the credit union has not forgotten its educational roots. That is why it’s Foundation offered current Monmouth and Ocean County educator’s six (6) classroom grants to use at their schools for the 2018-2019 school year.
“Education has and always will be a pivotal piece of our organization, and we’re delighted to be able to help our local educators enhance their classroom experience,” noted First Financial President & CEO, Issa Stephan.
Stephan also noted that the Foundation committee had a tough job of choosing just six winning teachers out of the numerous applications received this year. “We received dozens of heartwarming essays from educators hoping to use the grant money to implement or maintain a variety of creative programs in their schools such as flexible seating, virtual reality glasses, book stands and shelving, new classroom cabinets, and interactive books and games – to name a few,” said Stephan. “We wish we were able to reward each and every one of our participants, and after extremely careful consideration we selected the sixclassrooms in which we felt the grant money would have the largest impact.”
Grant Recipient Danielle Farley of Ramtown School in Howell
About First Financial Foundation (NJ)
Since 1994, First Financial has supported the Monmouth & Ocean communities with the Erma Dorrer Scholarship Program. Today, that program has been extended into the First Financial Foundation to assist charitable organizations of the Monmouth & Ocean County Communities. The First Financial Federal Credit Union Foundation is a non-profit working to support a variety of community programs and organizations throughout Monmouth and Ocean Counties. We direct 100% of your contributions to programs because all administrative expenses are paid for by First Financial Federal Credit Union. To learn more, visit www.firstffcu.com.
