As part of its Vision 2031, the District identified key traits for a graduate in 2031, including being global and well-traveled. This means helping English language learners to achieve proficiency while embracing and appreciating their own language and culture. And it means giving students the opportunity for deep learning of a second language. The table below lists grants that HEF has provided to support the District’s goals for language learning and cultural diversity.
Learn more about the range of grants HEF provides across the entire curriculum.
| Title | Description | Year | Schools |
|---|---|---|---|
| Japanese Resource Kit | Purchased resource kit for study of Japanese culture. | 1999-2000 | Gatewood |
| Thai Teacher Exchange | Supported teacher exchange program between Thailand and Hopkins schools. | 1999-2000 | District-wide |
| International Understanding Through the Arts | Due to the tremendous increase in immigrant families – both refugees and hightech/ professional families new to the area – Gatewood School is facing significant language and cultural issues. At the same time this ethnic diversity provides a tremendous teaching opportunity for all students. HEF awarded a grant to develop a program designed to incorporate international artifacts into teaching resources and to create a welcoming atmosphere through display of these artifacts. | 1999-2000 | Gatewood |
| Orientation for English Language Learners | Funded video to provide orientation for English Language Learners and their families. | 2000-2001 | Gatewood |
| Student Council Cultural Diversity | Supported the Student Council Cultural Activities Committee’s events to broaden awareness of cultural diversity. | 2001-2002 | NJH |
| English Language Learner Boost | Created a pilot program to provide additional basic reading instruction for English Language Learners | 2001-2002 | Meadowbrook |
| Readers' Workshop | Granted funds to continue the Reading Workshop program for Grades 5 and 6 providing a week-long concentrated reading intervention aimed at English Language Learner (ELL) students and others who struggle with reading. | 2002-2003 | Meadowbrook |
| Africa Residencey | Funded a grant to provide the two-week residency, Africa to America, in each school for fourth grade students. Taught by Soli Hughes, students are actively engaged in the learning of the Afro-American experience with the goal of increasing understanding and embracing different lifestyles and traditions. | 2004-2005 | Katherine Curren |
| Africa Residencey | Funded a grant to provide the two-week residency, Africa to America, in each school for fourth grade students. Taught by Soli Hughes, students are actively engaged in the learning of the Afro-American experience with the goal of increasing understanding and embracing different lifestyles and traditions. | 2004-2005 | Alice Smith |
| Basic Spanish Skills for Teachers | Provided funding for basic Spanish Language skills class sessions for 40 teachers to learn the Spanish vocabulary, grammar, conversation and cultural awareness they need to communicate effectively with students and their families in the school setting. | 2004-2005 | District-wide |
| Chinese Immersion: Staff Development for a World-class Program | To provide a solid staff development and curricular foundation for the new Chinese immersion magnet program this grant provides for external guidance on curriculum development and staff development for the first year immersion kindergarten teachers. | 2006-2007 | Eisenhower and XinXing |
| Language Learning Through Laptops | This pilot program further enriches the 4th grade One-to-One Laptop Program. Using an online world language program, Rosetta StoneTM, students learn Spanish at their own pace and can take their laptops home at night to complete activities with their families. | 2007-2008 | Glen Lake |
| Meadowbrook Culture Club | Funds from this grant re-establish the Meadowbrook Culture Club, which hosts 3 all-school multi-cultural events. | 2008-2009 | Meadowbrook |
| English Language Learners: Family Advisory Committee | This pilot program helps create a more equitable home/school partnership by building relationships with ELL families and fostering increased communication with the families and our community. | 2008-2009 | HHS |
| Kindergarten ELL Literacy Pack | Using Leapfrog Fridge Phonics magnetic sets, DVD’s, card games and writing practice workbooks, pre-kindergarten English language learners build their basic literacy skills at home with their families in order to better prepare them for kindergarten reading instruction. | 2009-2010 | Eisenhower |
| Roll 'Em -- Video Cameras for Language Assessment | Small groups of world language students can now easily record their conversations with Flip cameras. Read more | 2011-2012 | HHS |
| Making College a Reality for English Language Learners | This innovative parent involvement program works with families of English Language Learners to explain the college process and help families better prepare their students. Read more | 2011-2012 | HHS, NJH |
| Leamos -- Let's Read | Purchase 200 Spanish books for the North Junior High library. Read more | 2012-2013 | NJH |
| Technology Links to Language Learners | iPads to accelerate English language learning. Read more | 2012-2013 | Tanglen |
| Responsive Classroom in XinXing Academy | Chinese translation of Responsive Classroom materials. Read more | 2012-2013 | XinXing |
| Young Authors Publishing Project | English Language Learners, with the help of their families, will use cameras to create books that share their favorite cultural traditions, holidays and festivals. Read more | 2014-2015 | Gatewood |
| Spanish Language and Culture Comes to Life | Students create and perform a Spanish play around the theme of peace. Read more | 2014-2015 | Alice Smith, Meadowbrook |
| Spanish Model United Nations | Juntos students at NJH will participate in yearlong curriculum exploring global problems and culminating in a Model UN, all conducted in Spanish. Read more | 2014-2015 | NJH |
| Mindsets for Parents | This grant, in conjunction with a donation from Flipgrid, will produce a series of short videos in multiple languages, all designed to share information and build relationships with parents who do not have the flexibility to attend school functions and interact with staff. Read more | 2016-2017 | Tanglen |
| Chinese Culture Residency | Chinese-speaking artists-in-residence will teach traditional dancing, singing, and gong fu (martial arts) to students in Kindergarten through grade four all winter, culminating in the spectacular performance of Lunar New Year on February 21, 2017. Read more | 2016-2017 | XinXing |
| Latino Youth Group | An after-school program for Latino youth will be offered next winter and spring to foster leadership, decision-making and problem-solving skills in a comfortable peer group setting. Read more. | 2016-2017 | Community Ed |
| Green Card Voices | Green Card Voices is a digital storytelling project to build bridges and understanding between people by sharing interesting first-hand stories and videos of family, hard work, and cultural diversity. Learn more. | 2016-2017 | NJH, WJH |
| Sixth Grade Mosaic | Much more than a fun art project, the Mosaic Mural at Alice Smith will represent each of the 90 sixth graders’ diverse cultures, talents and dreams. The mural is a lesson in empowerment, teamwork and community building, with students taking the lead in planning and managing the project. Learn more. | 2016-2017 | Alice Smith |
| ¡A Bailar! Latin Dance Club | Salsa! Merengue! Cumbia! HEF will fund a residency conducted by professional Latin dancers Yeniel Chini Perez and Hanna Kuluvar Esparza. They will teach some of the most popular dances of the Spanish-speaking world in this after school club. Read more. | 2017-2018 | HHS, NJH, WJH |
| Flamenco for FLES | Zorongo Flamenco Dance Theatre residency is coming to Eisenhower’s FLES (Foreign Language in Elementary School). Grades K-4 will experience Ta Ti Ti Tran Tran Toro, the one-of-a-kind flamenco puppet theater performance geared for children. Read more. | 2019-2020 | Eisenhower |
| Glen Lake Go! | Place-based learning and out of school experiences are part of a vigorous re-imagining of the best way to educate our children. Glen Lake’s first and second grade teams will pilot this lab prototype of frequent educational ‘field trips’ into the real world. Read more. | 2019-2020 | Glen Lake |
| La Oportunidad | La Oportunidad’s Young Professionals is a 15-session weekly afterschool curriculum focused on educating and empowering Latino/a young people. Taught through a cultural lens, it focuses on career opportunities, developing skills for higher education and/or the workplace, the practical aspects of applying to post-secondary ed and finding the funds to pay for it. Read more. | 2019-2020 | HHS |
| Kandama Club | The ancient Japanese game of Kendama builds tools for transforming failure and adversity into opportunities to learn and grow. The club is bringing in an inspirational speaker from the Kendama Institute of Minneapolis to present at a West Junior High school assembly, as well as offer twenty hours of afterschool instruction in the techniques and tricks of the game. Read more | 2019-2020 | WJH |
| Poet in Residence | Poetry is a creative way for students to express themselves. Through this poetry residency, fourth and fifth grade students will receive guidance from a published poet, and learn to communicate their thoughts and feelings through poetry. Learn more. | 2019-2020 | Xin-Xing |
| VariQuest Design Center | This wonderful tool is much more than a time saver for creating beautiful bulletin board displays. VariQuest Design Center quickly “cuts out” visual and kinesthetic learning tools and manipulatives from heavy-duty re-usable vinyl.At-home kits can be created for reinforcement and fun.Learn more | 2020-2021 | Alice Smith |
| Hmong Family Outreach | This grant will compensate interpreter Panou Xiong for up to ten additional hours per week for the rest of the school year, and five hours per week during the ten weeks of summer. The goal is to overcome significant barriers Hmong children experience with distance learning. 2020-2021 | Tanglen |