Slade Donation Wows at 13th PWEF Awards Ceremony!

The 13th annual Port Washington Education Foundation Awards (PWEF) were held on Thursday, October 17th. The Slade Performing Arts Center at Schreiber High School was filled to capacity with school administrators, community leaders, elected officials, grant recipients, students and PWEF Board members. Media coverage included reporters from Schreiber’s WDOT radio, the Schreiber Times and WDOTv television. In attendance were community philanthropists, Dot and Ed Slade who have bestowed many generous gifts to the PWEF over the years. Past Slade gifts include funding for the Slade Performing Arts Center, improvements to the High School track, creation of radio WDOT at Schreiber and funding to build the Schreiber TV Station, WDOTv in a long-term program with both classes and a club. Their generosity continued this year with a donation to create the Schreiber Media Studies Program. Schreiber Principal Ira Pernick commented, "The Slade donation allows us to more clearly define and accelerate the growth of our burgeoning Media Studies Program. As we make discoveries about how to best advance this experience for our students, we will always be mindful of the generosity of the Slade family." The program began this year with a course offered in TV and digital production and will eventually encompass WDOT radio, WDOTv, the Schreiber Times and PortNet on the web. Instructor Peter Koch, who has experience working in television, is excited to work with this inaugural class and to help grow the program.

 Says donor Ed Slade, “Dot and I are pleased to support Schreiber’s TV Studio and growing Media Studies Program. Funding the TV studio was a natural progression for us. What began as our support of a small radio club evolved into WDOT radio (and a high school course in radio broadcasting) and this year, the birth of WDOTv. It is immensely satisfying for us to hear from parents that their children found their niche, literally, found their voice by participating in WDOT radio. Some even going on to careers in radio broadcasting. We are very proud of our contributions to the Port Schools through the PWEF.”

In addition to the Slade donation, the PWEF was pleased to award 31 educational grants to all seven Port Washington Schools. “These grants will enable Port students and staff to think outside of the box in creative, innovative and smart ways,” says PWEF President Robin Sigman. Annually, over 5,000 students in Kindergarten through 12th grade will experience a PWEF grant. This year’s grants include funding for guest speakers (Jazz musicians, Jon Batiste and bluesman, Little Toby Walker), to technology (SMART Boards and hands-on technology tools), to the Arts (Expressive Elocution and Storytime Theater in all 5 elementary schools, creating clay artifacts and a photo exhibit at Schreiber and interactive Yoga at Weber) to family events (Family Run 4 Fun Day).

 The Port Washington Education Foundation is an independent, non-profit, community-based organization. The Foundation supports initiatives that enhance and expand educational opportunities over and above basic educational needs for all students in the Port Washington public schools. For more information: www.PWEF.org.