The Auburn Chamber of Commerce School-Business Partnership Committee awarded $4,975.33 in minigrants to 14 teachers and administrators this November. The Auburn Chamber of Commerce Minigrant Program provides grants of up to $500 each on a competitive basis for special and worthy projects that benefit students. This program is designed to support the development of innovative teaching ideas and increase student motivation and enthusiasm by providing funds for instructional experimentation and enrichment activities. The project may be an individual or team effort. For more information about the Auburn Chamber of Commerce Minigrant program, visit our page.
Join us in congratulating our 2025 recipients, and thanks to all the teachers who submitted applications. Our schools and students are lucky to have so many who go above and beyond!
Rebecca Thompson, a science teacher at AHS, received $478 for her proposal ‘Algae for Everyone’. The grant will be used to purchase educational algae kits and related products from a small algae research supply company dedicated to supporting science education. These kits will be used to enhance hands-on learning experiences for students by exploring topics such as photosynthesis, ecosystems, sustainability, and biotechnology. Integrating algae kits into the classroom curriculum offers students a unique, hands-on opportunity to explore key scientific concepts in a tangible and engaging way.
Ali Shankle & Bethany Anger, ELA teachers at Auburn Middle School, received $331.88 for their project “Voices of the Future: Student Podcasting”. students in ELA classes will write, produce, and publish original podcasts that showcase their voices, ideas, and storytelling skills. This project transforms traditional writing and speaking assignments into a dynamic, student driven experience that builds core literacy skills while incorporating digital media. Students will learn how to adapt their writing for audio, use tone and pacing for emphasis, and develop their unique voice through storytelling.
Christine Robbins, an 8th grade STEM teacher at AMS received $295.37 for her proposal “H2O- Yeah!”. This student challenge combines problem solving, real-world relevance, and a hands-on component and water filtration analysis session, with a presentation on Auburn water power. This project enhances the curriculum by incorporating Science and Engineering Practices by developing and using models, planning and carrying out investigations, as well as analyzing and interpreting data. Students will learn about water power & engineered landscapes in the Auburn area.
Susan Chianese, a second grade teacher at Bryn Mawr School, received $270.45 for her project “Building Curious Minds”. This project will create a STEM Makerspace center for the second-grade classrooms to share. It will be filled with hands-on tools and resources to spark curiosity, problem-solving, creativity, and team building. Students will engage in engineering challenges and critical thinking skills.
Eileen Tarinin, a second grade teacher at Bryn Mawr School, received $494.98 for her proposal “Binspired: Empowering Young Minds Through STEM.” The Binspired: Empowering Young Minds Through STEM program will benefit K–2 by providing classrooms with ready-to-use, standards-aligned STEM Bins that make science and engineering concepts tangible and engaging. Through structured collaboration with buddy classrooms, students develop communication, teamwork, and peer mentoring skills that extend beyond academic content.
Dawn Fenuccio, a reading specialist at Bryn Mawr School, received $240.84 to purchase “Lauching into Literacy Toolkits”. Students will blast off into the world of reading using these toolkits to help solidify their reading skills. Students can use these tools when blending and segmenting sounds and for reading and spelling words in various contexts. The goal is to make 6 -12 kits that will be stored in the Bryn Mawr reading room for small group use by all staff.
Maria Garrow-Calabresi, a music teacher at Bryn Mawr and Pakachoag School, received TWO grants of $270.00 and $285.00. These will be used to enhance seating for music classes at the Kindergarten to Grade 2 level to begin the process of ensemble learning. In an effort to promote group collaboration and learning, flexible seating and group seating helps to promote the community environment necessary for forming musical ensembles that are successful. Students are able to sit together to sing, play instruments, and work in small groups within an area close to necessary materials and resources, sharing ideas with one another.
Ashlyn Derosier, a physical education teacher at both Bryn Mawr and Pakachoag schools, received $384 for her project, “Marathon Mondays”. This is a school-wide initiative in partnership with Marathon Kids which is a nationwide nonprofit dedicated to encouraging children to engage in regular physical activity. Each Monday, students will participate in running and/or fitness activities designed to build endurance, promote healthy habits, and foster a sense of accomplishment. Each student has a personal QR code that they will scan to keep track of their laps, or fitness activity which is translated into miles.
Kerry LeBreton, a technology and media specialist at Pakachoag School, received $488.84 for her project, “Little Makers, Big Ideas!”. This program will establish and equip a makerspace specifically designed for students in Kindergarten through 2nd grade. The space will foster hands-on, creative learning across STEAM, literacy, and social-emotional development through open-ended exploration. All students will be encouraged to become confident problem-solvers and be able to lead their own learning.
Erin Kane, a 5th grade teacher at Swanson Road Intermediate School, received $380 for her proposal “Voices of the Future: 5th Grade Student-Produced Podcast Project”. This is a fifth-grade classroom project where students become podcast creators, producing episodes connected to the 5th grade curriculum in ELA, science, and social studies. Students will research topics, script and record episodes, and share their work with peers, families, and the broader school community. This project encourages authentic literacy, 21st-century communication skills, and deep content understanding, while offering flexible roles and expression.
Stephanie Fontaine, a fifth grade teacher at Swanson Road Interemediate School, received $492.81 for her project entitled “Igniting Inquiry: Cultivating Deeper Math Engagement.” WipeBooks would enable students to “take it to the walls” and engage with challenging problems collaboratively, promoting independent thinking and creativity. Students can take risks and explore solutions without the fear of making mistakes. WipeBooks will enhance the newly-adopted iReady math program. Students are encouraged to use various tools such as whiteboards, paper, and manipulatives during the exploration process. Vertical non-permanent surfaces (WipeBooks) provide workspaces that have been “proven to create better engagement, enthusiasm, perseverance, knowledge, mobility, time on task, and thinking”.
Jessica Civita, a special education teacher at Swanson Road Intermediate School, received $126.61 for her proposal, “The Multisensory Experience.” This project is designed to strengthen students’ reading and writing skills through explicit instruction paired with multi-sensory learning experiences. By integrating multi-sensory literacy instruction, this project will enrich the existing curriculum by offering students alternative pathways to access and internalize content. This approach not only reinforces core curriculum standards but also expands the ways in which students can demonstrate understanding, ultimately making the curriculum more inclusive, dynamic, and impactful.
Allison Marrier, a special education teacher at Swanson Road Intermediate School, received $436.55 for her project, “Unlock Literacy and Open Minds”. All students learn at their own pace and meeting curriculum requirements can be a challenge for some. The curriculum can be difficult for students to grasp, and with this project, students will be able to receive targeted support in areas that they require extra help with. The materials will assist students in creating independence in their reading and spelling, which will overall improve their reading accuracy and fluency. Not only will their engagement increase, but their motivation will as well.
