CAPE ELIZABETH — The Cape Elizabeth Education Foundation is awarding almost $75,000 in biannual grants to six teacher- and student-led initiatives.

Ellen Jordan, the organization’s executive director, said the spring funding total is one of the largest CEEF has awarded over the past 10 years.

A year ago, CEEF awarded $32,000 in grants, followed by another $9,000 last fall.

Jordan in a press release said the applicants this spring were more than worthy of the large grants.

“The spring grant recipients went above and beyond with their proposals, and the passion and excitement around these projects was inspiring,” she said.

The largest grant in the package is for the Pond Cove Elementary School library, which will receive more than $42,800. The money will be used to create a “Learning Commons for 21st Century Learners,” which will integrate more technology into the library’s media center. The grant was applied for by technology teacher Tim Charltray and librarian Cameron Rosenblum.

The high school’s library and learning commons will receive nearly $8,700 for renovations, which was applied for by school librarian Carolyn Young and library technology specialist Jonathan Werner.

A project-based learning initiative was funded at the middle school with a grant of $7,800. Teacher Laura Ellis is leading the initiative, which will be an “innovative change in teaching methods” and will be implemented initially in seventh grade.

Pond Cove will be receiving nearly $5,000 so a team of first-grade teachers can attend the Teachers College at Columbia University Summer Reading Institute. Teachers Amy Kieran and Linda Alfiero applied for the grant.

More than $3,600 was awarded to the Cape Robotics Team to pay for a 3-D printer. The robotics program coordinator, Evan Thayer, applied for the grant. The printer will help the team develop prototypes, complete designs, and print parts for robots.

The only student-led grant, for nearly $5,600, was awarded to a group of high school students who are coordinating a sexual assault awareness day at the school. Caroline Lengyel, Natalie Gale, Maggie Gleason, Lily Mackenzie, and Stephen Bennett are coordinating the May 23 event, which will focus on educating students about sexual assault prevention.

According to Jordan, CEEF has awarded 239 grants totaling almost $1.2 million since 2002.

Kate Gardner can be reached at 781-3661 ext. 125 or kgardner@theforecaster.net. Follow her on Twitter: @katevgardner.

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