Dolphin Foundation lists five major funding goals for school year

Dolphin Foundation lists five major funding goals for school year
Group to serve as partner to brand new Gulf Shores School System

The Dolphin Foundation for Education and Arts, the fund-raising partner to the Gulf Shores City Schools, has developed its initial list of targeted programs it seeks to fund for the 2019-2020 school year. These programs have been created with the help of Dr. Matt Akin, School Superintendent and his staff to focus on the opportunities for learning excellence the schools are committed to achieve.
• The Adopt a Teacher program designed to pay for individual teachers to become National Board-Certifiedteachers. Certified Teachers help students gain 1 to 2 months additional education each year. A student enjoyingcertified teachers through their K – 12 school experience could gain the equivalence of up to 2 more years ofeducation.
• An Eco Education program starting this summer working the Gulf State Park Center for Eco Tourism andSustainability. This combines outdoor activities with educating the students on the need to sustain ourinvaluable coastline ecology.
• Spanish Language Immersion Classes also starting this summer to provide important early learning of a secondlanguage in a STEAM methodology for both native English speakers and native Spanish speakers.
• STEM Labs is a major project to provide the much-needed education in science, technology, engineering andmath. Funding would enable the renovation of existing classroom space to laboratories and the purchase ofnecessary furnishings, computers and equipment.
• A Music Lab to go beyond band and instrument training to writing, mixing, recording and digital creation.Technology has broadened the reach of music education beyond the traditional.
The Foundation is reaching out to the community for funding for these initial programs and plans on thanking donors and announcing further plans at its kickoff function on August 10 at the new Alabama Gulf Coast Zoo facility.
The Dolphin Foundation for Education and Arts is an organization dedicated to finding the means and opportunities for providing the most enriching educational experience possible for our students, the tools for those empowered to support this mission and the communication to the community for their necessary support. The Foundation is a direct support organization to The Gulf Shores City Schools that raises money to fund innovation in learning that normally wouldn’t be paid for with public funds. Founded in late 2018, the Foundation looks to businesses and individuals in our community as well as education grants from sources throughout the country to provide its funding. The Foundation is a member of the National School Foundation Association.