NATICK -- A small group of 6- and 7-year-olds made a big impression
with their volunteer work, enough to earn the Tobin School a national
honor from Disney Adventure magazine.
Last
Thursday, the mixed class of kindergartners and first-graders were named
All-Stars by an editor from Disney Adventure magazine. Debbie Way, a
senior editor with the magazine, brought goodie bags, a cake and two
checks for $5,000 each to award the work of the students at the small
private school in south Natick.
"Every
year we try to find the most inspiring and impressive project," Way said.
"(Tobin) really makes volunteer work part of the curriculum."
Tobin
School was chosen from more than 6,000 entries from around the United
States and Canada, Way said.
The award
acknowledges the school’s effort to make volunteering and community
service a regular part of the school day, said founder Mary Beth Claus
Tobin.
"It’s not
something you want to wait until high school or college to start," Tobin
said. "You should do it as you grow up so it becomes a regular part of
life."
The class
had a number of projects, said first-grader Katie Burger.
"We helped
other people. We did different things," Burger said. "We made dog biscuits
to give to dogs, and donated food to people who don’t have any."
The dog
treats went to pooches at the Buddy Dog Humane Society and the food was
donated to the Natick Food Pantry. The students also collected supplies
for students affected by Hurricane Katrina and held a read-a-thon to raise
money for Heifer International.
For the
two-year-old elementary school, the distinction is a big deal, Tobin said.
"This is
our first award," Tobin said. "We are very proud of it and the children
are very proud of it."
For 25
years, Tobin has provided infant, toddler and pre-school programs in
Natick, Needham and Westwood. The elementary school started after parents
expressed interest in continuing their child’s education in the model of
the Tobin School.
At the
school, Tobin said, the teachers focus on more than just academics.
"Our
philosophy is to focus on the whole child," Tobin said. "We focus on
academics, each child learns Spanish and each child gets character
education. Next year we will start teaching etiquette."
Half the
money Tobin received will go to the school, and the other $5,000 will be
donated to local nonprofit groups. The school has decided to make the
donation into a contest of its own, said head of school Michelle Keating.
"We might
run a contest for area organizations -- they will have to tell us how to
use this money," Keating said. "We will be giving it to a nonprofit in
Natick and a nonprofit in Needham."
(Charlie
Breitrose can be reached at 508-626-4407 or cbreitro@cnc.com.)
Natick and Needham Nonprofit Organizations Eligible for $2,500 Grants
Nonprofit organizations in Natick and Needham are
eligible to win two $2,500 grants to use to support their work in a
competition sponsored by The Tobin School, a private school in Natick.
The recipients will be selected based upon a 250-word
essay that “demonstrates the most creative use of the funds to support
those in need,” said Mary Beth Claus Tobin, founder and executive director
of the Tobin schools.
Entries must be submitted by July 31 to Michelle
Keating, Head of School, The Tobin School, 73 Cottage St., Natick 01760.
A committee of parents and educators will serve as judges.
The prize money comes from a $10,000 award The Tobin
School won in a national competition sponsored by Disney Adventures
magazine for the school’s work in encouraging and educating young children
in the value and power of volunteerism.
The Tobin School won first prize in the competition
out of more than 6,500 entries from the United States and Canada. The
award stipulates that $5,000 must go to the charities of the Tobin’s
choice.
In addition to The Tobin School in Natick, the Tobin
schools include early childhood, afterschool and summer programs for
children in Natick and Needham.
The Tobin School $2,500 Grant Guidelines
The Tobin School will
award a total of two $2,500 grants to nonprofit organizations in Natick
and Needham that demonstrate the most creative and valuable use of the
funds to support those in need in their communities.
Any 501(c) (3) nonprofit
organization interested in applying for one of the grants must submit a
document of 250 words or less detailing how they would use the funds.
The deadline for entries is 5 p.m., July 31, 2006.
One organization from
Needham and one from Natick will receive grants.
The entries will be
judged by a panel composed of parents and educators from The Tobin School.
The winning organizations will be notified on or before Aug. 15, 2006.
Entries should be
submitted to:
Ms. Michelle Keating
Head of School
The Tobin School
73 Cottage St.
Natick, MA 01760
