St. Catherine’s R&E May School Receives $5,000 Grant to Support STEM Curriculum

August 4, 2022

(ALBANY, NEW YORK) On Monday, June twenty-seventh, the Albany County Soil and Water Conservation District announced its School Assistance Program list of 2022 awardees. St. Catherine’s Center for Children in Albany, New York, was the recipient of a $5,000 grant. The grant supports St. Catherine’s R&E May School’s STEM curriculum. This project will allow all students to participate in an After School and Summer Garden and Science Center project. Connecting students with gardening is essential for instilling responsibility and awareness of the growing process. The project will incorporate elements of plant science, meteorological applications, hands-on-learning and experiential learning, among others. In addition, the project allows for multiple therapeutic and social-emotional learning opportunities for the R&E May School students and Residential Program children.

St. Catherine's R & E May School is a day treatment program that serves elementary school students with special behavioral and educational needs. Each student entering R&E May is assessed to understand how best to meet their needs, and the school staff develops a comprehensive education plan tailored to their individual needs. The school works closely with the child's family and school district, helping the student develop the skills, awareness, and knowledge necessary to successfully return to a traditional school environment. Last year. The R&E May school served 85 students from school districts around the Capital Region from over 20 counties across the state.

“The Conservation District is looking forward to working with the staff from St. Catherine’s as well as the other six awardees on the School Assistance Program projects,” said Susan L. Lewis, Executive Director of the Albany County Soil and Water Conservation District.

“We are so grateful to have this partnership with Albany County Soil and Water,” said Frank Pindiak, Executive Director of St. Catherine’s Center for Children. “Our Science and Garden center allows us to take the classroom outside and connect students with hands-on conservation learning.”

“We are appreciative of this opportunity for our school and students. The opportunity for our students to interact with nature and incorporate the STEM curriculum allows each student to stay engaged with learning activities,” said Michele Puleo O’Hare, Executive Director of St. Catherine’s Center for Children Foundation.

About Albany County Soil and Water Conservation District

The Albany County Soil and Water Conservation District is a local governmental subdivision established under state law to carry out a program for the conservation, use and development of soil, water, and related resources. Created on May 14, 1945, by the Albany County Board of Supervisors, the District has been providing assistance for over 75 years. District programs provide information, service, and technical/financial assistance to agricultural, rural, urban and suburban constituents. The mission of the Albany County Soil and Water Conservation District is to advance comprehensive natural resource management on a voluntary basis to residents, landowners, and units of government. The District leads by providing science based technical and educational assistance and coordination of resources from Federal, State, Local governments and other sources.

About St. Catherine’s Center for Children

St. Catherine’s Center for Children was founded by the Daughters of Charity in Albany in 1886 as a home for sick orphans. Today, the agency is a haven for hope, offering a comprehensive range of human services for Capital Region children and families coping with issues of abuse, neglect, mental illness, homelessness, and trauma. In addition to offering extensive services to the homeless and those who are at risk of becoming homeless, St. Catherine’s offers residential services for children ages 5 to 13, a therapeutic foster care services, an elementary school for children with special educational needs, and community-based prevention services and programs designed to strengthen vulnerable families. Last year, St. Catherine’s services reached nearly 2,000 children and families in the Capital Region. For more information, visit www.st-cath.org.

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Email: scccsm@st-cath.org

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