The Canon-McMillan Horizon Foundation focuses its funding on innovative programs that normally are the dreams of educators and students but are beyond the regular school district budgets. The past couple of years added the extra dimension of COVID. While some might look at this experience as a total negative, the CM Horizon Foundation believes it gave teachers and students different ways of looking at how education can take place. There was a benefit in the changes in how schedules were altered, spaces and personal contact were reduced but it broadened the view of how education can take place and what is needed to make that happen. The Horizon Foundation had the opportunity to take advantage of the learning they all have had this year. Below are some of the programs the CM Horizon Foundation have helped fund:
- The C-M Horizon Foundation added the "Mac Pac" organization last year in order to have a component that not only “feeds” the minds of C-M in the classroom but feeds the bodies of the students who are identified as food insecure in their homes. The program has supplied food over the weekends through an anonymous backpack distribution on Fridays. The program was halted by COVID but like the academic dimension of Horizon the staff reviewed the needs of Mac Pac families and what could be done to support them. The obvious food needs will always be there but the number of families that did not have microwave ovens was surprising so funding microwaves is a goal. To add to the needs list that was identified was simply creating a sock and underwear trunk so that they could be distributed in the backpacks too.
- The "Robot for Autism" program expanded from one robot (Milo) with the addition of a second (Robon), a girl robot. These robots are amazing in the way that they facilitate social skills with our students with autism. The robots’ facial gestures, non-threatening responses, and the ability to do drill work with the students have been well received by students, parents, and staff. The connection that the students make with the robots is wonderful, even if they would be tentative to make the same connection with peers or adults. Canon-McMillan was the first district to obtain two Robots for Autism. The Foundation continues to support the Robots for Autism program.
- The “Zoo in the Classroom” program is where students from younger classrooms travel to the high school to have Zoology student teach them about Mrs. Geist's animals. Due to COVID some changes were made to the program. Obviously the students could not travel but they have begun designing videos that can be used by many teachers and practiced a lab procedure lesson that is designed for third grade students
The Canon-McMillan Horizon Foundation would like to continue to fund programs like these for Canon-McMillan School District but they need your help! Click here if you'd like to donate to the CM Horizon Foundation to see programs like these continue at Canon-McMillan School District for years to come.