School district awarded $55K in grants for libraries

BY COLLEEN LUTOLF
Staff Writer

BRICK - Although they don't look like they're levitating, several local educators said they are walking on air after the Brick school district was awarded $55,000 in grant money last week.

"Everybody commented that we kind of floated up there," Herbertsville Elementary School Principal Pat Lorusso said about going up to accept the $25,000 check for her school's library at a reception banquet Sept. 19. "When they announced it, we were floored."

Lorusso's school and Brick Memorial High School received $25,000 each from the OceanFirst Foundation to enhance their schools' libraries and media centers. Brick Township High School received a $5,000 grant for its library.

"Every librarian in the district went crazy" when it was announced that Brick Memorial won the grant, Brick Memorial Librarian Kathryn Oles said. "To look at [Brick Township High School Principal] Mr. Filippone's face, you'd think he'd gotten the money."

He did. Brick Township High School received a $5,000 grant, which educators weren't expecting this year.

"I've known the gal who is the librarian at Brick Memorial for a long time," said Filippone. "I was definitely excited for her. Our gals worked very closely with her in the process. We compete in a lot of things, but when it comes to things like this, there's nothing but good feelings between the two schools."

Herbertsville Elementary and Brick Memorial were two of 10 schools to receive a $25,000 grant. Over 140 schools submitted grant applications for the OceanFirst Foundation's Library/Media Center Enhancement Grant program. OceanFirst Foundation is a charity-funding foundation created by the local bank in 1996.

Brick Memorial High School's approximately 2,500 students will soon have the advantage of a "Learning Center Without Walls," a concept Oles and fellow librarian Roberta Bennett began working on last September, Oles said.

Fifteen new computers will be purchased with the money, replacing systems that are over 10 years old. The Sagebrush InfoCentre program will also be purchased with the funds that will allow the school to provide access to its catalog, e-books and databases from locations outside the library, Oles said.

The school will also purchase online reference books and e-books with the money.

"We're really knocking down the walls of our library," she said. "Our budget's right now done for this year. We're committed to this program with next year's budget and will probably expand it."

Herbertsville Elementary School's library was renovated four years ago, but educators there were never able to utilize the revamped space because of budget restraints.

"We have plenty of empty shelves," Lorusso said. "We literally pick up things to decorate from garage sales."

The $25,000 grant, half the entire school's annual budget, will change that, she said.

Megan Dunne, the school's literacy leader, and Margie Lemig, of support services, and even school secretaries helped Lorusso write the grant that will be used to buy books, videos and audio books. A new LCD projector, screen, smart board and listening centers will also be purchased with the money.

With the increase of resource materials, Lorusso said the school will finally be able to implement its "You Read to Me, I'll Read to You" program with seniors from the nearby Wedgewood community, whose residents have already donated classic books to the library.

Brick Township High School will purchase books for its high school book club, four author visits and an updated science and math book collection. Scanners, color printers and computers may be purchased with the remainder of the $5,000, Filippone said.

Librarian and media specialist Cecilia Ruegsegger drafted the grant proposal for BTHS.

In its second year, OceanFirst Foundation's Library/Media Enhancement Grant has donated $600,000 to schools in Ocean, Monmouth and Middlesex counties in the past two years, said OceanFirst Bank's president, CEO and chairman John R. Garbarino. Any school that submitted a grant proposal but was not awarded a grant, received a $250 gift certificate from Scholastic Books, Follett Library Resources or Staples.