Web site showcases student projects needing money

Golden Gate Middle seventh-graders could learn the finer points of theater etiquette, if they could get those tickets for a production of "Heidi."

And at Shadowlawn Elementary, teacher Debbie Trombley and her team have a proposal to get youngsters excited about learning English: staging their own plays.

"They'll learn it by creating it," Trombley said.

All the projects are considered extras, those little things that can take learning out of the ordinary, and range in cost from the $100 karaoke machine to the play project for $1,900.

But a potential donor could be just a click away. These three projects, and many more, are detailed on The Education Foundation of Collier County's Web site.

For the first time, foundation officials have listed the proposals for the public to see -- and, it's hoped, to underwrite.

"Teachers have a lot of great ideas that there may not always be funds for," said Jennifer Abetz, Education Foundation campaign director. "It's really neat for someone who might not know about the schools or where the schools are."

The Web address is educationforcollier.org/CWC/community/funds.

Pre-kindergarten teacher Trombley said more than 100 students could be a part of the play project, which would involve painting backdrops, making costumes and manipulating puppets.

"The students would also journal what's going on during the project, adding that composition element," she said.

Shadowlawn Principal Tim Ferguson hopes the flexibility of the Web catches a donor.

"It's great because it allows teachers to identify projects all year round," he said.