Grant inspires a focus on the arts

December 15, 2010

Mayfield Elementary first grade teacher Kristen Douglas wanted her students to see a play.

Thanks to a $700 field trip grant from Target, she’s making it happen.

Mrs. Douglas plans to take about 100 first grade students to Proctors Theatre in Schenectady on Feb. 8 to see “If You Give a Cat a Cupcake.” The play is based on a series of children’s books by Laura Numeroff, and centers on a cat as he travels to the beach, mountain, and other places.

“I just felt a play was something many of the students had not experienced before,” she said. “It’s a way to tie-in literature with the arts. We’ve studied the author, and I also thought it was important for the children to see a live performance and learn theater etiquette.”

Since launching the Target Field Trip Grants program in 2007, Target has awarded $9.76 million in grants, providing 1.2 million students in all 50 states with the opportunity to experience learning outside the classroom.

Mrs. Douglas submitted the grant proposal at the beginning of the year and plans to apply for more in the future.

“There is money out there for things like this, you just have to find it,” she said.