Plant a seed in Chestnut Hill

Posted 2/10/15

El Quetzal, 8427 Germantown Avenue (Left to Right: Lindsey Kiska, Social Media Coordinator at El Quetzal; Martha Sharkey, Executive Director for the Chestnut Hill Business District; Haviva Goldman, …

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Plant a seed in Chestnut Hill

Posted
El Quetzal, 8427 Germantown Avenue (Left to Right: Lindsey Kiska, Social Media Coordinator at El Quetzal; Martha Sharkey, Executive Director for the Chestnut Hill Business District; Haviva Goldman, President of Friends of J.S. Jenks; Mary Lynskey, Principal at John Story Jenks Academy for the Arts & Sciences; Yosma Luby, Manager at El Quetzal) El Quetzal, 8427 Germantown Avenue (Left to Right: Lindsey Kiska, Social Media Coordinator at El Quetzal; Martha Sharkey, Executive Director for the Chestnut Hill Business District; Haviva Goldman, President of Friends of J.S. Jenks; Mary Lynskey, Principal at John Story Jenks Academy for the Arts & Sciences; Yosma Luby, Manager at El Quetzal)[/caption]

In an effort to bring new funding to Jenks Academy for the Arts and Sciences, the Chestnut Hill Business Improvement District announced its support for the Friends of J.S. Jenks' 2015 Community Campaign, “Plant a Seed in Chestnut Hill.”

The goal of the campaign is to raise funds – and awareness – for Jenks' STEM and arts programs, as well as its infrastructure and technology. The Friends of J.S. Jenks hopes this effort will be shared by the community at-large.

The BID contributed $17,000 to the “Plant a Seed in Chestnut Hill” campaign. The Friends of J.S. Jenks has a goal to match or exceed these funds, hoping to raise an additional $17,000 by April 24, 2015.

Martha B. Sharkey, executive director of the BID, said the district was “proud to support” the campaign as it believes “a strong neighborhood public school is vital to our community.”

“Our businesses and business owners also recognize that community support sustains the school,” Sharkey said. “As such, many businesses will have collection boxes in their shops and restaurants to encourage patrons to donate to the cause.”

Mary Lynskey, principal of Jenks, said the support from the BID will have a tremendous impact on the school and its functionality. She said contributions will help the school expand its arts programming, reinstate its foreign language program, replace antiquated computers and forward more plans for off-site STEM experience.

“We are so grateful and excited about the BID's support,” Lynskey said. “This support is timely as we are moving into a redesign year and have many goals to improve our school.”

Some examples of what the donations will provide to students are: $10,000 adopt-a-class mobile computer lab, $5,000 STEM backpack labs, $5,000 auditorium lighting and sound improvements, $2,500 summer camp scholarships, $500 Lego robotics set, $100 scholarship for summer forensics program at Chestnut Hill College, $50 support the cost for a student to attend a museum trip during museum week, and a $25 iPad hookup for classroom use.

Donation boxes can be found in businesses throughout Chestnut Hill, including: Bredenbeck’s Bakery, Brunettes Bookshop Bakery, Taste of Philly, J. McLaughlin, Poppy’s Café, Perfect Stitch, Greene Street Consignment, Greene Street Consignment Kids, Fiesta Pizza, El Quetzal, The Bone Appetite, Mango, Windfall Gallery, Villavillekula, Chill on the Hill, the Chestnut Hill Community Association, and the Chestnut Hill Welcome Center.

Donations will also be accepted by check (made out to “Friends of J.S. Jenks”) through the mail to P.O. Box 27124, Philadelphia, PA 19118. Donations by credit card are accepted by visiting www.friendsofjsjenks.org.

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