Celebrating Innovation: $15,485 in Grants Awarded to Blackstone Valley Schools

Across the Blackstone Valley, classrooms are preparing to transform learning thanks to $15,485 in school grants awarded by the Blackstone Valley Education Foundation (BVEF) for the 2025–2026 school year. From early childhood to high school, these grants will help educators bring real-world skills, creative exploration, and future-focused experiences directly to their students.

Students at Milford High School explore creativity and craftsmanship during their Jewelry and Wearable Art course, sorting through an array of beads and materials. Funding for materials was provided for the 24-25 school year and will be renewed for the 25-26 school year.

This year, 14 applications were submitted from 7 districts. After careful review, BVEF is proud to fund 13 projects that reflect our mission: empowering educators, connecting students to careers, and fostering hands-on, meaningful learning at every grade level.

Spotlighting Future-Ready Learning

Several funded grants directly support career-connected learning through cutting-edge technology and immersive experiences:

• Milford High School will expand its VR Learning initiative, integrating virtual reality into courses like computer science, web design, and media arts to deepen student engagement in design, coding, and creative production.

• Blackstone Valley Tech (BVT) will launch Virtual Pathways, a new VR simulation experience embedded in its nursing assistant training program. This project allows students to build critical clinical and communication skills in an immersive healthcare setting.

• Milford High School will also receive support for its Pre-Apprenticeship Training Program, equipping students with essential safety gear like steel-toe boots and workwear so they can safely engage in skilled trade experiences.

• Mendon-Upton’s Nipmuc Regional High School will implement wrist-based heart rate monitors in PE classes, using real-time data to support personalized fitness goals and enhance students’ understanding of physical and emotional well-being.

  
  

STEAM & Design in Action

Creativity, engineering, and applied design come to life in several standout STEAM initiatives:

• Hopedale’s Memorial Elementary School will develop a new Innovation Lab, anchored by a 3D printer, to foster hands-on, project-based learning in science, engineering, and the arts.

• Grafton High School will implement Project Lead The Way’s Introduction to Engineering curriculum, giving students a robust foundation in real-world design and problem-solving.

• Milford High School will expand its Jewelry and Wearable Art course to include both introductory and advanced levels, encouraging creativity, craftsmanship, and real-world design thinking.

• BVT will support a group of students attending the 2026 STEM Education Outdoor Classroom Day at Six Flags, making the trip more accessible and reinforcing STEM pathways through immersive, out-of-school learning.

  
  

Expanding Access for Young Learners

BVEF also remains committed to early learning and inclusion:

• Northbridge Public Schools will host a two-part Mass Audubon program, Audubon Comes to PreK, bringing environmental education directly to preschoolers through interactive, in-school learning experiences.

• Millbury’s Elmwood Elementary School will enhance its preschool courtyard to create a more developmentally rich outdoor environment that supports play-based learning and exploration.

  
  

Wellness, Inclusion & Student Voice

Several projects directly support student wellness, voice, and real-world leadership:

• Grafton Middle School will integrate Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT) STEPPS-A into a Tier 2 group therapy intervention, equipping counselors and staff with tools to support students’ emotional well-being through targeted SEL programming.

• Nipmuc DECA students will receive transportation support to attend the Massachusetts State Career Development Conference, reducing barriers to participation in high-impact leadership and business programming.

• Mendon-Upton will also host Voices of Hope, a Holocaust survivor presentation at Nipmuc Regional High School, connecting students to lived history and offering opportunities for deep reflection and personal growth.

  
  

Looking Ahead

These grants reflect the strength and creativity of our Valley's educators, who continue to design meaningful, relevant experiences that prepare students for life beyond the classroom. As these projects launch in the 2025–2026 school year, we look forward to sharing their stories and celebrating their impact.

Interested in supporting future-ready classrooms? Learn more about how to partner with BVEF at bveducationfoundation.org.