Salisbury University’s Ward Museum of Wildfowl Art has been awarded a $236,000 grant from the Maryland Department of Education’s Public School Opportunities Enhancement Grant program. This grant will provide funding for a new after-school program, STREAM (Science, Technology, Research, Environment, Art, & Math), at four Wicomico County Public Schools this academic year.
This initiative builds on existing partnerships and collaborative efforts among the Ward Museum, Wicomico County Public Schools, and community education partners. The STREAM after-school program will utilize project- and place-based learning that supports the state’s environmental literacy curricular requirements. Meaningful Watershed Education Experience programming with arts integration will be offered at four Salisbury Title 1 schools: East Salisbury Elementary, North Salisbury Elementary, Glen Avenue Elementary, and Prince Street Elementary. Students interested in the after-school offering should request enrollment materials from their school office. Enrollment priority is given to those students identified as reluctant learners, with FARM (Free And Reduced Meals) status, and low math and science performance.
The STREAM after-school program includes in-school experiences as well as several field trips to regional outdoor education partner facilities. With continued funding from the Maryland State Department of Education, the STREAM after-school program is anticipated to run for an additional three years in partnership with Wicomico County Public Schools.
Over the past decade, the Ward Museum has been expanding and deepening its educational programs and service, keeping offerings low- or no-cost to area schools and residents. The Museum’s educational program is at the center of this organization’s recent capacity-building effort and program growth. In FY 2017, the Museum served more than 23,000 students from the region through our educational programming. The Museum is undergoing an expansion of its facilities with the completion of the John A. Luetkemeyer Sr. and Thomas F. Mullan Jr. Legacy Center. This 2,200 square foot classroom addition enables the Museum to meet its educational service goals for the coming decade. With waterfront views of Schumaker Pond, the new Legacy Center is an ideal location to engage students of all ages in the interdisciplinary investigation of art, nature and tradition.
About the Organization
The Ward Museum of Wildfowl Art, Salisbury University
The Ward Museum is nestled next to Schumaker Pond in Salisbury, Maryland, surrounded by wildlife in the heart of the Atlantic Flyway. The museum was named in honor of Steven and Lemuel Ward, whose vision and artistry in carving decoys pioneered the transition in the role of the decoy from a working tool to an expressive wildfowl sculpture. The museum’s eight galleries and 4.5-acre waterfront campus bring art, nature and tradition within reach of visitors of all ages. The museum is open year-round with a diverse offering of nationally recognized special events, exhibitions and educational programs. The Ward Museum is an affiliated foundation of Salisbury University. To learn more about these programs, including membership and volunteer opportunities, visit www.wardmuseum.org
