Press Release

(Pictured above: Grant Recipient Danielle Farley of Ramtown School in Howell).

FREEHOLD, N.J. – Ramtown Elementary School 3^rd grade reading teacher, Danielle Farley, was surprised by members of the First Financial Foundation with an Erma Dorrer classroom grant for the 2018-2019 school year. Ramtown School is part of the Howell Township K-8 School District.

Farley submitted a grant application to purchase a one year license for the Raz-Kids reading program for her students. The program provides hundreds of eBooks offered at 29 different levels of reading difficulty. Kids access their level through an interactive learning portal designed to keep them motivated and engaged. Every eBook allows students to listen to, read at their own pace, and record themselves reading. Students then take a corresponding eQuiz to determine their future instructional needs. Once a student has read 10 or more eBooks and passed the corresponding quizzes, they advance on to the next reading level where they have access to lengthier and more difficult text.

“I truly believe that READERS ARE LEADERS and that children all grow and advance as readers at different rates,” said Farley. “The children love this program. I would love to provide my students with the opportunity to access this program in the classroom as well as at home.  This grant would provide the funds to make that happen.”

(Pictured above: First Financial’s AVP of Business Development, Grant Recipient Danielle Farley, and First Financial’s President/CEO).

Since First Financial began with a group of Asbury Park schoolteachers back in 1936, the credit union has not forgotten its educational roots. That is why its Foundation offered current Monmouth and Ocean County educators six (6) classroom grants to use at their schools for the 2018-2019 school year.

“Education has and always will be a pivotal piece of our organization, and we’re delighted to be able to help our local educators enhance their classroom experience,” noted First Financial President & CEO, Issa Stephan.

Stephan also noted that the Foundation committee had a tough job of choosing just six winning teachers out of the numerous applications received this year. “We received dozens of heart warming essays from educators hoping to use the grant money to implement or maintain a variety of creative programs in their schools such as flexible seating, virtual reality glasses, book stands and shelving, new classroom cabinets, and interactive books and games – to name a few,” said Stephan. “We wish we were able to reward each and every one of our participants, and after extremely careful consideration we selected the six classrooms in which we felt the grant money would have the largest impact this year.”