The Drama Club at Willow Dale is Magic!

Last week, the Willow Dale Elementary School Drama Club did an amazing performance of Aladdin Jr! From the sets to the acting and the singing to the lighting - it was apparent that students, teachers and mentors worked VERY hard on the production. For those of us that saw the show - we were so impressed and proud!

From Mrs. Taylor:

On behalf of the students, staff, and families of the Willow Dale Drama Club, I want to extend our sincere gratitude for CEF's generous support of our recent production of Aladdin, Jr. The CEF grant made it possible for our students to experience the magic of theater in a meaningful and memorable way. From costumes and set design to lighting and music, your funding helped bring Aladdin's story to life and gave our students an opportunity to shine with confidence and creativity. For many of our 4th and 5th graders, this was their first time participating in a live performance. Because of your support, they not only developed artistic skills, but also built teamwork, discipline, and self-esteem, lessons that will stay with them long after the final curtain call.

We are truly grateful for CEF's commitment to supporting the lives of young learners. Please know that your generosity has made a lasting impact on our school community.

We loved seeing this grant in action!

#grants #grantsinaction #centennialproud #aladdin #AladdinJR #aboveandbeyond #education

Board Game Club Grant at Klinger Middle School

We love seeing our grants in action!

From Ms. Silenzi at Klinger Middle School :

We are grateful to the Centennial Education Foundation for their generous grant supporting the Board Game Club at Klinger Middle School. This club continues to provide an incredible opportunity for students to develop strategic thinking, language, and social skills while learning to communicate and collaborate in a fun, hands-on environment. This year, we were also excited to expand our offerings by adding jewelry making, giving students a creative outlet to express themselves, and take part in a friendly bracelet-design competition. Together, these activities create a well-rounded, engaging experience that fosters social-emotional learning, creativity, and personal growth for all participants. Thank you for supporting our students at Klinger.

You are so very welcome!

Thankful for our Grant Review Committee

✨ Thank You, CEF 2026 Grant Review Committee! ✨

We are incredibly grateful for the time, care, and dedication shown by our 2026 Grant Review Committee—an amazing group of professionals and educators—in support of the students of the Centennial School District. 💙🍎

Last week on Grant Review Night, this incredible team came together to review 105 grant applications—each filled with creativity, passion, and innovative ideas from our teachers. After thoughtful discussion and collaboration, 83 grants will be funded, totaling an incredible $78,663! 🎉

This marks a record-breaking year for the Foundation—not only in the number of grants submitted and approved, but also in the total dollars awarded. And that impact? It goes directly into our classrooms to create meaningful, “above and beyond” educational experiences for our students.

To our committee—thank you for your commitment to education, your thoughtful decision-making, and for helping bring these ideas to life. 👏

We can’t wait to celebrate our inspiring teachers and their projects at the Grant Awards Breakfast on April 9th! ☀️

#CentennialEducationFoundation #CEF #SupportingStudents #InnovativeClassrooms #EducationMatters #CommunityImpact

Splash Into Leadership Grant at Davis Elementary

We LOVE seeing our grants in action!

From Dr. Garcia at Davis Elementary School:

The SPLASH into Character and Leadership grant enabled us to recognize a wide range of students as leaders at Davis Elementary through several activities such as the SPLASH Illustration Contest, Splashes of Kindness, our Davis Ambassadors, and Student of the Month.

The Lenape Live grant provided students with an opportunity to travel back to times of the Lenni Lenape.

And look at the student's smiling faces!

Ms. Gillespie's Grant for Noise Cancelling Headphones

We LOVE seeing our grants in action! ❤️❤️❤️❤️

From Ms. Gillespie at Willow Dale Elementary:
The grant we received provided funding for noise-cancelling headphones for special needs students in our elementary school. Prior to receiving the grant, several students were not able to fully participate in assemblies, performances, and other high-stimulation activities. These students often sat in the hallway outside of the performance which limited their opportunity for peer engagement in fun events.

With the addition of the noise-cancelling headphones, students are now able to attend and remain present alongside their peers and enjoy communal events. Overall, the grant helped to build student confidence and success at school. Below are a few pictures of students accessing schoolwide activities thanks to the funding provided.

We are so happy to support the needs of students, it makes our heart feel full! 🥰 #grants #education #grantsinaction #specialneeds #aboveandbeyond

🐾 Pawsome Pets Are Back! Submit Your Cutest Companion to Support Centennial Schools

The Centennial Education Foundation is excited to announce the return of our Pawsome Pets Contest — and we’re officially inviting the community to submit their cutest, funniest, and most lovable pets!

After an incredible response to our first contest in 2024, we knew we had to bring it back. Last time, more than 600 beloved pets entered the competition, and the excitement across our community was truly heartwarming.

Now it’s time to do it again.

🐶 How It Works

Pet submissions are officially open! Pet owners across the Greater Philadelphia area can create a free entry for their furry (or feathered!) friends on our contest website.

Beginning March 2, voting will open and move into a bracket-style format, where friends, family, and neighbors can cast votes through donations. It’s a fun and friendly competition — all for an important cause.

📚 Supporting Our Students

Every dollar raised through the Pawsome Pets Contest directly supports grants for teachers in the Centennial School District. These grants fund unique learning experiences that go beyond what tax dollars provide.

Last year, for example, students in Mr. Deisler’s 7th and 8th grade STEM classes at Klinger Middle School designed and built working steam-powered boats inspired by local inventor John Fitch. They created steam engines using copper tubing and fuel sources, then raced their boats in a friendly competition at Craven Hall and the John Fitch Steamboat Museum. It’s hands-on innovation like this that CEF is proud to support.

📅 What Do Winners Receive?

The Top 15 pets with the most votes by April 20 will be featured in a special fifteen-month printed calendar running from October 2026 through December 2027. The top three pets will also receive prize packs from our generous sponsors, including Wegmans, Hellerick’s Adventure Farm, Otherworld Philadelphia, and Barkbox.

And here’s something new this year…

📸 The winning pets’ calendar photos will be taken by student photographers from William Tennent High School — giving students valuable real-world creative experience while celebrating our community’s pets.

As someone who saw firsthand how much joy this contest brought to families last time, I can’t wait to see the excitement build again. The first contest featured over 600 pets — each one adorable and clearly very loved — and the community support for our mission was incredible.

We can’t wait to meet this year’s pawsome contestants!

👉 Submit your pet or learn more at www.cefpawsomepets.org