Grant Opportunities:


SkillsUSA and Lowe’s are jointly awarding Sed de Saber grants to local
SkillsUSA chapters. We are actively seeking schools to implement Sed de
Saber as a community service program. Schools can apply for up to
$10,000 to implement a program. The deadline for this program is January
30, 2009.

The Sed de Saber learning system is an interactive, unique and proven
English-as-a-Second-Language (ESL) tool that helps break the language
barrier. It fosters a more skilled workforce and ultimately reduces
accidents and fatalities. The program is available in English for
Construction, English for Hospitality or English for Everyone. The
learning centers around a Leap-frog style learning unit that is fun,
interactive and portable.

How Schools Can Implement Sed de Saber
1) Apply for a Sed de Saber grant for up to $10,000. A link to an online
application is below.

2) The deadline is January 30, 2009. Grants may be used during spring
2009 or fall 2009.

3) Sed de Saber program implementation can be determined by the
SkillsUSA chapter. For example, the learners might meet once a week
after school and include students plus family members who want to
improve their English, or members of the community who want to learn or
improve their English. This could be a mentoring program for younger
students too.

4) Typically, Sed de Saber participants sign out their units through the
school library and take them home for practice, bringing them back each
week for a group session. Our students, who can serve as mentors and
instructors for the program, will lead the weekly meeting to answer
questions or help learners overcome any challenges.

Length of Program
The completion time for the program ranges from six weeks to four
months, depending upon the individual learners enrolled in the program
and how often the group meets.

Cost of Sed de Saber
The program costs approximately $545 per learner, which includes a
tutoring-by-phone support system and a pre/post program learner
assessment. Once your application is approved by SkillsUSA and Lowe’s,
Sed de Saber will assign an account manager to help you plan and
implement your community service learning program. We suggest working
with a small group of 5 to 10 learners at a time.

To apply, please complete the grant application at:
http://www.skillsusa.org/educators/seddesaber.shtml

Questions? Karen Perrino at kperrino@skillsusa.org or 703-737-0610.