Murray Hill Neighborhood Association

Education on the Hill

Feb 21, 2001

P.S. 116

The PTA of Our Neighborhood Treasure, P.S. 116,
is holding a major fund raiser at Madison Square Garden on March 22. We, as strong supporters of the school, are being asked to attend what promises to be a night to remember. Goodies to be sold in the Silent Auction include rare sports and entertainment memorabilia, wonderful restaurant packages, tickets to plays and sporting events, art from local galleries, services and designer apparel merchandise and theme baskets designed by each of the classes collaboratively. During the festivities, they will grant their prestigious P.R.I.D.E. award, this year to the MHNA in recognition of our constant involvement supporting their literacy program and other important school activities.

There are many ways we can be involved: aside from our attendance, they need more donated items to auction and volunteers to work before, during and after the event. In addition, they are selling ads in the Auction Program and will gratefully accept financial contributions to defray the costs involved. Contribution forms are available; please call Lisa Urban, Robyn Hatcher or Mary Silver at the PTA office, 202-6100 or contact them by email at ps116auction@yahoo.com

Murray Hill Academy

Students at Murray Hill Academy on East 29th Street went to Central Park this past fall and performed a series of chemical tests on the water of the Great Lake in Central Park. After analyzing the results from the lab, it was unanimously decided that taking a boat ride on the lake was far preferable to swimming in it. The equipment and supplies used to perform this ?“limnology?” laboratory were made available to The Borough Academies through the lending library of the Cornell Institute for Biology Teachers (CIBT).

Last year, CIBT selected the Borough Academies to be a recipient of a generous Howard Hughes Medical Institute grant. This provides for teacher training in new biology laboratory. Activities developed by CIBT will assist students meet the Science Standards to pass the Living Environment Biology Regent exams. $1,800 from the grant is used to purchase equipment and lab supplies, which greatly increases the science department?’s budget and enable the students to participate in a rich and enjoyable educational experience. It also allows selected schools to participate in the lending library providing students with expensive high-tech equipment and supplies so that they can do experiments that would otherwise be unaffordable. Next term MHA students will explore DNA Fingerprinting.