An aerialist will help students learn to be healthy and strong in body, mind and spirit.

Students will create a garden at West Penn Township Elementary School.A steel drum ensemble will allow students to experience music from another culture.These are all things that wouldn't be possible without the support of the Tamaqua Blue Raider Foundation, an entity separate from the school district which funds projects as a result of its fundraising activities.During the annual Blue Raider Foundation update event Friday, held at Vonz Restaurant in Tamaqua and sponsored by Mauch Chunk Trust Company, representatives from the school district and the foundation announced grants awarded to teachers, student scholarship awards for graduations and a new contribution to the foundation.The foundation raised more than $100,000 in the past five years."Funding has been provided for guest speakers, teacher grants, Penn State agricultural lab visits, three elementary school libraries, summer learning camp programs, visiting artists, AP (advanced placement) courses and other items," said Bob Miller, president of the foundation."We would not be able to successfully conduct these activities without the support of the Tamaqua Area School District a special thank you to school Superintendent Carol Makuta and her staff for their continued assistance and support."Makuta thanked the foundation and also praised the teachers who apply for the grants."If it weren't for their thinking, outside the box, to expose the students to ideas and cultures, we wouldn't be able to offer the programs we do," Makuta said."And it doesn't stop with what you see here because of the support from the Blue Raider Foundation, we're out there competing with what larger schools are doing."Blue Raider Foundation secretary Jeff Bowe, who is also the solicitor for the school board, announced a donation from the family of Nick and Anna Mae Young, donated by Kevin, Kathy and Kate Young. Nick Young was a teacher for the Tamaqua School District."Even though you left Tamaqua, you're still part of Tamaqua," Bowe said to the Youngs.Blue Raider Foundation award recipients included:Joe Plasko Memorial Fund Trevor Skripko and Brianna Wittig.Karen Mateyak Memorial Fund Christopher Chinnice and Rachel Keich.The Blue Raider Foundation awarded eight teacher grants which total $15,000:Dylan Peters Media in the Classroom/Flipped ClassroomDanelle Kane, Charise Fiorilla and Samantha Melusky Investing in Innovative Student Technology Resources.Marta Monk, Audra Schlecht West Penn School Garden.Samantha Yachara Steel Drum EnsembleSusan Featro Healthy and Strong in Mind, Body and SpiritSteve Ulicny America Goes to War field tripJolene Oswald and Jack Evans Learning with Legoes, We do STEM"To the grant recipients, we thank you for your hard work you are true educators," Miller said. "This and our other school programs make our foundation board efforts worthwhile."The other Blue Raider Foundation board members are Vice President Walter Kruczek, treasurer Eric Zizelman, executive administrator Johanna Ulicny and board members Katie Dropp, Deb Yuskauskas, State Rep. Jerry Knowles, Dana McDonald, Tom Berner and Stephanie Akins.