The Tamaqua Blue Raider Foundation awarded seven project grants totaling $12,118 and three student scholarships at its annual dinner at the Tamaqua Railroad Station Restaurant Friday night.

Robert A. Miller III, president of the foundation, said at the group's seventh annual gathering, "To all of us: Remember our students are the reflection and product of us. They learn and experience from the environment that surrounds them."As Miller spoke, elementary students in an adjoining hallway demonstrated the usefulness of previous grants the foundation had made as they built motorized objects from Lego toys, including a Ferris wheel that turned and a monkey drummer.Miller told the attendees, "Tamaqua area's future depends on the molding of our students' education and values."We need their ideas, their entrepreneurship, their youth and their passion to sustain and grow our Tamaqua are community," he said.Kevin J. Salaway, director of development at Penn State Hazleton, spoke about the partnership the college campus has with the Blue Raider Foundation. He said the because of the partnership, high school students participating in the dual enrollment program can take a college credit at a Penn State Campus for a fraction of the regular credit course fee.He also said that through the Blue Raider Foundation, Tamaqua students have the opportunity to attend summer camp on Penn State campuses.Carol Makuta, retiring superintendent of the Tamaqua Area School District, praised the teachers who sought foundation grants. She said, "These teachers have really thought outside the box."She said foundation members and the participating teachers have provided unique opportunities for students of the district.Assisting Miller in presenting the grants and scholarships was Walter Kruczek, vice president of the foundation.Miller said more than $125,000 has been raised over the life of the foundation.Teachers who were recipients of this year's grants are:• Dylan Peters, Tamaqua Elementary - MakerSpace (STEM Lab).• Susan Featro and Michelle Argust, West Penn Elementary and Tamaqua Elementary - iPad Language Support.• Amanda Peters, LeeAnn Matteo, Kristen Tubbs, Julia Schoff and Caitlin Ligenza, West Penn Elementary - Individualized learning through the iStartSmart learning tablet.• Jolene Barron and Zachery Evans, Tamaqua Elementary - Learning with LEGOs: We Do STEM.• Nicole Evans, Erika Davis, Abigail Neverosky and Michele Bittner, West Penn Elementary - Trout in the Classroom.• Angela Faust, Tamaqua Elementary - Technology Based, Extending the Story.• Kimberly Woodward and Deb Sweeney, Tamaqua Middle School - Kindness Challenge, Be the Change.The foundation awarded a scholarship to Olivia Lattanzi to attend Penn State's Multimedia Journalism Workshop in July.Other students who were recipients of scholarships are Allison Amodea and Jake Marcolla.This is the third year that Barron and Evans received grants for the Tamaqua Elementary School "Learning with LEGOs" program.Third-grade students Kolbe Robb and Luke Kane continuously worked at erecting Legos structures, equipped with motors, during the foundation program. Besides the Ferris wheel and monkey, they erected a soccer goalie and cheering fans.Barron said the Legos project will expand the project from third grade to accommodate grades.The newest grant will allow for the purchase of 10 laptop computers and 10 kits, which will allow for participation by 20 students.She said the grant is used in the district's after-school program.