The MCTF will not award grant funding for salaries, travel or food/drink items


Programs Funded

The MCTF awarded its first two Diversity Grants in 2007:

Sigel Elementary School

Sigel Elementary School has a diverse student body. Students come from 9 different countries and speak 11 languages. Such diversity necessitates the need for developing awareness and tolerance of different cultures, religions, races and languages. Sigel used its grant award to purchase World Playground, an activity set containing more than 50 multicultural activities, a CD with lyrics and translations. Sigel originally planned to involve one class of 35 students, but expanded the program to all 184 students. Teachers reported that through the program, students found that they have many commonalities with others and can make friends and learn together with people from other countries. As a result of some of the activities dealing with clothes typical of different countries, students became more accepting of girls in the school who wear head scarves. Students also improved academic skills such as map reading, writing complete sentences and capitalization.


Pictured are: Grant Award Winners from Sigel Elementary School.
Click to enlarge.

Queen of All Saints School: 2008 Grant Awards

The 7th and 8th grade classes of Queen of All Saints School read the book Hana's Suitcase, a book that recalls the life of a young Czechoslovakian girl killed at Auschwitz. Students wrote essays, poems and letters and had group discussions about the Holocaust and intolerance. Queen of All Saints used its grant money to print and bind their writings into a tolerance publication. Teachers reported that the students were noticeably kinder to each other and more accepting of students who were different. They also honed their poetry and writing skills.

 Grace Chapel Lutheran School
Grace Chapel Lutheran has seen a big change in its school demographics over the past 20 years with a current student body that is 65% African American and 35% Caucasian.  The desire to provide students with experiences that foster awareness and understanding of various cultures and ethnic backgrounds led the school to apply for a MCTF grant, which  helped to fund activities on West African Culture and geography including a performance of  West African dance by performer Diadie’ Bathily.  Each grade studied as aspect of African culture, including Kenta cloths, Khama hands, tribal weavings, and masks.  The school reported that most of its students had little or no exposure to traditional African culture.  The assembly and projects helped them not only to accept but also to respect the differences from their own background.  In addition,  they improved creative thinking skills and learned to work together through the projects. 

 Marian Middle School: 2009 Grant Awards

Marion Middle School has a diverse student body of young women, including first generation immigrants from Mexico, Columbia and several African countries.  To honor and affirm the diversity that exists in their school, students wrote a play adapting the story Spider and the Sky God.  In the play, the students learned dances, songs, and music from around the world.  Students also created a book of poetry, “Who I Am…”, explaining the meaning of their names and reflecting the cultural backgrounds.  Through the project, the students became more tolerant towards each other’s cultures and developed more diverse friendships.  In addition, the projects helped the school community recognize its diversity and taught cultural tolerance.

Diversity, Transitions & Growth in Our Community Roosevelt High

Roosevelt High School has students from 31 countries.  To honor the diversity in their school, the students presented an assembly showcasing the dress, music and dance from some of the cultures represented in their student body.  The program began with a procession of the flags from the 31 countries and included a fashion show, dances from Somalia, Nepal, West Africa, East Africa, Afghanistan, Mexico and other Latin countries.  Through this experience, the students learned to appreciate each other’s cultures and found that music and dance is universal.  The flags, which were purchased with grant funds, were displayed at graduation and will be used for future school events.           

Multicultural Fair  Mason E-Mints Academy

Mason has 324 students who come from 22 different countries.  The school wanted their students to understand, accept, and appreciate the contributions of all those races, cultures and religions.  The school felt that in order to understand others, students need to understand their own cultures and had students identify what cultures they felt a part of racially, culturally, and ethnically.    Each class studied a foreign county all year and taught a game from their country at the International Heritage Day.  The fair included a number of activities:  a “Travel Around the World” to learn how other countries celebrate their involved parents in manning stations with items from their homelands.  The “Lion Dance” and the dancers from India were favorites of the participants.  The grant helped to fund the fair activities.

We Are Children of the WorldMason E-Mints Academy

Forty of Mason’s students participated in an additional project in which they created ethnic puppets.  The students discussed why people in different cultures wear different clothing  such as climate, religion and fashion, and the need to respect how others dress and their culture in general.  In making the puppets, students also learned social skills such as sharing supplies, complimenting others, and patience.   .The grant assisted in purchasing supplies to make the dolls

Cultural Simulation Program  ESOPL, St Louis Public Schools

The English to Speakers of Other Languages/Bilingual/Migrant Program of the St. Louis Public Schools wants to move its students and staff beyond knowing some aspects of other cultures to having the experience of being part of a different culture.  The grant purchased BaFa’BaFa’ and Rafa’Rafa simulation games for use  in social studies classes in schools that have ESOL Centers as well as for professional development for teachers and other staff..  Participants  take part in a culture of differing values, activities and languages.  They are challenged to find ways to communicate with each other to accomplish a goal. 

2010 Grant Awards

Capturing My World  Marian Middle School

Marion Middle School takes great pride in the cultural diversity of its student body and encourages students to share their religious backgrounds and ethnic celebrations.  Their project will begin with a discussion about the definition of culture; students will learn to reframe culture independent of race as they reflect on how culture enriches their lives.  The grant will purchase disposable cameras  which the students will use to take pictures of culture, in their homes and in their communities.  In the process, they will learn proper photographic techniques and how to recognize artistic elements in their pictures.  The literature teacher will lead the students to develop poetry around the images.  The schools expects the project to enhance future encounters between students, their parents, and their community.

Encouraging Cultural Communication and Conversation  Spoede Elementary

Submitting Grant Proposals:

• Grant proposals are due May 1 and funding will be awarded in September
• Grants are restricted to one applicant per school year
• Grants are not renewable
• All proposals must be submitted using the MCTF Grant Application Form
• Applications must include a one to two page typed essay describing the program and its intended impact
• All portions on the application must be completed