Hermanowski Family Foundation Initial Request Form

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Organization Name: South Carolina Aquarium
Legal Name (if Different):
Also Known As: SCA
Mailing Address: 100 Aquarium Wharf
City: Charleston
State: SC
Postal Code: 29401
Main Phone: 8435798599
Main Fax:
Organization Website: https://scaquarium.org/
Employer ID Number: 57-0961897
Organization Tax Status: 501(c)(3)

Proposal Information

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Today’s Date: March 19, 2024
Requested Amount: $5,000

Project Title: School Programs
Project Description:

South Carolina’s public-school system consistently ranks in the nation’s bottom ten, with disparities between low-income students and their peers. Since opening in 2000, the South Carolina Aquarium has served the state’s students and educators through Dominion Energy School Programs, providing an average of 6,000 K-12 students and 425 teachers annually with free and immersive STEM education to reinforce state standards.

Before the Aquarium opened its doors to connect people with water, wildlife, and wild places, this flagship education program was informed by a master education plan. Combining the joy of learning with the wonder of nature, each program has an original curriculum designed to meet state standards by grade level. Teachers invited to participate in the program attend a development workshop and are provided pre-visit and post-visit activities for their classroom. Students visit the Aquarium during field trips to interact with live animals and engage in age-appropriate lessons that complement classroom teachings.

Teachers apply to the program through a lottery system, in which applications from Title I schools are prioritized to support disadvantaged students. In the 2022-2023 school year, 422 applications were received, but the program could only award 119 programs due to classroom limitations, meaning that for every class served, two were turned away. Due to overwhelming demand for School Programs, the Aquarium incorporated program expansion into our current five-year strategic plan.

In early 2025, the Aquarium will debut the Boeing Learning Lab, a 9,000-square-foot education complex that will serve as the main hub for School Programs. A short walk from the Aquarium, this state-of-the-art facility will add five waterfront classrooms to almost double the program’s capacity and increase acceptance rate from 30% to 50%. During this exciting time of expansion and growth, the Aquarium remains committed to education and hopes your foundation will consider supporting School Programs.

Total Project Budget: $328,679

Other Funding
Sources For The Project (Committed & Potential): The Aquarium’s fundraising team seeks annual funding in support of SPs through individual, corporate, and foundational giving platforms. Additionally, School Programs receives financial support through the revenue that is generated by Aquarium ticketing sales. Committed funding raised toward the execution and operation of Dominion Energy School Programs for the 2024 academic year is as follows: 1.) Corporate funders: Dominion Energy Charitable Foundation, Trident Construction, Gildan Activewear Inc., The Boeing Company, AFL Global, State Farm; 2.) Foundational giving: J. H. Walker Legacy Foundation, The Kennedy-Herterich Foundation, Greater Milwaukee Foundation, Joseph J. Schott Foundation, The Ceres Foundation. Potential funders to date include: The Mark Elliot Motley Foundation, The Henry and Sylvia Yaschik Foundation, The Brutten Family Foundation, Leon Levine Foundation, and The Comis Foundation.

Project Duration: ongoing
Geographical Area Served: South Carolina
Age Group To Be Served: 5 – 18 years old

Contact Information

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Contact Prefix (Mr,Mrs etc.): Ms.
Contact First Name: Annemarie
Contact Last Name: Ferrie
Contact Title: Officer of Grants Administration
Contact Phone: 8435798599
Contact Email: aferrie@scaquarium.org