The Gloucester Education Foundation drives innovation, encourages creativity, expands student opportunities, and empowers educators to strengthen teaching and learning in the Gloucester Public School District. Since 2005, we have raised over $11 million to support thousands of students in the Gloucester Schools.
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Nathan and Mylee say “GO SEE ROCK OF AGES!!” And we agree. Opening night is Thursday! #springintothearts
OK, it's snowing. WE KNOW.
BUT! We are ignoring the flakes to announce Spring into the Arts, this year's version of the Gloucester Student Arts Festival! Rather than a one-day event crammed into a VERY busy season for students, staff and families, GPS and GEF are trying something new: an entire season of the arts.
Instead of a Saturday festival in May, we're going to be shining a light on the many plays, concerts, art exhibitions, showcases, and arts workshops happening in our schools and at community venues like Sawyer Free Library, MAGMA Gloucester, The Cut Live, and more throughout April, May and June. Check out the online calendar (link in bio), look in student backpacks this week for brochures, peep the posters around town, and check out some of the marvelous, creative, and colorful celebrations of student art and creativity this spring!
Special thanks to GHS sophomore Georgia Osier for her colorful logo design, which is making us feel warm and sunny during this ridiculous spring snow, and @bankgloucester for serving as our lead sponsor.
Visits to the new GHS Medical Assisting program mean visits to Gloucester’s finest collection of artificial urine and its creepiest student, “Patient Annie”.
(Not an April Fool’s joke, but it sure reads like one!๐คฃ)
Spotted helping out at the East Vets’ play today: GHS Class of 2023 alum and former GEF Student Advisor @kyia.karvelas! Love seeing alumni back supporting the Gloucester Schools, even when they’re just back in town for a quick spring break.
OH: and Kyia is making a documentary, and just got a scholarship to travel abroad for six months and work on it. Doing Gloucester and GEF proud!
Congratulations to the Beeman and East Veterans’ casts, crews, staff, volunteers, and families on their stellar productions of Shrek Jr and The Lion King Jr this week! So much talent, so much creativity, and so much WORK goes into these wonderful elementary school musicals, which GEF is proud to support alongside each school’s PTO.
Special kudos to Ts Burnham at @gloucesterstage and @heidijdallin for directing these terrific shows!!!
๐ธ Shrek photo by Marty Del Vecchio
PoP26 Highlights: DISCOVER! Big thanks to @backyardgrowers for leading this year's growing-themed activities, and @blackearthcompost for helping out with the compost beanbag toss game!
PoP26 Highlights: BUILD! Thank you to Megan and Matthew Graziano for coordinating this area, and to the @gloucester_sea_cadets for leading the robotics activity.
PoP26 Highlights: CREATE! Thank you to Emily Siegel for coordinating this area and to @pathwaysforchildren, @theopendoorma, and @gloucesterhigh.nahs for partnering to lead activities!
PoP26 Highlights: TOUCH! Thank you to Misty Amero, Kim Bouchie, and their amazing team from @kindred_gardens for coordinating all of the Touch activities.
๐ธ by Shane Widtfeldt and Marty Del Vecchio
PoP26 Highlights: MOVE! Thank you to Stuart Siegel for coordinating this area, and to partners @gloucesterhsmusic, @northshorekarateacademy, @seaside_circus_cape_ann, and @magmagloucester for leading such fun activities!
PoP26 Highlights: GAMES! Thank you to volunteers Erica Marceau and Christina Ursul for leading this play area.
๐ธ by Shane Widtfeldt and Marty Del Vecchio
Today’s the big day: Power of Play 2026! When you come to the Field House today and see these three faces - that’s past Event Chairs Heather Widfeldt and Ingrid Conti, and current Event Chair Jessica Margiotta - please thank them, loudly and repeatedly!
These three leaders, all busy working women with full-time jobs and full-time families, have devoted countless hours to Power of Play over the years. They are the heart and soul of this event, and GEF is in awe of their power AND their playfulness. Extra thanks to Jessica for taking on the big, complicated role of Event Chairs two years running. We could not do this without you.
THANK YOU, Jess, Heather and Ingrid!
๐โค๏ธ๐๐๐งก๐๐ฉต
OBSESSED with these giant hand-drawn puzzles made by @gloucesterhigh.nahs for Power of Play! Come color them in at CREATE, then go put ‘em together at GAMES.
Thank you to NAHS President and GEF student Advisor @myleetowne for recruiting the student artist to create these. See you Sunday!
We don't call it "Power of Play" for the cutesy alliteration or snazzy "PoP" acronym (although those are nice!). GEF and our partners really, truly believe that play is POWERFUL: a powerful teacher; a powerful connecter; a powerful force for good. Read about all the benefits of DISCOVER, TOUCH, WIGGLE, MOVE, BUILD, CREATE, and GAMES, and come play with us on Sunday!

