The Foundation to Inspire Excellence In Nyack Schools (Inspire Nyack) will be hosting its Fourth Annual Casino Night on Saturday, March 5, 2011 at the Nyack Seaport for Cultural Events in Nyack, New York. The event will be held from 7:00 PM to 11:30 PM. Funds from the event will continue to go towards the funding of educational enrichment programs in the Nyack School District.

To date, Inspire Nyack has raised over a quarter of a million dollars to help fund and expand the popular robotics program that was started a few years ago. With the additional funding provided from last year’s Casino Night the robotics program has continued its expansion so that younger students could take a turn exploring the wonderful world of robotics in a fun environment.

Funds raised by Inspire Nyack will be used, in part, to continue to fund the Nyack School District’s Robotics/Pre-Engineering Program (K-12).  The Robotics Program, an innovative and exciting program using engineering concepts to boost students’ math and science skills, was introduced to the District’s curriculum in 2007.  What began as an after-school program at the middle school level is currently being integrated into all kindergarten, 1st and 2nd grade classes, as well as the middle school technology course in the district.  This integration will continue with the 3rd grade this year, and 4th and 5th in subsequent years.  The program is currently reaching over 600 elementary students and more than 400 middle schoolers.