This grant honors the memory of Gerie Wilson, whose dedication to learning through play inspired many.
The Gerie Wilson Play Grant has been created in conjunction with Gerie’s family to honor her legacy of bringing joy and play into her multiage classroom, and bringing students into the garden and outdoors to play. It will fund play-based projects at Chautauqua Elementary that do not involve any technology. The grant proposals will be led by students, with teacher support.
HOW TO APPLY: Grants can be submitted November 28, 2025 and February 27, 2026 to the Gerie Wilson Play Grant board made up of her four former multiage teammates Aristy Gill, Carolyn Candy, Glenda Berliner and Joleen McCauley. Applicants will get a response within 10 days of the grant application deadline.
HOW TO DONATE: You can donate through the PIE donate page. Put “Gerie Wilson Play Grant” in the “Please list in honor of….” area. You can also mail a check to PIE and specify “In Honor of Gerie Wilson.”
Vashon PIE
P.O. Box 1645
Vashon, WA 98070
(This grant is facilitated by Vashon Partners in Education. Please note, donations to the Gerie Wilson Play Grant are not donations to PIE’s general grant fund, which supports grants to the entire Vashon School District. We hope donors will support both!)
For more information, contact us at: Margie@drizzle.com
Grants Awarded
SPRING 2026: Preschool Playground Revamp
“We need a house.”
That was the clear and unanimous idea from our preschoolers.
Not just any house, but a place where they can be the grown-ups. A place to cook dinner, take care of babies, and yes, practice one of the hardest parts of the day:
“Okay, I have to go to work now. Bye!”
Again and again, children act out real-life moments: saying goodbye, listening to directions, working through feelings, and learning how to be together.
With their new playhouse and ride-on cars, they are building more than a pretend home.
They are building empathy, confidence, and connection, one “family moment” at a time.
FALL 2025: First Grade Fun!
Seventy-four first graders worked with their teachers to write a grant that brought both movement and imagination into their days: outdoor sports equipment for active play, and indoor materials that turn reading into something they can step inside.
Now, a story does not end at the last page.
It continues in block structures, in dollhouses, and in characters brought to life through play.
With multicultural dolls, building materials, and book-inspired play, students are not just reading stories—they are living them.
SPRING 2025: Giant Chess Set Resurrection
The 3 Multiage classes at Chautauqua got their grant approved to resurrect the giant chess set that Gerie Wilson adored. Now we have a new board, as well as checkers.
