Sixteen teachers and school-based staff members across the district were recently surprised with the announcement that they received Education EDGE grants to support their classroom projects. District administrators and members of the Education EDGE steering team surprised them in their classrooms to celebrate their grant. 

More than $29,000 in grants were awarded.

The recipients are:

• Little Early Childhood Center mixed abilities teacher Kimberly Lund won a $1,999 grant to purchase voice output devices for her Pre-K students.
• College Hill Elementary interrelated teachers Jamie Caywood and Georgette Mason won a $1,950 grant to create a snack cart designed to teach mixed abilities students how to interact with others and run a business.
• College Hill Elementary art teacher Makenzie Reichenberger won a $1,873 grant for a service-learning project to fight hunger in the community.
• Colvin Elementary PE teacher Mike Williams won a $2,000 grant to purchase T-shirts for the school’s running club.
• Isely Traditional Magnet Elementary speech-language pathologist Tammy Meikel won a $2,000 grant to help students’ functional communication through science and cooking lessons.
• McLean Science and Technology Magnet Elementary School science teacher Zerrin Oelze on a $2,000 grant to purchase STEM literacy supplies for her classroom.
• Washington Accelerated Learning Elementary School art teacher Jay Jacoby won a $1,334 grant to purchase skateboard decks for a fifth-grade art project.
• Riverside Leadership Magnet Elementary School teacher Darla Brown won a $1,976 grant to create a student recording studio.
• Brooks Center for STEM and Arts Magnet Middle School technology teacher Mark Smith won a $2,000 grant for supplies for the school’s robotics program.
• Pleasant Valley Middle School English teacher Elizabeth Vest won a $1,000 grant to purchase graphic novels for her classroom library.
• East High School science teacher Andrea Lindstrom won a $1,998 grant to purchase a set of Van de Graaff generators for physics classrooms.
• East High School art teacher Molly Williams won a $1,524 grant to create a template and texture library for her pottery classroom.
• Northwest High School Science Olympiad sponsor Sarah El-Sukar won a $1,500 grant to purchase supplies to relaunch the school’s Science Olympiad program.
• Southeast High School science teachers Traci Kallhoff and Jason Wysong won a $2,000 grant to create an outdoor classroom with a pond and wildflower garden.
• Sowers Alternative High School interrelated teacher Angela Cho won a $1,998 grant to purchase hygiene products and help ensure students have access to clean clothing.
• Sowers Alternative High School interrelated teacher Lisa McIntire and para Savannah Echols won a $2,000 grant to purchase supplies to be able to better utilize the school’s greenhouse.

The Education EDGE is the district's educational foundation, allowing private donors to support three key areas – classroom mini-grants, fine arts and athletics – not supported by traditional funding resources. Since the foundation began awarding grants in 2005, the district has invested more than $2.164 million in these key areas. For more information about the Education EDGE, or to donate, visit. www.usd259.org/edge.