GRAND RAPIDS, MI - Twenty-one innovative classroom projects will receive $121,636 from the Grand Rapids Community Foundation.
Tonight, the foundation is honoring the local teachers, principals, students and families from schools that received the "Good Classroom" grants at its annual education awards celebration at Frederik Meijer Gardens and Sculpture Park.
"The Good Classroom minigrant program provides motivated teachers with the opportunity to receive funding or tools that can help students be more successful," said Cris Kutzli, education and youth program officer for the foundation.
Teachers in Grand Rapids Public Schools, Catholic and Christian schools can apply for the grants ranging from $250 to $5,000. Applications had to be submitted by October. Some schools received multiple grants.
For example, educators at Grand Rapids Campus Early Childhood Center received six grant's totaling $15,480, ranging from $1,300 to $3,000. The program "iPad, iCommunicate, iLearn!" received $2,600 to provide special needs preschoolers iPad technology to augment their communication ability, enhance participation in activities and improve language.
Grand Rapids Christian Middle School received $3,000 for "Powerful Philanthropy: Time, Talent and Treasure," to create and sell goods to increase communication capabilities of autistic students. The school received another $1,444 for "Fabulous Fantasy Frenzy" to apply basic criteria to creative writing and social studies through use of imagination and creativity.
West Catholic High School was among three school programs that received $5,000. The money is for the program "iPad Apps Library and Science Visualization" to engage students through use of the iPad and science apps to unlock abstract scientific concepts using visual and audio.
Coit Creative Art's Academy also got science cash, $3,000, for "Let's Crack It!" to integrate science into math and language arts curriculum using logical, problem-solving, and scientific thinking skills.
"Teachers are creative and progressive and every year they are doing more with fewer resources while putting projects on hold because of budgets," Kutzli said. "The teachers and principals truly know what their students need to get the most from their education. The Community Foundation is thrilled to be a catalyst to make what their classroom needs a reality."
For a full list of winners go to the foundations website. Below are some program descriptions of other winners:
• Creston High School, $4,986, for "Video Modeling and Social Story Portfolios" that provide special needs students independent living skills using three innovative instructional practices.
• Grand Rapids Christian Elementary School, $2,900, for "Drawing Children into Reading" to provide an innovative program for lower elementary students that combines art, literature, and literacy taught by a well-known author.
• Harrison Park School, $3,000, for "Using Technology to LEAP Ahead" to purchase LeapPad Explorer Mobile Learning Centers for first grade classrooms.
• Ken-O-Sha at Van Auken, $4,942, for "Speech Generating Devices and Parent Participation" to provide essential devices for students with severe communication delays that will allow them to express their wants and needs.
• Ken-O-Sha at Wellerwood, $4,980, for "Inclusive Learning: Seated for Success" to expand adaptive seating options for physically impaired children through a parent/school share program, improving students' access to learning.
• Lincoln School, $1,485, for "Cognitive Enrichment Through Gross Motor Movement" to boost the developmental milestones of cognitively impaired students by using various gross motor learning activities.
• North Park Elementary School, $2,950, for "Taking Steps Toward Better Writing" to reinforce writing skills in the classroom and get students excited about getting their thoughts on paper.
• Ottawa Hills High School and Riverside Middle School, $5,000 each, to implement the "Positive Behavior Intervention Program" that provides incentives for positive behavior.
• West Leonard Early Childhood Center, $3,000, for "Let's Write Together" to provide family and staff with writing tools, workshops and materials to encourage, model and support writing skills of young children.
Email: firstname.lastname@example.org and follow her on Facebook and Twitter at Twitter.com/GRPScotty.