At SELCO, our educator-founded roots guide everything we do.
That’s why we’re proud to share the highlights from our 2022 SPARK! Creative Learning Grant recipients (now known as Creative Educator Grants). This year, we awarded over $54,000 to 60 innovative teachers from 55 Oregon schools.
“Educators and students have faced many changes over the last few years, but one thing that remains the same is the need for funds to get creative and innovative ideas off the ground,” said Craig Carpenter, SELCO’s Senior Vice President of Lending and Business banking. “From the SPARK! program’s beginnings, SELCO’s mission has been to ensure that funding isn’t an insurmountable obstacle preventing great ideas from taking root. For nearly three decades, we’ve watched great ideas ignite a passion for learning in students—a passion that can last a lifetime.”
Growing creativity in the classroom
SELCO’s Creative Educator Grants support classroom projects that go beyond the ordinary, expected curriculum and instead push toward experiential learning opportunities, encouraging curiosity while building real-world skills. Thanks to these grants, educators around the state are bringing unique ideas to life.
2022 SPARK! Grant recipients
Here's a full list of our 2022 SPARK! Grant recipients:
Alsea Elementary School (Alsea)
- Leslie Boser, “Chillville” — Creating a sensory space for students to promote self-regulation, provide sensory stimulation and breaks, create space for rest, and teach new skills.
Alsea High School (Alsea)
- David Crowe, “Our changing NW Forests” — Using real-world hands-on observations and electronic weather monitoring data to gauge if a warmer climate will change our beloved NW greenways.
Barnes Butte Elementary School (Prineville)
- Kim Bartolotti, “Class Community Appreciation Book” — Writing and publishing a second-grade class book based on community.
- Angela Cheeney, “Bring Fun to the Classroom” — Purchasing flexible seating for third-graders that would be used as an incentive in the classroom and board games, which would also be incentive.
Bend Tech Academy at Marshall High School (Bend)
- Linzie Harris, “Sticker & Decal Printer Computer” — Providing students with the skills needed to run their own business through printing stickers/decals and selling them to local businesses and schools.
Blanchet Catholic School (Salem)
- Lori Martino, “Garden for the Community” — Participating in helping the hungry in our community by planning, creating, and cultivating a garden with the produce being donated to a local food bank.
Bridge Charter Academy (Lowell)
- Laurie Krei, “CSI - Mysteries of Science & Social Studies” — Unlocking the mysteries of Science and Social Studies through CSI Forensic Science activities and projects.
Buena Vista Spanish Immersion Elementary School (Eugene)
- Justine Chunn, “Creating Physically Literate Students” — Engaging in physical education, using technology as a resource.
Buff Elementary School (Madras)
- Logan Bertram, “A New Game: Made & Taught by Students” — Providing our Student Leadership Team with materials to build a “9 Square in the Air” to teach the whole school a new, engaging game.
Camas Valley Charter School (Camas Valley)
- Tabatha Roderick, “STEAM Comic Books” — Equipping students with technology tools to design, illustrate and publish comic books about science topics that will be read to and shared with younger students.
Cesar E. Chavez Elementary School (Eugene)
- Martha Dyer, “New Engaging Nonfiction Books Replace 15 Year Oldy Moldies” — Providing access to new nonfiction books about hippos, Minecraft, and eyewitness books about animals, dinosaurs, cats, and other student interests.
Clemens Primary (Philomath)
- K'Lynn Coleman, “BOOKS: School to Home Connection” — Using colorful National Geographic Kids Almanac 2023 at home and school to foster reading growth, interest in our natural world and a home and school connection.
Coburg Community Charter School (Coburg)
- LeeAnn Erickson, “Little Library” — Creating a Little Library that will help encourage reading as a lifelong activity.
Cottage Grove High School (Cottage Grove)
- Joel Lindstrom, “Circus Club” — Create a community space for kids from diverse backgrounds to playfully practice fun physical skills.
- Sarah Jones, “Building a Thinking Classroom” — Using vertical non-permanent surfaces to increase student thinking and learning in the mathematics classroom.
- Justin McCullough, “Electrathon Race Team” — Building single passenger electric vehicles for the students to race.
Creslane Elementary School (Creswell)
- McKenzie Vreeland, “Robotics and Coding in the Classroom” — Providing students the chance to learn more about technology, coding, and robotics through Edison Robots.
Creswell Middle School (Creswell)
- Kendra Anderson, “Where In The World Are We?” — Providing students with opportunities to enhance their geography skills and host a building-wide Geography Bee.
Diamond Elementary School (Diamond)
- Raime Lequerica Stoddart, “Recipes That Link Us Together” — Bringing the community and school together through shared stories and recipes compiled in a unique cookbook written and designed by the students about and for the community.
Dorena School (Dorena)
- Val Rocco, “Scooter Me Happy” — Providing scooter boards to give students tons of sensory input and unlimited options for strength-building play.
Dufur Elementary School (Dufur)
- Tess Welk, “We Are Builders” — Providing STEM activities that are hands-on, allowing students to apply their learning to solve real-world problems.
Eddyville Charter School (Eddyville)
- Stephanie Austin, “AP Science Class” — Expanding educational opportunities by bringing an AP Science class to students at a small, rural charter school.
Elizabeth Page Elementary School (Springfield)
- Mikell Harshbarger, “Supporting Engaging Investigations in Science” — Providing reading materials and whiteboards to enhance and expand the reach of argument-driven inquiry units that address science, language arts, and math standards in fifth grade.
Elmira Elementary School (Elmira)
- Elizabeth Skenzick, “Sustainable Whiteboard Alternative” — Creating a sustainable and engaging way for students to show their thinking through the use of Boogie Boards.
Gervais High School (Gervais)
- Creighton Helms, “Building Multicultural, Multilingual Libraries” — Creating a multicultural, multilingual media center for English Learners, a diverse community of students who deserve access to high-quality texts that celebrate language, culture, inclusion, and belongingness.
Gilham Elementary School (Eugene)
- Brian Gulka, “Sky's the Limit” — Providing each student a Pitsco water bottle rocket used to test Newton's Laws of Motion.
Guy Lee Elementary School (Springfield)
- Michelle Kajikawa, “Movement Supports Our Learning!” — Using large-motor activities to learn how to manage their emotions in healthy, positive ways.
Harrisburg High School (Harrisburg)
- Dana Bowers-Brock, “Pur-sewing Dreams” — Learning and using a variety of manual and mechanical sewing skills to create their own aprons.
- Stephanie Sather, “Innovative Hands-On Suture Lab” — Providing future health professionals hands-on lab practice.
- Janna Swigart, “Tropical Reading Escape Room for Spanish Class” — Reading an entire novel in Spanish with classroom decorations to enhance the experience, followed by an escape room with activities geared around the novel.
Jefferson County Middle School (Madras)
- Sara Johnston, “Supporting Special Education through Innovative Play” — Providing age-appropriate Legos, K'NEX, and other activities that encourage and support the dynamic learning environment and relational needs of our special education students.
Junction City High School (Junction City)
- Jared Brougher, “3D Printing” — Purchasing a 3D printer for students to use in building projects and making classroom models.
Juniper Elementary School (Bend)
- Maddi Webb, “Love, Breath, and Robots” — Using robotics in the classroom to learn a multitude of skills, from technology to problem solving to social-emotional learning.
La Pine Transition Program (La Pine)
- Ken Thorp, “Multi Sensory Calming Zone” — The funding would be used to purchase a variety of sensory items to help calm and regulate students impacted by Autism.
Laurel Elementary School (Junction City)
- Sophie Knox, “What we NEED in ELD!” — Supporting English Language Development using websites, science, and games!
Lava Ridge Elementary School (Bend)
- Matthew Crawmer, “Lava Ridge Marimba Ensemble” — Providing elementary students with diatonic marimbas that allow creative access to ensemble performance within the key of C.
London Elementary School (Cottage Grove)
- James Elwell, “Family Cornhole Beanbag Games” — Building community and bringing students, families, and teachers together through cornhole bean bag games.
Madras Elementary School (Madras)
- Melinda Grote, “Small Group Resources for Every Learner” — Creating fine motor kits to engage students in small group reading activities.
Malabon Elementary School (Eugene)
- Melissa Erp, “Engaging in Orff” — Providing students with the opportunity to experience the love and joy of learning through play while they explore culture, humanity, math, and science through music and Orff instruments.
- Brooklyn Walker, “Second Graders Continue to Code” — Learning to code through colors, computers, and Ozbots.
Maple Elementary School & Yolanda Elementary School (Springfield)
- Joni Wareham, “After School Homework Club” — Providing an "After School Homework Club" for ELD students.
Mapleton Middle School & High School (Mapleton)
- Katherine Huber, “Honoring Native Languages in Public Schools” — The Confederated Tribes of Coos, Lower Umpqua, and Siuslaw Indians, and the Mapleton School District collaborate to make Native languages visible and accessible for students and families in Mapleton.
McKenzie Montessori Institute (Springfield)
- Shannon Cooper, “PK2 Practical Life Kitchen Project” — Creating a kid kitchen that spans multiple subject areas including reading, math, science, cultural studies, practical living, and grace and courtesy, allowing the children to gain hands-on real-life experiences.
North Bend Middle School (North Bend)
- Darren Sinko, “Whole Lotta Shaking Going On!” — Building and testing spaghetti towers on a custom-made earthquake table.
North Star Elementary School (Bend)
- Jenny White, “Disc Golf Course for PE and Recess” — Providing our students with an opportunity to learn a new physical activity that will get them connected to others while building confidence.
Pioneer School (Lebanon)
- Tabitha Ramirez, “Think Like an Engineer” — Encouraging students to think and design like an engineer aligned with Common Core standards and reinforced with basic AVID skills, through access to materials.
Sage Elementary School (Redmond)
- Aurora Smith, “STEM Bins” — Providing the opportunity to explore, build, communicate, and create structures while learning about science, engineering, mathematics, and technology.
Seven Oak Middle School (Lebanon)
- Laura Hornstein, “Diversity and Inclusion Mural” — Creating a mural that represents diversity and inclusion in our community.
Solo Academy Online School
- Anne Fisk, “Discovering the World of Electricity” — Utilizing Snap Circuit kits to introduce elementary through high school students to the concept of electricity, current, and voltage.
South Shore Elementary School (Albany)
- Nicole Stanfield, “South Shore Soccer and Recess Equipment” — Providing students with adequate soccer and PE equipment to practice, play, and learn new skills during PE and at recess.
St. Thomas Academy (McMinnville)
- Natalie Lemos, “Social/Emotional Development Calm Corner” — Creating a classroom space to help support our young students' social and emotional needs.
Summit High School (Bend)
- Heather Bussmann, “Graphing the Gap” — Supplying graphing calculators to close the achievement gap in Math.
Sutherlin Middle School (Sutherlin)
- Rebecca Tillett, “Homestead Act Comes to Life” — Purchasing supplies to develop an understanding of what life was like during the Homestead Act, including sewing, planting, etc.
Sweetbriar Elementary School (Troutdale)
- Rose Thoman, “Music, Movement, and Storytelling” — Providing music classroom materials that allow students to explore movement, music, and storytelling.
Territorial Elementary School (Junction City)
- Rebecca Hoehn, “Read Naturally” — Reading Naturally's research-based reading interventions, which help students become fluent readers and make solid gains in comprehension and vocabulary.
Tumalo Community School (Bend)
- Kelly Garcia-Menlow, “Amazing ME! - A Celebration of Colors” — Providing our students with the essential tools to complete self-portraits being authentic to ourselves and our diversity!
Waldorf School of Bend (Bend)
- Moe Anderson, “Exploring Chemical Artistry” — Exploring the wonders of chemistry through art.
Warm Springs K-8 Academy (Warm Springs)
- Jennifer Ippolito, “Flashlight Friday” — Fabulously fantastic “Flashlight Friday,” where students will engage in reading in the dark with mini flashlights.
Whitworth Elementary School (Dallas)
- Deanne Harms, “Expanding Our View” — Using digital microscopes to spark curiosity, inspire creativity, and instill a passion for science.
Woodburn Arthur Academy (Woodburn)
- Amanda Rojas, “School Garden” — Helping save the pollinators with our School Flower Garden.
Here’s to the 2022 creative educators
Thank you to the 60 educators and 55 schools who poured their imagination, energy, and love into their craft. You reminded us that classrooms can be car shops, kitchens, computer labs, and everything in between. Learning is not just about outcomes, but about curiosity. Most of all, a great idea can go a long way when given a little support.
