2020 Grant Recipients

We are proud to provide 47 educators and 38 schools over $42,000 in supplemental funding for innovative class projects. Congratulations to the recipients and thank you to all of the educators in our communities dedicated to finding creative ways to engage students.

Albany Online School (AOL)

  • Mark Gullickson, “Innovative Elementary Level STEM Engineering” — Providing a solid introduction to engineering design principles through elementary level LEGO engineering kits and STEM curriculum.

Bend Senior High School

  • Nikki Baird, “Book Clubs” — Piloting book clubs with a curated book collection.
  • Don Carter, “Raspberry Pi for Home Coding” — Creating computing kits to aid in learning to plan, write, and test various coding concepts while creating electronic projects.

Bend-Tech Academy at Marshall High School

  • Heather Johnson, “EMT Casualty Simulation Kit” — Purchasing a complex Emergency Medical Training kit to provide students with skill-based learning and hands-on experience with a wide variety of training situations.
  • Kelly Peters, “LIDS by BTA” — Purchasing a hat press with students at the helm, learning first-hand how to run a business.

Child's Way School

  • Michael Kerns, “Community Learning Pod RV Music” — Installing solar power into a classroom RV which takes elective classes in music on the road.

Cottage Grove High School

  • Kim Hanson, “Career Pathway in Graphic Design” — Investing in professional portfolios for graphic design students.
  • Brian Vollmer-Buhl, “FoldScopes for Distance Learning Microscopy” — Providing microscopes and supplies for in-home use by students.

Creswell High School

  • Liz Babbs, “Join the Journey” — Providing students with materials to aid in experiencing local outdoors.
  • Wheylin Niehus, “Hands-on Building Project Kits for Distance Learning” — Bringing hands-on, scale model woodworking kits to students learning at home.

Culver Middle School

  • Jill Chapman, “Culver VR Art Creation” — Incorporating Virtual Reality (VR) into the art program.

Dallas High School

  • Austin Markee, “Rubens Tube” — Building a Rubens Tube so students can see a visual demonstration of acoustic standing waves in a tube.

Danebo Elementary

  • Angie Johnson, “Kids Can Code!” — Funding 10 Ozobot Evos, award-winning coding robots which allow students to code screenfree with the Ozobot Color Codes system, followed by programming on a digital platform.

Dorena School

  • Valerie Rocco, “Farm to Table Cooking Classes” — Providing supplies for Farm to Table cooking experiences at home.

Elk Meadow Elementary School

  • Kathy Woodford, “Ukes for Youth” — Purchasing durable, easily cleaned ukuleles for virtual enrichment classes.

Elmira Elementary

  • Michelle Marshall, “Free Little Library” — Building a Free Little Library to support literacy, demonstrate a reading lifestyle, support parents and continue establishing community.
  • Elizabeth Skenzick, “Classroom Microphones and Speakers for Social-Emotional Well-Being” — Addressing social-emotional needs and encouraging connection to classroom with the use of microphones and speakers.
  • Erin White, “Universal Teaching of Zones of Regulation” — Providing access to the Zones of Regulation curriculum, teaching social emotional regulation and calming strategies.

Gervais Elementary School

  • Creighton Helms, “Gervais Bees Goin' Fishing!” — Designing and creating an interactive learning space for students around "Eggs to Fry" aquarium.

Hanby Middle School

  • Rianna Lee, “Philanthropy Project” — Providing classroom display monitors for presentations based on philanthropy and community organizations.

Harrisburg Middle School

  • Phoenix Ginder, “Reading Skills for All” — Funding a training and comprehensive reading program.

Harrison Elementary

  • Laurie Hammond, “Project Painted Ukulele” — Providing ukuleles, distance instruction and art material for students at home.

Jaguar Elementary School

  • Dow Yeh, “Jammin' in your Jammies - Making Music @ Home” — Providing ocarinas (small wind musical instruments) for at-home video lessons.

Junction City High School

  • Quintessa Bell, “Learning by Doing” — Providing basic materials to teach hands-on students the farm to fork process with chickens.

La Pine High School

  • Cari Fike, “Winter Vocational Training” — Purchasing tools to be used in vocational training for students with developmental and intellectual disabilities.
  • Ken Thorp, “Hawks Country Green House” — Installing drip system in greenhouse to aid with annual plant sale to help progress social skills and build confidence in a new skill.
  • Jessica Colburn, “Flipping the Narrative: Marginalized Populations in Ancient History” — Purchasing engaging and culturally relevant books, allowing students access to novels that grab their interest and the ability to see themselves in terms of Ancient History, through marginalized populations.

Leslie Middle School

  • Michael Rockow, “Rolling Into Science” — Providing multi-dimensional car-building kits to explore motion, forces, electricity and circuits, and energy.

Lorna Byrne Middle School

  • David Gerten, “Healthy Meal Alternatives” — Providing a virtual class on creating healthy, budget conscious meals for students.

Madras High School

  • Kathleen Glogau, “Biotechnology for the Win!” — Conducting a series of biotechnology labs around genetic engineering and electrophoresis.
  • Julie Mitchell, “Madras Littles' Outdoor Community” — Enhancing the outdoor environment to include structures, transportation vehicles and other items to make a "mini town" where students can recreate their families interactions within the community. 

McCornack Elementary School

  • Karen Olsen, “Getting Physical Books into Children's Hands” — Purchasing book sets for students to add variety to the day and increase enthusiasm with reading.

North Bend Middle School

  • Darren Sinko, “Bacteria Everywhere Classroom Experiment ” — Providing materials for bacteria growth experiment.

Oakland Elementary

  • Jenny Edgington, “Social Emotional Reading Program” — Providing students' books geared towards managing anxiety and building strength during these unsure times.

Powder Valley High School

  • Brad Dunten, “Fitness Room” — Expanding current TRX bars and straps to allow for more student participation.

Prairie Mountain School

  • Jenifer Gerlach, “Instrumentation Experiences” — Increasing hands-on musical experiences for students by investing in additional instruments.
  • Wendy Mollinary, “Calm Down Self Regulation Kit Project” — Distributing self regulation kits to help students calm down, relax, develop important life skills, and increase attendance and participation.

Shasta Middle School

  • Joshua Edwards, “Picture This: Graphic Novel and Storytelling Projects” — Creating storyboards and comic books through an accessible, easy-to-use app, Pixton.

Sheldon High School

  • Julie Bounds, “Sheldon Band (CTE Music Program) Upbeat Music App” — Creating music together virtually, using Upbeat Music app.

South Albany High School

  • Brandon Johnson, “FREE Speech & Debate Competition!” — Hosting Oregon's first ever FREE Digital Speech & Debate competition.

South Eugene High School

  • Melinda Rimbey, “Virtual Child Curriculum” — Bringing Virtual Child curriculum to students interested in education and child related fields in preschools and classrooms.

Summit High School

  • Scott Meredith, “Vocab For All” — Funding Membean, an online vocabulary builder and practice site.

Sweetbriar Elementary School

  • Roselie Thoman, “STEAM Makerspace for Sweetbriar” — Building a makerspace that gives teachers a place where they can naturally address Common Core Engineering Design Standards.

Territorial Elementary

  • Whitney Moss, “Building a Social Emotional Library for Creating Stronger Citizens in Our World” — Expanding library to include additional books focused on the of Problem Solving, Friendships, Growth Mindset, and Goals.

Vern Patrick Elementary School

  • Melanie Kimple, “Cardio Drum Fitness” — Providing materials to include cardio drum fitness in PE classes.

West Albany High School

  • Ian Condron, “Project Document Camera” — Providing a Document camera to virtually demonstrate math examples and concepts.

Willamette High School

  • Erica Milkovich, “Letter Exchange” — Building community and connection through old fashioned letters during a time of online schooling.