Five classroom projects in the Wheelersburg Local School District are getting funded help from the community’s own alumni. The Wheelersburg Schools Alumni & Friends Foundation announced Tuesday, November 10, that it has awarded grants totaling $7,500 to five teacher proposals, according to the foundation’s announcement as reported by South Ohio News.
The foundation said its mission is to promote, enhance and supplement educational programs for the benefit of students and faculty within the Wheelersburg Local School District — and this round of grants spreads that help across all three school buildings, from elementary reading support to high school fabrication equipment.
The largest grant went to Sandy Belford of Wheelersburg High School, who received $3,700 for a proposal called “Laser Engraver,” meant to expand hands-on learning through CAD design, precision fabrication, safety protocols and entrepreneurship, according to the foundation. At Wheelersburg Middle School, Heather Mullins received $2,000 for a “WMS Tech Fair and Family STEM Night” proposal described by the foundation as expanding access to technology with hands-on STEM Night activities and student materials.
Shelby Gilliland of Wheelersburg Middle School received two grants: $818 for a “Genetics Lab” proposal to give students hands-on experience with genetics concepts, and $210 for “Builders of Care,” supporting the WMS Builders Club, the foundation said. At Wheelersburg Elementary School, Alyssa Williams received $763 for “High Noon Library,” intended to help struggling readers through decodable content and books designed to accelerate reading skills, according to the foundation.
“We are proud to support these outstanding educators and their dedication to fostering innovation and excellence in our schools,” Dr. Jacqueline Nolan, the foundation’s secretary, said in the foundation’s announcement as reported by South Ohio News. “Their initiatives will have a meaningful and lasting impact on the students, staff, and the entire community.”
The foundation’s advisory committee includes Dr. Jeremy DePugh, George Grice, Dr. Amy Heim, Scott Jolly, Mark Knapp, Jennifer Miller, Dr. Jacqueline Nolan, Garrick Schomburg and Stephanie McClure, according to the foundation. What happens next: the funded projects move into classrooms this school year, putting a laser engraver, a genetics lab, new reading books and a family STEM night in front of Wheelersburg students — paid for by the graduates who came before them.
Photo: Vbofficial, CC BY-SA