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The Watauga Education Foundation Announces Grants To 25 Educators for 2017

The Watauga Education Foundation is proud to share that a total of $19,332 will be distributed to 25 educators who are employed by Watauga County Schools. The grant allocation committee was happy to receive requests for more applications than previous years and each application was considered with serious review. The grant funds will go directly into the classrooms. The 2017 grant recipients are:

Sue Walker of Blowing Rock School received a grant that will allow her to purchase two breakout.edu lock kits for escape rooms and pre-made interactive lessons.

Jane Brown of Valle Crucis School received a grant to purchase new biographies for the Valle Crucis Media Center.

Sarah Cardwell, an educator at Green Valley School, will be able to purchase five virtual reality headsets and devices to experience historical events, science concepts, and writing.

Pace Cooper from Mabel Elementary was happy to receive a grant that will provide her students with ten binoculars, 2 spotting scopes with tripods, and 5 field guides for Birdwatching Basics.

Chelsie Eldreth, who teaches at Bethel and Valle Crucis schools, will purchase a Cricut Air 2 Bundle machine which will enable her students to design logos, print graphic designs, and iron-on shirts. She also received a grant to purchase an engineering design process that will allow her students to construct gingerbread houses.

Erin Ellington teaches at Mabel and Parkway schools. She received a grant to purchase 8 mobile instrument stands that will be shared between the schools.

Ashley Greene, who is an educator at Watauga High School, received grant funds that will benefit all students in the school system. The funds she requested will purchase First Aid kits for playgrounds and outdoors.

Donna Greene, a kindergarten teacher at Green Valley School, will use her grant money to purchase leveled readers (in partnership with another grant from the Watauga County Public Library.)

Angela Hicks of Cove Creek School received a grant that will allow her to purchase a mini trampoline, hula hoops, and other equipment to practice active speech therapy which is much more fun than relying on table activities.

Laurie Warren, from Cove Creek School, plans to purchase beekeeping suits and transport boxes for bees.

Kellia Kidda, an instructor at WHS will use her grant award to team up with Mountain Alliance for team building activities for at-risk students.

First grade teacher, Mitzi Ledford from Green Valley will purchase 12 STEM kits for her classroom. The kits will allow students the opportunity to engage in activities that will help develop problem solving skills, boost creativity, and allow collaboration with peers.

Grady McKinney will use the money he requested to purchase a parachute for his Parkway Elementary PE classes.

WHS teacher Dinah Miller will use the funds to purchase shirts for Technology Student Association competitive events – the shirts are considered uniforms and are required for the events.

Ann Miller from Bethel School will be able to purchase a leveled literacy intervention system which will help turn struggling readers into successful readers.

Parkway School’s Heather Miller will use the grant money to purchase STEM problem solving kits for her 3rd grade class. Miller believes that the kits will develop critical thinking, reasoning, investigative skills, teamwork and creative skills.

Lindsey Postlethwaite, who teaches at Valle Crucis and Bethel, will purchase art history books for a classroom art project.

Melanie Roaden is a media specialist at Bethel School. She will use the grant money to purchase building kits, puppets for the school’s media center.

Erin Selle’s kindergarten students at Hardin Park School will benefit from her purchase of read alouds that explain disabilities in terms a child can easily understand. It will promote all-inclusive learning in her classroom.

Parkway’s Sydney Sieviec received grant funds that will be used to purchase art supplies for the school.

Candice Trexler, media specialist at Hardin Park School, will use the grant funds she received to purchase titles on Battle of Books list. This award will benefit students in all K-8 Watauga County schools. Additionally, Trexler received funds for a Family Reading project which allowed her to buy 82 copies of Prisoner B-3087.

Amanda Young Ward, of Mabel School was awarded a grant that will allow her to buy 100 student and 10 teacher copies of Where the Mountain Meets the Moon.

April Yandle, a teacher at WHS, will use the grant funds to pay for Occupational Course of Study students to participate in team building at Mountain Alliance Alpine Tower and ropes course.

Charles Crabbe, President of the Board for the WEF, is pleased with the way the grants will be used this year, “The Board of Directors is proud that WEF can assist teachers with providing the resources they need to provide creative instruction in the classroom.”  

The Watauga Education Foundation raises funds throughout the year to fund these grants.  Fundraising events include the Flap Jack Flip, held in early December and Shooting Stars, held in the Spring but anyone may make a donation anytime at www.wataugaeducationfoundation.org.

The Watauga Education Foundation is a non-profit 501 (c) (3) made up of a hard-working board of volunteers. We support educators who foster a love of learning and sponsor community-oriented events that sustain students’ wonder, enthusiasm and perseverance. It is our vision to improve and enhance the success of every student in the Watauga County School System, and our mission to enrich student learning for all Watauga County public school students by effectively promoting innovative educational experiences for children that inspire every student to achieve his or her highest potential.