Shawn Harrold from Bedford High School applied  to take her twenty-six students from ASL3 (American Sign Language – Hand Speak) on a field trip to Columbus where  they visited the Columbus Campus of the Ohio  School for the Deaf.  They were able to interact, meet new friends, and learn how to communicate differently by applying their learned skills with sign language.  They also made a stop for lunch at a fast food restaurant where part of their assignment was to order their lunches  via sign language and no verbal speaking was allowed.

McKenzie Pfeil, Bedford High School’s Excel Academy, which addresses the at risk student population wrote her  grant around obtaining a Nintendo Switch and called it “Active Gaming for Mental  and Physical Improvement”.  It is used as a reward system and incentive to get work completed during the classroom day.

Amy Hujarski, Bedford High School and head of PBIS team (Positive Behavior Improvement Support), wrote her mini-grant application for “Fidgeting Teens” as the classroom fidgeting becomes disruptive during class time. Her monies were used to purchase popular fidget releasing toys which helps to release negative energy therefore increasing student classroom behavior.

Christine St. George, 4th grade teacher at Columbus penned her mini-grant on “Flashlight Fridays” which helped spur motivation back to reading more.  She purchased high interest books, seat cushions, a rug, headphones all to help instill the desire and motivation that reading can be fun and relaxing.

Katie Callahan and Brandy Rigby from Glendale (kindergarten) each wrote their mini-grants together for “Rooted in Reading” which targeted vocabulary. They purchased 37 mentors high quality texts, fiction based but some contain non-fiction, 200 laminating sheets for vocabulary cards,  12 storage bins (so they can use year after year) and the IRooted Reading Bundle.  Each book has four vocabulary books containing context and definition. Students have learned and comprehended how to use those words daily and practice using the words in the classroom.

Marla Henderson & Laura Hogue both from Heskett,  SEL & Intervention Specialists, together wrote a mini-grant for “SEL Lunch & Learn”.  Their goal was to show and teach students how to develop coping skills and strategies to use for stress management and coping skills.  Students made their own stress balls.  Students  learned about ‘mindfulness’ , resiliency and breathing skills while painting.

Leah McKeen & Laura Hogue from Heskett applied for a "Courtyard Revamp" Their funds were used to allow the children to take ownership of their courtyard, cleaning it up to make it visually appealing and usable instilling pride and joy in making it 'their' space.  Umbrellas and lights were added to the space where teachers are able to use it for classroom instruction and PBIS (Positive Behavior Improvement Support) & SEL (Social and Emotional Learning) rewards students with outside lunches. The school also now can use the space for school events with parents and families.

Jennifer Pozz and Rebecca Genao, Bedford High School Art Department, together wrote their min-grant for “Family Art Night”.  Students invited their siblings and parents to school for a fun evening of step by step painting and making glazed mugs which were then fired and distributed. They also able to do some resin pours. The younger students did some bubble art, watercolor painting and made paper beaded necklaces.

Andrea Dwenger from Heskett submitted her mini-grant titled “Classroom Doorbells”.  Eleven handheld doorbells were purchased allowing students to have math games to see who could ring in first with correct answers to the problems.  The bells also play ‘Happy Birthday’ to celebrate a student’s special day.  The teacher also uses her doorbell to quiet the classroom.  Because if the popularity and fun with using the doorbell, the teacher also uses them for positive reinforcement.

Kaitlin Miller, Bedford High School Science/Biology teacher submitted a mini-grant for “Food Labs”.  She taught her students how to DNA analysis of ice cream Sundays.  The students had to learn how to translate the code and they learned the importance of water.  

Amanda St. Clair, 4th grade Math at Carylwood submitted “Brain Builders & Beyond’.  Her mini-grant was for the purchase of math games to help students improve or build on their math skills. A few of the purchased games were Splat, Proof, Fracto and Gravity Maze (a STEM game)

Scott Kronstain from Bedford High School’s Excel Academy wrote his mini-grant building on one he had received a few years agoto help students gain better control of their emotions.  He purchase a device -  EmWave Pro which clips on the ear lobe and gives a graph based on heartbeats.  It’s a bio-feedback computer system that helps a student understand their emotions better and how to control them so the emotions don’t take over their existence.

Ariel Bruening – Heskett “Flexible Seating”  - was unable to attend

Heather Spolarich from Columbus School submitted “Radiant Writers”. Although she was unable to present that evening, she sent us her power point presentation showing us how her students have been using their amazing writing center. The students are able to have ‘coffee talk’ and write original stories and use stencils to illustrate their stories. They have learned how to research things such as the solar system, wildlife animals or the weather  to create a poster or collaborate with a partner on writing a mystery.