Mat-Su Schools Foundation Teacher grants awarded

MAT-SU — Every fall, as a non-profit organization devoted to expanding education opportunities for Mat-Su Borough School District students, the Mat-Su Schools Foundation puts out a call for proposals for a teacher grant program. This year, the foundation board of directors chose to offer $1,000-grants instead of $500-grants, as in the past.

There were 27 proposals submitted. Each was evaluated according to number of students benefited, sustainability over time and the clarity of personal and/or academic benefit to students. Five proposals were funded directly from the foundation and a sixth, targeting students in the Houston area, was generously funded by Gorilla Fireworks.

The following list of this year’s grant recipients attests to the high degree of innovation and creativity demonstrated every day by so many of our school district’s educators. A list of previous grant recipients can be found at matsuschoolsfoundation.org or at matsuk12.us, under “Programs.”

Cheryl Williams — Palmer High School

Equipment for “Unzip Your Genes,” DNA and STEM learning, $1,000

The equipment purchased with this grant will allow students to use electrophoresis gels. Gel electrophoresis separates DNA into bands or stripes, with each species or organism having a unique pattern of bands. We loved the idea of going beyond the usual in the science classes and can only imagine the sparks of curiosity and application it will generate in the students.

Today’s biology classroom is more than frog dissections and creepy, ceramic, human body models. Today’s biology classroom includes DNA technology. Whether it is developing a future serum for Ebola or finding a cure for genetic diseases, the opportunities are endless and exciting. The standard curriculum allows students to learn about biotechnology, but generally does not allow them to do it themselves. This equipment, combined with Williams’ expert instruction, will help develop that bridge between science content and real-world application.

Brian Mead — Colony High School

Media Studio Expansion, $1,000

Grant funds will be used to improve the TV and audio studio space at CHS by building a free-standing corner wall and deck with a light bar. Acoustical foam panels also will be purchased to allow for improved audio recording quality.

The media studio supports the Media Communications Career Pathway with five classes that students can take throughout their entire high school career. Students also use the studio to create video projects assigned by other teachers. The school’s weekly “Teen Talk” radio show is expanding to other classes and schools.

Mary Feldman — Birchtree Charter School

Business Math Startup Funds, $1,000

Grant funds will cover startup costs for the students’ jump rope business, including two jump rope winders, skeins of yarn, and startup operational supplies for advertising. We loved the idea of going beyond the classroom lessons and applying business math to hands-on learning where students run an actual business.

Wendy Bowen — Larson Elementary School

The Keys to Music — A Life Long Skill, $1,000

Grant funds will be used to purchase keyboards, stands, cords and headphones for Larson Elementary’s music program. She wants to give her students the opportunity to learn keyboard skills and develop a love for music through gaining a better understanding of playing a keyboard.

Bowen says that with the new keyboards students will learn important theory and practice of music as they develop greater coordination and rhythm. Their ability to read and produce written music will increase, and they will exercise their creative brain, ultimately developing outlets for finding inner peace and satisfaction.

Carrie Fia — Valley Pathways

The Walking Classroom, $1,000

Funds will be used to implement a Walking Classroom. Fia will purchase 10 pre-loaded MP3 players. The Walking Classroom provides lessons on a MP3 player that students can listen to while walking with their peers, thus combining physical education with academics. The teacher will set the stage with a short introduction and then assign a lesson to students while they are walking. On completion of the lesson, teachers have the opportunity to discuss the content with students and/or give a quiz. This type of innovative program allows needed low-impact movement to kids who are struggling learners and who may need a variety of modalities to learn concepts.

Grant reviewers loved this ingenious idea for how to combine learning with physical activity.

The 2014 Gorilla Fireworks Grant was awarded to:

Shane Artz — Houston High School

Guitars, $1,000

Artz will use grant funds to purchase six acoustic guitars and two new electric guitars for the Houston High School music program. The new guitars will allow a broader range of performance and competition options for the music program. Artz also points out that additional guitars not assigned to students would be available for lunchtime practice, impromptu improvisation, and performances.

Paul Morley is an English teacher at Burchell High School.