Teachers receive chamber grants
By Phyllis Moore
Published in News on March 17, 2015 1:46 PM
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Jackie Thorpe, second from right, a teacher at New Independence Academy, was one of 13 teachers at 10 schools in Wayne County awarded a grant from the "Prize Patrol" of Wayne County Chamber of Commerce. Wayne Education Network surprised the recipients with balloons, a certificate and a check to fund the program on the teacher's application. Also pictured, from left, Jamie Livengood from Wayne County Public Schools; Brandi Strickland, winner of the 2014 "Dancing Stars of Wayne County," which funded the grant program; and Kelly Alves, director of New Independence Academy.
When the "Prize Patrol" from Wayne Chamber of Commerce set out to surprise a few teachers with grant money to fund their projects, Brandi Strickland did not expect to be among those moved to tears.
The winner of the 2014 "Dancing Stars of Wayne County," a fundraiser through the Chamber's Wayne Education Network, saw firsthand where the money went.
As her group entered the classroom of Jenny Sexton at Bright Beginnings Christian Center, handing over balloons and announcing the reason for their visit, the reality struck her.
"This has been an amazing opportunity to see where the money raised actually goes," Mrs. Strickland said afterward. "Seeing the faces of the talented teachers, excited about what they can do with the grant money and the joy on their faces of their students was a rewarding experience for me."
The "Prize Patrol" fanned out around the county on Friday, awarding 13 grants at 10 schools.
For more than a decade, WEN-sponsored fundraisers like "Dancing Stars" have generated support for classroom projects not otherwise included in the schools' budget. The recent distribution was calculated at $4,765.
Steven Thorne, engineering teacher at Charles B. Aycock High School, received a grant to purchase two kits to build solar-powered electric go-carts which will serve as a scaled version of a real car.
Pam Boyer of North Drive Elementary School's grant will allow her to convert her classroom into a "creepy, crawly" atmosphere where students can study the life cycles of various bugs like millipedes, tree frogs, cockroaches and ladybugs.
Sharon Hinnant-Cox of Grantham School will use her award to create craft projects with her students, who will then be invited to take the items home and discuss the project with an adult.
Efforts of Wayne Education Network to provide such financial support for teachers has been most rewarding, said Dr. Ed Wilson, WEN chairman.
Vying for the funding is a very competitive process, added Kate Daniels, Chamber president.
"Each year we encourage educators to submit applications to receive grant monies. Year after year, we are impressed with the quality of work, ingenuity and measurable goals the teachers submit," she said, adding, "Applicants who do not receive funding are encouraged to reevaluate their application for the next round and work to further enhance their proposal."
Teachers and their winning projects included:
*Jenny Sexton, Bright Beginnings Christian Center II, "Skill Builder Boxes"
*Troy Harris, Brogden Primary School, "Enhancement of the Comprehensive School Counseling Program"
*Steven Thorne, Charles B. Aycock High School, "The Solar Electric Go-Kart Challenge"
*Donna Lee, Eastern Wayne Middle School, "Our Oceans; Our Responsibility"
*Tammy Derksen, Fremont STARS Elementary School, "Click! Every Picture Tells a Story"
*Susan Boswell, Fremont STARS, "How Will Our Garden Grow?"
*Tobie Girard, Fremonth STARS, "Learning in Bloom"
*Sharon Hinnant Cox, Grantham School, "An 'Art' to Solving Problems"
*Jackie Thorpe, New Independence Academy, "Piece by Piece: Students with Disabilities Actively Learning Science with LEGOS"
*Pam Boyer, North Drive Elementary School, "Creepy, Crawly Classroom"
*Catherine Borgquist, North Drive, "Metamorphosis: Of Butterflies and Student Learning"
*Donna Countryman, Northeast Elementary School, "What came first, the chicken or the egg?"
*Carol Hollar-Watson, Wayne Early Middle College High School, "Community Garden."