Teachers receive mini-grants from Renaissance

By Jennah Meek and Alisha Weight

The Tyrone Renaissance Education Foundation voted to provide three mini-grants to teachers wanting to make innovative and creative ways for learning at its January 10th meeting. These grants are through the Curriculum Development Grants program. All teachers applying for these grants completed a form and attach a brief written grant proposal.

Some of the teachers receiving the mini grant include Mrs. Conrad for Mexico day, Mr. McNitt for gifts for driver’s education, and Mrs. Ellenberger, Mrs. Williams and Mrs. Anderson for three ring binders. The teacher receives $250.00-$400.00 to expand the learning process.

The president of TREF is Mrs. Kristin Barrett and vice president is Mrs. Kim Stever.

Mr. McNitt, TAHS teacher, said he was using the mini grant “purchase vehicle trash bags to give to my student who complete their driver education classroom experience with me. I want my students to remember that littering is not only against the law, but it is ethically, morally and simply wrong to do!”

McNitt received $291.50. He found out a few weeks ago about and it took about a month for voting whether or not he will be receiving the grant. He also said, “I’ve already placed an order for the bags.”

Mrs. Anderson, a TAHS learning support teacher spoke on the behalf of Mrs. Ellenberger and Mrs. Williams, said “The grant will be used to purchase binders for a new project that learning support student will complete in grades9-12. Mrs. Ellenberger, Mrs. Williams and I will all be incorporating the lessons into our learning support periods. The project will be similar to the advisory binders, but more individualized to meet post-secondary goals.”

They received $445.20, but the price of the binders changed in the meantime, so they ended up purchasing 180 binders at $1.78 for a total of $320.40.

“Our Renaissance mini-grants are extremely important because they give the teachers the power to implement projects and programs in their classrooms that may not fall into the school district’s budget while using Renaissance mini-grant funds, Kristen Barrett, President of TREF said.