Some educators in Sampson County received some exciting news from the Simple Gifts Fund this week. The first Love of Learning Grant checks were awarded this week to educators at three local schools. The Love of Learning grant program provides funds to schools and stipends to educators to provide new programs and opportunities for students in the classroom, after school, in the summer, or on weekends. There are options to receive funds three different times each year.
Hobbton High School was awarded two grants. Richard Warren, the Hobbton High technology teacher, proposed a program called “Wildcat Robots.” This project will allow students to learn through robotics. The students will be provided the basics of engineering, robotics, and design through this afterschool program.
Warren said he is excited to already have 14 students signed up for this afterschool program. The program will be held two afternoons a week. His long-term goal is to be able to have a robotics class in the school curriculum. Robotics is part of the Technology Engineering and Design Curriculum. These classes are designed to provide middle and high school student’s skills needed in the competitive job market. It is a STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) program.
Jennifer Jackson, Hobbton’s art teacher, submitted a grant called, “What is Art?…. Where can it take me?” Through this program members of the art club will be visiting the North Carolina Museum of Art (NCMA) this winter. While at NCMA the students will not only tour the exhibits but also learn about careers in art, and about teen inspired art programs. In the spring the students will visit East Carolina College of Art & Design. While there they will learn about the requirements for majoring in art in college and they will tour the college art department.
Kellie Chaney from Midway High School submitted the grant, “Costa Rica- Sun and Service.” Many Sampson Independent readers have read about the fundraisers a group of students have held to bring this dream of a summer trip to Costa Rica with their Spanish teacher to fruition. The Love of Learning grant will help in achieving this dream. As Chaney said in her proposal, “Giving students the opportunity to travel will not only give them a chance to learn about other cultures, but a chance to experience another culture. The hope is students will become knowledgeable, global citizens.” We look forward to hearing about their trip!
Sampson Middle School’s educator, Terri Richardson, led a group grant proposal effort comprised of all SMS sixth grade math teachers with a proposal called, “Go Ahead…Accelerate Your Math!” The group submitted grant requests to Simple Gifts and other local grant programs in order to implement the Accelerated Math Program at Sampson Middle School. The proposal describes that, “teachers can then sit down one on one and meet all the students at their own level. This differentiation of work and instruction, which is custom tailored to each child, will allow teachers to see exactly what every student needs to be successful.”
Due to the efforts of some motivated educators and the generosity of the Simple Gifts Fund Sampson County’s students have indeed been fortunate! The next Love of Learning Grant deadline is Feb. 1, 2013. The grant program truly is a wonderful opportunity to add enrichment to all the public schools in our county.
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