With a new round of grant funding just around the corner (June 5), we sat down with Teresa to ask her a few questions about her inspiration for grant ideas, as well as her thoughts on the LEF grant process.

 

Mary (M):  What was the amount of the grant for which you were most recently awarded, and why did you decide to apply?

Teresa (T): I received $963.10 from LEF to create a "sensory garden."  Because students, particularly those "at-risk", sometimes struggle to make connections to the curriculum, I wanted to use the idea of a garden as a way to uniquely present the material by engaging their senses.  Creating this connection to the world around them allows them to internalize science concepts and learning in a more meaningful way.

 

M:  Sometimes teachers don't apply because they think the process is too time-consuming.  What do you think about that?   

T:  Dreaming about the possibilities is time consuming; actually applying for the funding is simple. I keep my ideas in a notebook and it probably takes me a couple of hours to write the grant.  Hedrick Elementary has had several LEF grant recipients over the past few years, and we have seen the positive results of these grants in action. In addition, our principal, Esteva Bargo, is a great source of encouragement and support. She celebrates our successes and maintains a bulletin board that highlights the grants on our campus.  It is exciting not only for the recipient teachers but also for the children!

 

M:  Would you share some words of wisdom and encouragement with other teachers regarding the LEF Teacher grants?