Serve Daily - Nebo Education Foundation Grants November 2016

r The Nebo Education Foundation is composed of 20 volunteer board members who live in cities serviced by Nebo School District. Board members meet each month to review and award grant requests, consider fund-raising avenues and other items that advance the educational opportunities for Nebo School District students. Many of the donations received are for selected projects, yet a substantial amount is available for the greatest need. Greatest need monies are considered for grants submitted by area schools.

“That’s what the foundation is all about – to give our students the best educational opportunities possible through classroom grants,” said Lana Hiskey, executive director.

Congratulations to the following teachers that continue to make a difference in the lives of students.

Salem Junior – DeAnna Ashworth, English TeacherrDeAnna Ashworth, Salem Junior English teacher, said, “I am so very grateful to be receiving this grant. My goal with this course has always been to help students see that they are already reading great literature. When the students pick up Holes, Janitors, or Candy Shop Wars, they are able to find links directly back to themselves and find ties back to universal themes that our society says is proof of great literature. I wanted my students to enjoy the books they read and really be able to relate back to them. I feel now that I have the tools to do that with my students!! Thank you so much!!”

Foothills Elementary – Amy Russell, Sixth-Grade TeacherrAmy Russell, sixth-grade teacher at Foothills Elementary, said, “I am so excited to have Chromebooks available in my classroom through the grant I received from the Nebo Education Foundation. My students are also excited that they will be using the Chromebooks for several content areas and projects. We will be using them to do research on science and social studies topics. We will use them to type our reports and to work on revision and editing skills. We will use them to access ALEKS for math. I will be receiving matching funds through the School Trustlands to double the number of Chromebooks my class will be receiving. This is my first grant through the Nebo Foundation. I would like to express my sincere gratitude for their consideration and approval of the grant.”

Payson High – Marilyn Miller, Physical Education TeacherrMarilyn Miller, Payson High physical education teacher, said, “We have been using old yoga mats we received from the pep grant we received about 12 years ago. They are old and disgusting. The students are going to be thrilled, and so am I.”

Barnett Elementary – Stephanie Galt, Instructional Coachr“Barnett Elementary is sincerely grateful for the recent grant awarded in the amount of $729.12 to help us purchase high interest books written at lower reading levels. These funds, along with matching funds from the Barnett Elementary textbook account are being used to acquire the books. The books will immediately be used with our upper grade students to fill a need with struggling and reluctant readers. The book titles, cover art, and content are written directly to appeal to upper elementary students and help them ‘feel’ just like their peers who read at or above grade level. They will no longer feel ashamed by the book sitting on their desk that in their words looks like a ‘baby book’. The teachers are anxious to begin using the variety of titles and genre’s in their classrooms and fill an immediate need. Again, thank you for providing us the funding to help make the purchase of these books a reality,” said Stephanie Galt, instructional coach at Barnett Elementary.

Santaquin Elementary – Lynn Hansen, Speech Therapistr“I am so excited about this grant! I will be purchasing an iPad and other materials for speech therapy delivery. This grant will enable me to provide our students with engaging activities, and allow me to deliver therapy in a way that the children will be excited about. I am so grateful for the oppor