Sequim Education Foundation teacher grants give local teachers a boost

By Sequim Gazette Staff • July 25, 2018 1:30 am

Despite uncertainty in school funding at federal and state levels, local education advocates are helping fill in the gaps to spur special school projects.

The Sequim Education Foundation’s latest round of teaching grants — totaling $31,575 to 14 educators across the Sequim School District — helps provide funding for science projects, supplies such as headphones and chairs, fields trips and more.

Since the grants started in the 2001-2002 school year, the foundation has awarded 159 grants worth $148,501.85 — a figure that does not include mini-grants and funds for individual schools.

This year’s grants also received a boost from Community Partners such as the HVK Foundation, King’s Way Foursquare Church, the Rawlins Foundation, Sequim Sunrise Rotary and Soroptimist Club of Sequim.

Those interested in be a Community Partner of Sequim Education Foundation’s teaching grants, contact Katie Gilles at 360-683-2668 or gilles@olypen.com.

Grant totals

This year’s grants include (by school, teacher):

Sequim High School

• Laura Gould, $1,529 — Knowledge Bowl Expansion; encourages wide knowledge of both academic and popular facts for students in grades 9-12

• Laura Gould, $2,610 — Project Lead the Way Technology; a biomedical science program that includes biology and STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) curriculum

Helen Haller Elementary School

• Gwen Rudzinski, $2,000 — Science on Wheels; astronomy lessons for students in first grade and kindergarten

• Robin Forrest, $1,582 — Point Defiance Zoo Field Trip; transports as many as 130 third-grade students

Olympic Peninsula Academy

• Kim Glasser, $303 — Operation Headphones; 24 sets of headphones for testing and daily use for as many as 100 students in grades 1-12 (current equipment fraying)

• Lilli Hardesty, $6,347 — Chairs; provides adequate seating for for as many as 100 students in grades 1-12 (current seating in poor condition)

• Lilli Hardesty, $567 — Future City; a STEM-based engineering project utilizing computer-aided design, mathematics, science as students in grades 6-8 research, design, build cities of the future. Funds would purchase dedicated computer

Greywolf Elementary School

• Kim Knudson, $1,291 — Tech Protect; Protect and support Sphero Robot and Kindle Fire Technology currently in use for students in second grade; also to be used for K-5 students during Engineering Day; funding made possible by Rawlins Foundation

• Jennifer Lopez, $3,200 — Greywolf Kids at Hope Week; a one-week event emphasizing opportunities for educational success, goal setting and quality of life for students in grades kindergarten-fifth grade; funding made possible by King’s Way Foursquare Church

• Gretta Rich, $ 736 — Read Naturally subscription for 32 second-grade students

Sequim Options School

• Michelle Mahitka, $5,024 — Technology and equipment; grant replaces old laptops, computer chairs and charging stations for students in grades 10-12

Sequim Middle School

Caleb Gentry, $1,386 — Xbox One Controllers; a STEM-based game design program for students in grades 7-8

Multiple schools

• Linsay Rapelje — Family Reading Night; promotes literacy at all grade levels (last year’s event served 650 students, adults)

• Jorn van de Wege — Lego WeDO 2.0 Kits; the advanced-placement computer science students from Sequim High School mentor elementary students in grades 2-4 to create a pathway for computer science, coding, math and science for students at all grade levels.