Educational Foundation Awards $25,000 In IMPACT Grants

Sign up for the Canton-Sixes Patch newsletter!

---

Canton, GA -- The Cherokee County Educational Foundation last week surprised Cherokee County School District teachers and students with a record total of $25,000 awarded through its third annual round of competitive IMPACT Grants.

The grants, which represent a significant increase from the $15,000 awarded last school year, will fund 13 innovative projects ranging from a desktop mill so high school students can machine parts for robots they design to a writing program for elementary school students that uses LEGO block sets to spark creative storytelling.

Cherokee County Educational Foundation board secretary Amanda Arnold said the day of surprise “Prize Patrol”-style grant presentations with oversized checks, balloons, bouquets of flowers and cheering crowds of students is the “highlight of the year” for the board.

“Every year around Valentine’s Day, our hearts are filled, as we show CCSD schools, teachers and students how much the community loves them,” said Arnold, who represents Credit Union of Georgia on the board. “We received more than 40 outstanding applications this year, and each one was inspiring, as they illustrated how much more teachers would do in their classrooms if additional grant funding was available.”

Since 2013, the Foundation has awarded more than $115,000 in grants to district schools, teachers and students.

The Foundation’s mission is to raise awareness, funding and resources to enrich schools in areas not fully funded in the regular school program. It raises funds through sources including its annual CCEF T-shirt sale, CCEF Golf Classic Tournament; and the CCEF “Celebration of Education” Gala, which will be held on March 12; and as the main beneficiary of the Chick-fil-A Connect Race Series 5K and Fun Run in Canton, which will be held on Aug. 6.

Through public support, CCEF offers IMPACT Grants of as much as $2,500 per winning proposal. The grant application process is open to individual teachers, paraprofessionals and school staff; teams of teachers, paraprofessionals and school staff; administrators; or department heads.

Foundation board members review the applications and select proposals they determine will best strengthen academics; demonstrate a creative and innovative approach to education; provide meaningful and engaging instruction for students; and have a long-term benefit.

The 2016 IMPACT Grants presented on Friday, Feb. 12 are:

• Arnold Mill ES – “Learning in Action” – $664.69, Teacher Deb Havens
• Boston ES – “A Makerspace Can Produce Future Leaders” - $1,941.45, Teacher Susan Stringfellow
• Canton ES STEM Academy – “Code and Play the Sphero Way” - $2,379.80, Teachers David Cornn and Dr. Judy Wright
• Canton ES STEM Academy – “Readers Workshop Books” - $2,500, Teacher Heather Eastridge
• Etowah HS – “Desktop CNC Mill for Robotics” - $2,199, Teacher Josh Farrell
• Holly Springs ES STEM Academy – “Going Digital - Transitioning from Paper to Digital” - $2,500, Teacher Lauren Pittman
• Indian Knoll ES – “Lego Storytellers” - $1,364.95, Teacher Marissa Williams
• Oak Grove ES Fine Arts Academy – “Kindling a Bright Future” - $2,159.78, Teachers Jenny Bickerstaff and Lindsay White
• Oak Grove ES Fine Arts Academy – “Homework Help Kindle Project” – $290.33, Teacher Lisa Reidy
• R.M. Moore ES – “Standing Desks for Resource Classroom” - $2,500, Teacher Susan Lumpkin
• Teasley MS – “Camp Teasley” – $1,500, Assistant Principal Dr. Chris Garity
• Woodstock ES – “Active Students Are Engaged Students” - $2,500, Teacher Kristy Gibbs
• Woodstock MS – “WOLF – Working on Literacy Fundamentals” - $2,500, Teacher Rosa Frederick

Copies of the winning grant proposals are available electronically from the Foundation for anyone who wants to learn more about them. As part of the process, winners will be required to submit a report sharing details about the success of their project funded by the grant.

Donations to CCEF may be made by mail to P.O. Box 4754, Canton, Ga. 30114. For more information about the Foundation, visit the website at www.cherokeecountyeducationalfoundation.org, email cceducationalfoundation@gmail.com or call (770) 704-4213.

---

Photo 1: Canton Elementary School STEM Academy teacher Heather Eastridge, center, is surprised by the CCEF ‘Prize Patrol’ with a $2,500 CCEF IMPACT Grant for her ‘Readers Workshop Books’ project. Looking on are, from left to right, School Board Chair Kyla Cromer, CCEF Board Member Kevin Williams and Principal Beth Long.
Photo 2: Canton Elementary School STEM Academy teachers David Cornn and Dr. Judy Wright, right, are surprised by CCEF ‘Prize Patrol’ members including School Board Chair Kyla Cromer with a $2,379.80 CCEF IMPACT Grant for their project, ‘Code and Play the Sphero Way.’
Photo 3: Holly Springs Elementary School STEM Academy teacher Lauren Pittman, right, is surprised by CCEF ‘Prize Patrol’ members including CCEF Board Member Kevin Williams and School Board Chair Kyla Cromer with a $2,500 CCEF IMPACT Grant for her project, ‘Going Digital - Transitioning from Paper to Digital,’ as Principal Dr. Dianne Steinbeck looks on.
Photo 4: Woodstock Middle School teacher Rosa Frederick, right, is happily surprised by the CCEF ‘Prize Patrol’ including School Board Chair Kyla Cromer. Ms. Frederick won a $2,500 CCEF IMPACT Grant for her ‘Working On Literacy Fundamentals (WOLF)’ project.
Photo 5: Woodstock Elementary School teacher Kristy Gibbs won a $2,500 CCEF IMPACT Grant for her project, ‘Active Students Are Engaged Students.’
Photo 6: Teasley Middle School Assistant Principal Dr. Chris Garity, center, is surprised by CCEF Board Member Kevin Williams, left, with a $1,500 CCEF IMPACT Grant for his ‘Camp Teasley’ project, as fellow Assistant Principal Dr. Ben Lester looks on.
Photo 7: R.M. Moore Elementary School teacher Susan Lumpkin is surprised by CCEF Board Member Kevin Williams with a $2,500 CCEF IMPACT Grant for her ‘Standing Desks for Resource Classroom’ project.
Photo 8: Oak Grove Elementary School Fine Arts Academy teacher Lisa Reidy, center, is surprised by the CCEF ‘Prize Patrol’ including Amanda Arnold, left, and School Board Chair Kyla Cromer, right, as Principal Penny Valle, far right, looks on. Ms. Reidy won a $290.33 CCEF IMPACT Grant for her ‘Homework Help Kindle Project.’
Photo 9: Oak Grove Elementary School Fine Arts Academy teachers Lindsay White, right, tells her class the news that she and teacher Jenny Bickerstaff won a $2,159.78 CCEF IMPACT Grant for their ‘Kindling a Bright Future’ project. Looking on are CCEF Board Members Amanda Arnold, left, and School Board Chair Kyla Cromer, and Principal Penny Valle, far right.
Photo 10: Oak Grove Elementary School Fine Arts Academy teachers Jenny Bickerstaff, right, and Lindsay White cheer upon being surprised by the CCEF ‘Prize Patrol’ with the news that they won a $2,159.78 CCEF IMPACT Grant for their ‘Kindling a Bright Future’ project.
Photo 11: Indian Knoll Elementary School teacher Marissa Williams reacts as the CCEF ‘Prize Patrol’ enters her classroom to surprise her with a $1,364.95 CCEF IMPACT Grant for her ‘Lego Storytellers’ project.
Photo 12: Etowah High School teacher Josh Farrell, center, is surprised by the presentation of a $2,199 CCEF IMPACT Grant for his project ‘Desktop CNC Mill for Robotics,’ as School Board Chair Kyla Cromer and Principal Keith Ball look on.
Photo 13: Boston Elementary School teacher Susan Stringfellow, left, shows her excitement upon learning she won a $1,941.45 CCEF IMPACT Grant for her ‘Makerspace Can Produce Future Leaders’ project. Looking on are, from left to right, Principal Joey Moss and members of the CCEF ‘Prize Patrol’ including School Board Chair Kyla Cromer and CCEF Board Member Amanda Arnold.
Photo 14: Arnold Mill Elementary School teacher Deb Havens, right, is surprised in front of a cafeteria filled with students by CCEF ‘Prize Patrol’ members including CCEF Board Members Kevin Williams and Amanda Arnold. Ms. Havens won a $664.69 CCEF IMPACT Grant for her ‘Learning in Action’ project.
Photo credits: Cherokee County School District