WGU Missouri Awards more than $33,000 in Grant Funding to K-12 Teacher

WGU Missouri today announced it has awarded $33,244 in grant funding to teachers across the state, funding their innovative classroom projects that foster learning in new, unique ways. The grants were made possible through WGU Missouri’s “Fund My Classroom” initiative, and a total of 43 classroom projects were selected for funding.

The funding will go a long way toward making dozens of K-12 classrooms more engaging environments for students as they return to school this fall. A sampling of grants awarded include the following:

• A $5,000 grant, used to purchase 15 iPads that will allow fourth and fifth grade science and afterschool robotics club students at Black Hawk Elementary School in Kahoka to improve and further develop their computer programming and STEM skills.
• A $3,000 grant, used to purchase necessary materials for a new STEAM forensics detective lab class at Jarret Middle School in Springfield. Items purchased include a microscope, a camera, a USB SD card reader, SD cards, buccal swabs and kits for evidence collection, fingerprinting and testing simulated blood.

• A $2,360 grant, used to start a news channel in a third-grade classroom at Orchard Elementary in Jackson, allowing students to create news scripts on a weekly basis and further their technology skills. Items funded through the grant include a Go Pro Camera with a memory card, a Smart TV with a wall mount, a green screen and a MacBook.

• A $1,016 grant, used to rebuild the school library at Aspire Academy, which is part of Confluence Charter Schools in St. Louis City. The library had been closed for the past five years, and the grant will be used to purchase a variety of multicultural books, puppets and a mascot costume to help bring the library back to life.

• A $1,000 grant, used to obtain supplies and resources for the Life Skills Kitchen at Sherwood Middle School in Harrisonville, teaching special education students necessary life skills in cooking. Items purchased with the grant include a mini refrigerator, air fryer, microwave oven, bakers rack, measuring cups and spoons, reusable plates and cups, silverware, a can opener, multifunction island, surge protectors, a print cartridge and binders.

• An $890 grant, used to purchase gel electrophoresis kits and DNA kits to create a hands-on CSI lab at Fort Zumwalt North High School in St. Charles County that will allow science students to learn how DNA from poached tusks and different populations of elephants in Africa can be used to determine where poaching is occurring.
• A $500 grant, used to purchase an AI-powered Bird Buddy Feeding box, allowing K-5 students at Wohlwend Elementary School in South St. Louis County to be able to watch live and recorded video footage of the birds that visit the feeder and learn about different bird species.
• A $450 grant, used to add flexible seating to the special education classrooms at Moberly High School in Moberly and create calming areas for students. Items purchased with the grant include stimulating lights, comfortable seating, lamps, pillows, calm strips, sensory bottles, stress balls and fidget items.
• A $300 grant, used to purchase a tabletop pottery wheel and associated supplies for an art classroom at Montgomery County High School in Montgomery City.
• A $250 grant, used to purchase materials that include vinyl for t-shirts, bakery items and beads that will enable students in the entrepreneurship class at Purdy High School in Purdy to create innovative items and receive, fulfill and monitor orders.

WGU issued a call in March for K-12 teachers to submit their project ideas on the university’s website by April 14 for the opportunity to receive full or partial funding. Most grants were awarded during Teacher Appreciation Week, which ran from May 8-12.

“This is the fifth consecutive year we have been able to offer grant funding to deserving teachers across the state through our ‘Fund My Classroom’ initiative, and we were so moved by all the nominations we received,” said Jessica Denham, Regional Director of WGU Missouri. “While we aren’t able to support all the projects that were nominated, we were excited to award funding to dozens of teachers who have come up with unique and innovative ways to improve their classrooms in order to promote learning and provide an enriching experience for their students.”

To learn more about the “Fund My Classroom” initiative and the work WGU Missouri is doing to help teachers advance their careers, visit missouri.wgu.edu.