At Convocation on August 12, 2025, GEF awarded $8,750 in grant money to our teachers!

Read on to see who won and what will be done with their grant.

$3,000 Building Grant

Carrie McDonald – Meadowmere Elementary

MIND TO MARKET: EMPOWERING YOUNG INNOVATORS THROUGH S.T.E.A.M

This building grant will create a multi-use space that will support creativity and STEAM activities. The goal of this grant is to create a foundation in critical thinking, collaboration, and connections to real world learning that can be built on for years to come. It is intended to use current building supplies, community donations, and grant purchases that can be tied into classroom learning that support and go beyond district and classroom provided materials. Items will be barcoded and stored in the STEAM/Market Makers room. These resources are being chosen based on Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, Math, ELA , Business, Economics, and Money. Teachers will be able to check these materials out.

$1,000 Innovative Teaching Grant

Michelle Harris – Butcher-Greene Elementary

The Green Team will be an innovative after school club where students work together to make their school more sustainable through gardening, recycling, and green initiatives. Students will plan, plant, and care for a school garden. School-wide recycling stations will be set up and managed by the students.

$1,000 Innovative Teaching Grant

Molly Moore – Martin City K8

Exploring the Community

First grade is embedding field trips into the curriculum. This grant will bring learning to life by taking first graders on thoughtfully planned field trips to explore essential places in their community. These field trips will connect directly to academic standards in social studies, science, and literacy while helping students understand the roles of people, places, and services in their daily lives.

$700 Innovative Teaching Grant

Nimrod Shabbazz – Grandview Middle School

Real Dads Cook: A Culinary Celebration of Fatherhood

This grant will fund a fun, family-focused cook-off event designed to celebrate and engage fathers and father figures in the school community by showcasing their culinary skills. Participants will be able to compete in categories like Best Brisket, Best Ribs, and Best Chili. With added music, entertainment, and games or bounce houses for the kids, this cook-off is both a delicious and meaningful way to connect home and school in a positive environment.

$700 Innovative Teaching Grant

Tyler Stolberg – Belvidere Elementary

Fifth grade students will research, plan, and design a miniature golf course based on K-5 science standards. Students work in teams to design a hole for the golf course. The golf course is set up in the gym and all Belvidere students will play under the guidance of their PE teacher Mr. DeWitt. This project challenges the students in being able to work as a team and meeting a deadline. It also increases a sense of belonging by creating something the whole school can see and enjoy, which has been proven to increase student achievement.

$250 Staff Grants

Terry Goss – Grandview High School

This grant will help fund supplies needed to start a crochet club. This club is an inclusive, yearlong club, open to all students interested in a calming, hands on, and creative skill. The club fosters peer connection, emotional well-being, and pride in craftsmanship.

$250 Staff Grant

Michelle Harris – Butcher-Greene Elementary

Toss, Talk, Transform: Engaging Every Learner with QBall

Many young learners are hesitant to participate in large group settings. The QBall, a soft throwable microphone in a ball, offers a fun and effective way to encourage all students to share their ideas and listen attentively. By integrating this tool into daily instruction, we can help to build confidence, language fluency, and classroom community in a supportive environment.

$250 Staff Grant

Xebaria Jamison – Grandview Middle School

The Good Coffee Shop

This grant will fund materials needed to support The Good Coffee Shop at GMS. Students participating in The Good Coffee Shop get hands on training in various aspects of running a small business. With this grant, the teachers will be able to purchase some needed items to keep The Good Coffee Shop up and running.

$200 Staff Grant

Matthew Uppman – Martin City K8

This grant will fund an after school Speech/Theater Club for middle school students. This club will provide opportunities to perform scripts based on short stories, novels and student-written work. In addition to group performances, students will also explore individual performance categories such as prose, poetry, and dramatic/humorous interpretations. This program will support students who enjoy reading, writing, and performance while reinforcing ELA standards. Funds will be used to purchase scripts, microphones, simple costumes, and recording supplies.

$200 Staff Grant

Morgan Bastian – Martin City K8

Building Readers-MCK8 Chat-and-Chew After School Club

Participants will read culturally diverse, high interest novels and engage in discussions and creative activities aimed at boosting literacy, critical thinking, and peer connections. These funds will allow the students to find and explore new books, as well as create a setting encouraging conversation about literature.

$100 InstaGrants

Brandi Morefield (CW) Headphones

Dena Isom (GHS) DNA Model Supplies

Gabrielle Biondo (BV) Flexible Seating

Gretchen Jellison (BG) Classroom Store Incentives

Hayley Bowman (CW) Resources in Spanish

Karlin Kramer (MC) Classroom Storage

Margaret Arthur (CAIR) Headphones

Matthew Uppman (MC)Immersive Reading Experiences

McKaiya Jacobs (BV) Classroom Library

Nancy Dal Porto (GHS) Individual Tissue Packs

Stacie Moore (BG) A Charming Start to the School Year

Tami Halford (MM)Bulldog Bravo Bucks

Grandview Education Foundation Grants funded for 2023-24 School Year

$1000 Grant – Kyla Serrano (GHS)

A bulk order of shirts, jackets, hats, and thread will be purchased by Ms. Serrano. This supports her plan for students to be able to personalize Bulldogs sportswear to sell to make money for a self-sustaining business. Ms. Serrano will be spending up to $1000 for this project during the 2023-24 school year.

$250 Grant – Stephanie Griggs (MC)

Ms. Griggs will be purchasing materials for math and research writing projects in the classroom. Things purchased will include such things as Play Doh, Hasbro Egged On games, one liter bottles, duct tape, and tornado tubes. Ms. Griggs will be spending up to $250 during the 2023-24 school year.

$250 Grant – Brenda Keisker (GHS)

Ms. Keisker will be purchasing station organizers for her classroom. This would include organizers such as a 12-drawer rolling storage cart as seen on Amazon. Ms. Keiser will be spending up to $250 on this project during the 2023-24 school year.

$250 Grant – Stacy Moore and Michelle Harris (BG)

Ms. Moore and Ms. Harris will be purchasing products for an end of poetry writing activity. Items purchased will include tablecloth roll, punch bowl, serving trays, microphone, plates, napkins, cups, flameless candles, and balloon décor. These teachers will be spending up to $250 on this project during the 2023-24 school year.

$250 Grant – Ruth Godwin (BV)

Mrs. Godwin will be purchasing enrichment/special interest books for the Belvidere library. She will be spending up to $250 on this project during the 2023-24 school year.

Grandview Education Foundation 2022 Grants Funded:

Bulldog TV 2.0

Recipient: Diane Euston

Grandview High School - $1000

Two cameras and tripods, a set of wireless microphones, and an adapter for MacBook Pro will be purchased to update the Broadcasting System at GHS as well as the Broadcast Media Pathway offered in the Business Communications Academy. The purpose of this project is to develop Bulldog TV and the broadcasting program as a local community resource for news and events.

Math and Spelling in P.E.

Recipient: Kristopher Charles

Meadowmere - $500

A Mathopotamia Activity Set will be purchased. Students will build math and fitness skills in fast paced, common core math games. Run-and-Spell Activity Set will be purchased that can help improve spelling while getting students up and running around the gym.

Robots on a Roll

Recipients: Brad Franklin and Don Wheeler

Grandview High School - $500

Fifteen Sphero Mini’s will be purchased for use in computer science essentials and Robotics Club. A Sphero

Mini is a small spherical robot that connects to any mobile device by Bluetooth. These devices will provide students with an easy way to see the results of their coding hands-on both independently and collaboratively with other students and teams.

Innovative Teaching Grant
Recipients: Dena Isom
Grandview High School - $1,000

Sustainable Living at GHS

Recipient: Kyla Serrano and Pamela Burham (GHS)

Amount: $3,000

Funds will go towards building raised garden beds. Students will learn how to plant, grow, and harvest crops in an effort to maintain a healthy lifestyle and maintain a positive relationship with the environment.

Soccer + Golf + More

Recipient: Kristopher Charles (Meadowmere)

Amount: $665.25

Soccer Golf is the game of golf and soccer combined. Funds will be used to purchase a 9-hole mini course, 4 add-on nets, and 9 balls. Students will be actively participating, working safely and independently, and identifying exercises to improve fitness as well as integrating math skills of addition.

Balloonification

Recipient: Donald Sutcliffe (GHS)

Amount: $1,000

Students will learn marketable skills and obtain a market value asset that will make them employable or able to start their own small business. Students will not only learn artistic skills but develop business skills in working with clients. Funds will be used to purchase supplies such as helium, balloons, and ribbons etc.

***These students were able to provide balloon decorations at the 2022 Distinguished Alum Brunch as well as other school events.***

Cookin’ In Kindergarten

Marcia Grimes - Recipient

Butcher-Greene - $248.84

Students will learn how to read a recipe, properly measure ingredients, safely prepare food, and follow directions. Students will complete reading and writing activities that accompany our cooking lessons.

Promoting Inclusion in the Classroom

Cheryl Cunningham - Recipient

Martin City Elementary - $247.00

Classroom library for K-5 special education resource room. “Research has shown that many books that are read by children have a lasting impact on their attitudes and values as well as enhance their understanding of the world.”

Computer Keyboard Keyguards

Amy Downey - Recipient

High Grove ECC - $350.29

Purchase of six keyguards to fit iPads in classroom. “This grant money will be used to extend the communication skills of children who are non-verbal to minimally verbal, and also who have difficulty isolating their fingers to push a button on a communication device.”

Newcomer Resource Center for ELL

Maureen Sylvestri - Recipient

Butcher-Greene - $836.29

The mobile resource center “will consist of educational materials chosen to help newcomers ease into a challenging experience, as well as assist classroom teachers with resources to overcome communication barriers with both their newcomers and Spanish-speaking families.

Dot Mandalas:

The Quintessential Math/Art Combo

Adryan Steinberg - Recipient

Meadowmere - $582.11

“Imagine students developing and mastering geometry skills in math while drawing and designing in the art classroom…creating the ultimate math/art combo: Dot Mandalas!” This grant funds the pens, ink, and paper required to create the Dot Mandalas artwork.

Total new proposals for 2020-2021: $2,264.53