Ephrata School District awards $6,100 in grants

EPHRATA — The Ephrata School District recently held a special awards ceremony to present 12 “Teacher Classroom Grants” totaling $6,100 to 25 teachers in the district. The grants were distributed among Grant Elementary, Columbia Ridge Elementary and Ephrata Middle schools, supporting a variety of innovative educational projects aimed at enhancing student learning across different subjects. 

Grant Elementary  

At Grant Elementary, three successful proposals were funded, marking a commitment to enhancing STEM education and social-emotional learning for students. Christina Barnett's grant of $300 will establish a STEAM Room/Creative Learning SmartLab, allowing approximately 500 students to delve into science, technology, engineering, arts and math through hands-on learning experiences. The funding will facilitate the purchase of additional STEM kits which will allow students to have hands-on experiences and work alongside their peers.  

Marshall Bilodeau also received $300 to support the acquisition of Orff musical instruments for his classroom. This will benefit around 450 students and improve their rhythmic and melodic skills, along with fostering collaboration and critical thinking through ensemble performances. The project is aimed at creating a durable and engaging musical learning environment while also integrating music with core subjects like math and social studies. 

In addition, a collaborative effort by Delaney Lenge, Melissa Gonzalez, Kathryn Latimer, Aaron Lotz and Lisa Nguyen resulted in a $1,500 grant for a "Social Emotional Growth Kit." This funding will provide resources to support second-grade students – specifically tailored to 91 students – through Social-Emotional Learning lessons. The materials, which include educator's starter kits and books, are intended to aid educators in promoting emotional recognition, regulation, and social skills in the classroom. The project highlights the need for trauma-informed approaches and aims to create a library of SEL resources for ongoing use. 

Columbia Ridge Elementary 

Columbia Ridge Elementary was awarded six grants. Jody Stadelman received $300 for Engaging Alphabet ELL Learning Strategies for All. This grant will provide essential materials, such as alphabet books and sensory letters, specifically designed to support 21 kindergarten students, including those on the autism spectrum. The resources aim to reinforce skills in letter recognition, sound recognition and fine motor development through engaging activities. 

Laura Mietenkorte and her team including Julie Kessell, Chantel Park, Miranda Stump and Debbie Sisson were granted $1,000 for the Reading Rockstars initiative, which will provide hands-on phonics tools to around 100 first graders. The program will facilitate enjoyable reading practice using materials such as magnetic trays, wands and letter tiles, enhancing students' engagement and retention of reading skills. 

Audra Middleton, Jody Clark, Ali Mantese and Gary Klepec secured $300 to develop the Phonemic Awareness for Reading Readiness, which will provide 81 kindergarten students with engaging materials and activities designed to improve early reading skills.  

Judy Dillin’s project funded $300 for Leveled Bilingual Books to Provide Equity, equipping multilingual students with resources to aid reading in both English and Spanish, thereby supporting their vocabulary development. Students will also have the opportunity to borrow books and read them at home with their families.  

Scarlett Wilson was awarded $300 for the Tiger Zone Project, aiming to introduce a designated emotional regulation space in each classroom for roughly 500 students. This project includes sensory materials designed to help students manage emotional challenges and promote classroom engagement.  

Eli Garcia’s $300 Classroom Calming Corners initiative will also benefit 480 students from kindergarten through the fourth grade with designated spaces for emotional self-regulation. The areas will have items including fidgets, bottles, books, coloring, origami, puzzles. The project aims to teach students coping strategies and decrease disruptive behaviors. 

Ephrata Middle School  

Ephrata Middle School received three of the grants. Shawn Beeman’s Bowling Buddies project will introduce 25 students from the Adapted PE program to bowling for physical and social development. A $300 grant will cover costs associated with games and transportation. 

Tiffany Montgomery’s Growing Minds project will expand a gardening program for Life Skills students, providing them with hands-on learning opportunities in science and health. This project, funded with $300, aims to enhance social-emotional development. Additionally, the project will partner with the Washington State University Master Gardener Program for expert horticultural guidance. This initiative aims to build lifelong gardening skills, enhance social-emotional development, and foster community engagement. 

Lastly, Colleen Grigg, Adria Aparicio and Jessica Jenkins were awarded $900 for the Cascade Learning Loop Exploration project. This initiative will take 25 Life Skills students on educational trips to various historical and ecological sites in central Washington. Some destinations include Dry Falls, Wanapum Heritage Center and outdoor activities like fishing, bird watching and hiking. The project will also introduce students to public transportation via the Grant Transit Authority.  

Through these grants, the Ephrata School District is set to enhance educational experiences, recognizing and addressing the diverse needs of its student population. 

Where the $6,100 is going: 

STEAM Room: $300
Orff musical instruments: $300
Social Emotional Growth Kit: $1,500
Engaging Alphabet tools: $300
Reading Rockstars: $1,000
Phonemic Awareness: $300
Bilingual Books: $300
Tiger Zone Project: $300
Classroom Calming Corners: $300
Bowling Buddies: $300
Growing Minds: $300
Cascade Learning Loop Exploration: $900