Foundation announces winners of Innovation Grants for Elementary Schools

Lexington, SC - At the Lexington County School District One Board of Trustees meeting on Tuesday, October 16, 2018, the Lexington One Educational Foundation recognized winners of the Innovation Grants for Elementary Schools.

Six schools received Innovation Grants for a funding total of $27,433, which will positively affect more than 3,100 students in Lexington District One.

The Foundation developed these grants to advance existing or future innovative efforts at the elementary school level. Each school’s proposal addressed and aligned with the district’s standards, one of which encourages engagement in strategic innovations.

Schools applied for up to $5,000 in grant funds with a required 10 percent match. During the past four years, the Foundation awarded 20 grants totaling $85,495, impacting 12,553 students.

Foundation Chair Simeon Bryant states, “Innovation Grants continue to have a positive effect on our elementary school students each year, which is why the Foundation board members continue to support this academic initiative.”

The 2018–2019 Innovation Grant winners include:

Lexington Elementary — Principal Jim Hamby and Program Coordinator April Hamilton; $5,000; “Getting the Most Bang from our Books”; This project focuses on helping LES students identified as struggling readers and at least one year behind their grade level. LES will purchase book sets for these students to use in class and at home, as well as provide students with extra support from the reading interventionist and related arts teachers. All involved staff will work together in helping these students read on the appropriate grade level by year’s end.

Midway Elementary — Principal Jan Fickling and Program Coordinator Alyssa Langford; $4,925; “PBL STEAMing Ahead with Coding”; MES will purchase devices and technology utilized for coding and the extension of the school’s STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics) initiative through Problem- and Project-Based Learning. This grant will ultimately allow for equity of access to coding and will benefit the entire MES student body.

Pleasant Hill Elementary — Principal Margaret B. Mitchum and Program Coordinators Betsy Goodman, Jen Jones and Amanda Youmans; $4,494; “No Fear Engineers Design the Future Project”; PHES will purchase materials to create STEAM bins that promote learning in science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics. These bins, filled with manipulatives and task cards, will encourage students to build, create, problem-solve and imagine. Teachers can check out bins for their classrooms from the PHES Learning Commons, making the materials available to all.

Red Bank Elementary — Principal and Project Coordinator Marie Watson; $5,000; “Up! Down! Inside or Out! Learning My Way”; RBES plans to purchase flexible furniture to engage their students in learning. Studies have proven that classroom design contributes to student engagement and participation, so RBES anticipates the new flexible seating and adjustable desks will have a positive effect on learning.

Rocky Creek Elementary — Principal Brenda Nichols and Project Coordinators Meredith Gray, Katie Herndon and Whitney Seddon; $4,514; “STEM Starters”; Targeting students who arrive very early to school, RCES will purchase learning kits that students can use independently or as a team to practice science, technology, engineering and math skills. Approximately 60 percent of the student body will have access to the kits before each day begins.

White Knoll Elementary — Principal Nicole Mitchell and Project Coordinator Angela Zokan; $3,500; “Community Sculpture Garden”; Fourth-graders will work together to brainstorm ideas and think critically about symbols that represent their school and community. With assistance from local artist Bob Doster, they will design and create a permanent piece of steel art for permanent display at the school.