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Boardman teachers get foundation grants
By Bruce Walton
BOARDMAN
The Boardman Schools Fund for Educational Excellence awarded seven mini-grants to educators for projects and materials to enhance their classrooms.
A total of more than $7,500 – $2,000 of which was donated by the Boardman Education Association – will go to purchasing books and activity kits to 3-D printers and hydroponic systems.
Joyce Mistovich, president of the nonprofit organization, a component fund of The Community Foundation of the Mahoning Valley, said the grants are important for the impact they have in nurturing students in academic environments.
“We are trying to provide funding to assist students in reaching their full potential in the schools,” she said.
Scott Lenhart and Laura Kibby, teachers at Glenwood Junior High School, received $1,400 for their “Science on the Go” proposal to purchase eight hydroponic-gardening systems.
The systems allow plants to grow without soil, pumping nutrients and water into the roots. The teachers received two hydroponic systems last year from the grants and they hope to expand the amount of plants they can grow and add fish in the system to live off the roots’ nutrients.
They also hope to teach children about the ecosystem in a more unusual way.
“One of the huge things that had an impact on us was the fish kill in Mill Creek Park [in 2015], which a lot of people are aware of, and that directly relates to our activities and how they impact the environment,” Lenhart said.
Tim Harker, the Glenwood technology teacher, received $500 for his “Boardman Maker Space” grant, which will allow him to buy building materials for the school’s 3-D printer as well as tools and battery packs. The grant helps provide for the 3-D printers for the new Boardman Makers Club, which he advises.
“Using the engineering-design process, they are able to build and work on projects of their choice using all of the resources and tools I have in the lab,” Harker said.
Heidi Peachock, Stadium Drive Elementary first-grade teacher, received $600 to purchase supplies for her students to learn a variety of hands-on activities. Peachock will receive learning kits from websites for teachers such as lakeshorelearning.com to get 15 reusable learning kits.
The nonprofit considered more than 15 grant applications during this round. It first began distributing grant funds in 2011, and has since awarded $31,000.
Its mission is to provide funding to “aid students in reaching their fullest potential in an environment which nurtures high achievement and excellence.”
“We have very creative teachers who look for ways to fund their very unique ideas,” Superintendent Tim Saxton said. “We do provide support for instructional material, but this goes above and beyond.”