FEF grants being put to use

The Farmington Education Foundation handed out approximately 40 small grants to district teachers at the beginning of 2013.

As a classroom project, the high school Marketing class contacted teachers about what they are going to do with the $500 they received from the grants. Some of the teachers have already spent the money, and some know how they are going to spend it.

The deadline for the grant applications was November. Marketing instructor Kristi Scott helped get the word out and organize the information about the grants for the foundation.

Each student sent out four to five emails to the teachers who received the grants. Some received responses back from all of their teachers and some received one or two back. One teacher said she would purchase a Kindle with apps to help students struggling to read and also use the Kindle as a reward.

A sewing teacher bought some new fabrics, a new sewing machine, sewing kits and other items to help teach students life skills and sewing techniques.

Todd McKinney is using the money to help teach the instructors and students Character Education.

Counselor Andrea Pruett is using the money to take students on college tours who wouldn’t normally get to go to visit colleges.

Steve Berry used his money for Grandparents Day and invited his students’ grandparents in for a day of fun and learning.

Another teacher will use her money to purchase a forensic science kit for class projects.

Some teachers also used money to purchase informational texts such as magazines and books.

This is first year for the grant money from the Farmington Education Foundation.

Scott said the extra money came from the letter projects the students sent last year to past and new members and a trivia night last semester. She said the students will begin working on the letters again in March or April to send out to past and new members of the foundation.

The database of names was created by last year’s class and this year’s class will go in and take out names and addresses that were returned and add the seniors who graduated last year. The class will also be going to senior seminars this year and collecting names and addresses to add to the database.

Scott said the money collected from the letters helps the foundation. There is a charge of $15 for the newsletter, but the money goes to the district.

The Farmington Education Foundation has a website available through the Farmington School District website which can be found at http://www.farmington.k12.mo.us/index.php/information/fef.

Right now the Farmington Education Foundation is accepting applications for scholarships. The deadline is March 1.