Nebo Education Foundation Gives Grants January 2014

Submitted by lana.hiskey on

Nebo Education Foundation board members meet each month to review and award grant requests, consider fund-raising avenues, and other items that advance the educational opportunities for Nebo School District students. The Nebo Education Foundation functions through generous donations made by individuals and businesses.

Congratulations to the following teachers that continue to inspire the minds of students.

Hobble Creek Elementary – Crystal Hayes
Crystal Hayes, third-grade teacher at Hobble Creek Elementary said, “My class and I are so grateful for the Nebo Education Foundation!  I wrote to the Nebo Foundation in order to fill my classroom reading library.  I recently moved from sixth grade to third grade, and I did not have books that fit the reading levels or interest of my students.  Not only were we desperate for books, but we were desperate for books that were on our reading level and fit our interests. We were awarded the full amount we asked for, and we are so excited to order books that fit our needs.  Thank you Nebo Education Foundation!”

Mapleton Junior High – Michael Nalette
Michael Nalette, United States History teacher at Mapleton Junior High said, “The eighth-grade U.S. History team at MJHS will use the money provided in the generous grant by the Nebo Education Association to purchase three classroom sets of the young adult historical fiction novel by James Lincoln Collier and Christopher Collier titled “My Brother Sam Is Dead”.  The novel realistically depicts what happened during the American Revolution.  We will read this novel in class to give students an in-depth look at the Revolutionary War and how this important event in our nation’s history allowed people to gain freedoms and start our country.  The novel will be read aloud by the teacher, silently by the students, and in small cooperative learning groups.  As a class we will discuss the ideas in the novel and use those ideas for instruction during the Revolutionary War Unit.  The use of this novel will allow teachers and students to engage in learning that is aligned with the new State Core requirements for reading expository texts and writing in Social Studies. 

“This grant means a great to deal to me as an educator and shows that the Nebo School District and Nebo Education Association is committed to the education of students.  I am very happy to have the ability to purchase three classroom sets of novels and to have the ability to teach students about a very important time in history in a new and different manner.  This grant will help me tremendously as I continue to develop new and interesting curriculum for the great students here at MJHS.  Thanks very much!”
                           
Mt. Nebo Junior High – Russ Sumens
Russ Sumens, choir teacher at Mt. Nebo said, “I am so grateful that the Nebo Education Foundation has awarded me, my class, and my school the funds needed to purchase an eBeam.  This type of technology will be instrumental in allowing me to help our students achieve their learning goals and specifically help them on the road to understanding music. 

“It is so wonderful that an organization like this exists for educators in this district.  I am sure that each year hundreds of students and teachers are lifted because of your interest in their success. I am so excited to be able to integrate the eBeam with other technologies (tablet, computer, projector, and more) to allow my students to participate in engaging activities. 

“Please extend my gratitude to everyone involved.  I simply cannot express effectively how much this means to me.  Thank you again for all you do for me and for our community.”

Spring Lake Elementary – Ben Atkin
Ben Atkin, fourth-grade teacher at Spring Lake Elementary said, “I am so happy that the foundation chose to fund my grant. Now I will have enough animal books for each student, and they can take some control of their own learning. They will be able to use these books to become the expert on the animal adaptions of their animal, then they will be able to show the other students. Classifying animals is a unit we teach in science. We talk about vertebrates, invertebrates, carnivorous, omnivores and herbivores. The very first page in these books teaches the students how to classify the animal and why. Students will be able to explore classification now in a enticing way instead of just writing attribute lists down in their science notebooks. Students will write an expository report on an animal. Research will be made so much easier for students. And they will have reference photos for their art work. Thank you Nebo Foundation.”

The Nebo Education Foundation could use more funds to support these worthwhile learning grants. Anyone interested in donating to Nebo District schools, classes or programs can do so through the Nebo Education Foundation which is a 501 (c) (3) organization created to bring businesses and donors together for the benefit of Nebo District school children.  Your contribution is a tax deductible charitable gift as provided by law. Contact Lana Hiskey at 801-354-7400, email lana [dot] hiskey [at] nebo [dot] edu or mail to 350 South Main, Spanish Fork, UT 84660.

Attributions
Lana Hiskey