Classroom Grants Given in April by Nebo Education Foundation

Submitted by lana.hiskey on

Classroom Grants Given in April by Nebo Education Foundation

The Nebo Education Foundation functions through generous donations made by individuals and businesses. The Foundation helps enrich students’ education in Nebo School District. These grants are funded through the fund-raising efforts of the Nebo Education Foundation board. One fund-raising effort is the annual “Green Fever” golf tournament that helps fund these various grants throughout the year. The foundation also accepts donations from individuals and businesses to support projects.

“That’s what the foundation is all about – to give our students the best educational opportunities possible through classroom grants,” said Lana Hiskey, executive director.

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

Sierra Bonita Elementary – Dana Beckert
"Thank you so much to the Nebo Foundation for the funds awarded to Sierra Bonita Elementary enabling us purchase books for our leveled library, take home library, and intervention library. Each of these libraries is a valuable resource in providing books for our students. Books purchased with the funds will give students opportunities to read multiple titles on their individual reading level during the school year as well as during our summer reading program. We are grateful for the generosity of the Nebo foundation in helping us meet the needs of our students!" stated Dana Beckert.

Sierra Bonita Elementary – Sarah Nasson
Sarah said, "We are so excited and thankful to be the recipients of this Nebo Foundation Grant! With the funds we have received, we will be able to purchase a class set of ukuleles for use in our fourth through sixth grade music and theatre classes. Listening, playing, singing, creating and reading are part of our State and National Music Standards and a large part of a complete music education. We are so excited to be able to offer ukulele instruction as a part of meeting these standards and helping to continue to foster a love for the arts in our school. Thank you so very much!"

Brookside Elementary – Bridgette Sahlin
“I am so thankful for the Nebo Education Foundation and their willingness to support the use of technology in the classroom. They have helped add another iPad and avenue for learning into the hands of my students. Their support has helped to create a more engaging environment. I believe students will be more motivated in their learning. Having the use of an iPad will allow them to research topics they are curious about, practice different skills and bring their own creations to life. The struggling readers in my class will enhance their phonics instruction by utilizing many different phonics and reading apps available for education. Many students will use the iPad to help in the memorization of math facts. The majority of my students will be using the iPad to play math games to support their math understanding,” stated Bridgett Sahlin.

Cherry Creek Elementary – Teresa Smallcomb
Teresa Smallcomb said, “Thank you so much for the Grant from the Nebo Foundation. This grant will be used towards a classroom set of hand drums. The hand drums will be used to explore rhythms and beats. The students will be able to play written rhythms and create some of their own. Since the hand drums are different sizes, they will have different tones and pitches to create fun music. All Cherry Creek students kindergarten through 6th grade will enjoy these drums for many years to come. Thanks again.”

Canyon Elementary – Mina Money
“Thank you so much for the new iPad I just received!  Thanks to the Foundation I am using this wonderful iPad to help my students get ready for end-of-year testing. The students are so motivated to do well because the Apps are so much fun. They don't even realize they have just put in ten minutes of intense practice. Hopefully it will show in the testing scores! Thanks Again,” stated Mina Money.

Oakridge – Tasha Lewis
Tasha Lewis said, “I am so excited to receive this grant for the Big Mack communication switches. My students are the best. They work hard every day. By using these Big Mack's, the students are able to have a voice and express their wants and needs. I believe that one of the most important things I can teach my students is a way of communicating. It is amazing how many different ways that can be. Thanks again Nebo Foundation for giving my students a voice!!!”

Wilson Elementary – Stephanie Buhler
“Thank you so much for approving my grant. I cannot tell you how appreciative I am for the generosity of the Nebo Education Foundation. This grant will be used for all reading in my classroom and the sixth grade. In independent reading, students will have high interest and new books that will continue encouraging them to read often and to love reading. At the guided level, informational books will be purchased to follow the new standards and help them get excited with these non-fiction books. My class loves to read. They are required to read forty books a year, so they are constantly reading and exceeding that number, with some students reading almost 100 books. We love to share the book experience by doing whole class novels. This money will help update our books. Thank you so much for this opportunity to help my students with their reading. It really has made all the difference with their reading ability and love for reading,” stated Stephanie Buhler.

Larsen Elementary – Jodi Mantilla
Jodi Mantilla said, “My fifth-grade students have really enjoyed having a listening center this year. It allows them to listen and enjoy books that may be beyond their reading level. It also helps them with fluency and other reading skills. At Larsen, we currently only have books on cassette tapes, which are getting old and breaking. At the beginning of this year, I started using Audible.com to get access to audio books. Our class has now read through all of the books that I purchased. This grant will allow us to get 12 more audio books as well as the set of books, so the students can follow along.  My students are excited to get new books that they have not yet read. I have tried to find a balance of books that are new and popular as well as older and classics.  Thank you so much for this grant. Not only do I appreciate your generosity, but also my fifth-grade team and all of the students this year and in years to come thank you.”

Taylor Elementary – Karen Leavitt
“Thank you so much for approving our grant! The books we will be purchasing with this money will be for our guided reading library. These particular books are leveled E-H and are used by teachers in every grade level from kindergarten - sixth grade. We have been extremely short of books on these levels; teachers often have to wait for others to return books in order to have some to check out. Thank you for helping us provide our students (and teachers) with a sufficient number of books at appropriate levels. We appreciate all the work you do to support us!” exclaimed Karen Leavitt.

Diamond Fork Junior – Mike Sorensen & Nate Whitney
“This grant will allow the installation of an audio enhancement system in two of our eighth-grade U.S. History classrooms. This will be a great benefit to both teacher and students. It will allow students to devote their full attention to learning without wasting energy trying to hear the teacher and filling in the gaps of missing information. They will be used to amplify not only the teachers voice but can be used for any audio/visual presentation. By utilizing the Audio Enhancement technology, the teacher creates an atmosphere that grants every student equal access to the teacher’s voice, regardless of their physical location or orientation to the teacher. Listening to the teacher’s voice truly is the cornerstone of the education system. By enhancing this critical teaching tool in the classroom, student achievement can be improved. Thank you to the Nebo Foundation for making this possible,” stated Nate Whitney

Spanish Fork High – Clint Roberts
Clint said, “Thank you to the Nebo Education Foundation for approving a grant of $500 to the Spanish Fork High School Band. We will be putting this money towards a new Baritone Saxophone. This particular instrument is an integral part in creating a balanced ensemble sound. Not having low instruments, like a Baritone Saxophone, would be similar to adjusting a stereo's sound to eliminate the bass and magnify the treble. The sound of the group will now be much more enjoyable for all the students and audience members at our performances. We are excited to purchase a high quality instrument that will last for 20+ years and be enjoyed by numerous students. Thank you again to the Nebo Education Foundation!”

Brockbank Elementary – JaNae Wilson
“Thanks so much for letting me know that we can plan on going to Salem Pond in May for our microorganisms hands-on experience. We really appreciate all of the support from the Nebo Foundation,” said JaNae Wilson.

Orchard Hills Elementary – Sixth-Grade Team
"Thank you to the Nebo Foundation for the generosity they’ve shown in accepting our application for the Salem Pond Wetland Field Trip Grant. Our students will develop hands on experience in how microorganisms interact in a wetland biome. We really appreciate your continued support of the students within Nebo School District. We at Orchard Hills Elementary thank you for your support and kindness," stated the sixth-grade team, Terry Oyler, Natalie Anderson, and Riley Winward.

The Nebo Education Foundation continues to need funds to give 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.