Nebo Foundation Funds Grants in February

The Nebo Education Foundation board met in February to discuss the grants submitted by Nebo School District teachers and fund worthwhile projects in the district that provide resources to enrich student learning.

The foundation board is composed of 20 volunteer board members who live in cities serviced by Nebo School District. 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. Many of the donations received are for selected projects or scholarships, yet a substantial amount is available for the greatest need. Greatest need monies are considered for grants submitted by area schools.

Barnett, Riverview, and Santaquin received grants for document cameras and projectors.

Teachers from Santaquin Elementary said, "We greatly appreciate the funds to use in purchasing document cameras. This will truly enrich the teaching and learning at our school! Thank You!"

Brian Griffith, Santaquin fourth-grade teacher, said, "This is an exciting time to be teaching. Technology is a huge part of our lives and we need to be able to keep up. This document camera will help share needed information with students."

Keri Huntsman, Santaquin intern coach, said, "The document cameras will be added to the school’s projector systems (on a portable cart) to teach across all curriculum areas. This will greatly enhance the teacher's ability to plan, prepare, teach and assess in my classroom. It will also help all teachers as they do re-teach and enrich daily and rotate for social studies and science in their grade levels. This will help the students will bring deeper understanding and learning as lessons and materials are presented. This additional technology will enhance the collaboration with grade level teams. The document cameras will facilitate more hands on learning and manipulation of materials to help students achieve."

Brockbank received a grant for a classroom set of the Student Response System.

Peggy Rothaug, librarian at Brockbank, said, "A big thank you to the Nebo Foundation for awarding the Brockbank Media-Center grant to purchase the Beyond Question - Student Response System. This system is an effective learning and evaluating tool for all grades. Considering the limited amount of time students are in the library, the convenience and speed of the system will be most beneficial. Information can be taught and students immediately accessed for understanding. Furthermore, the student response clickers are fun and engaging to the students. It is so rewarding to see the students smile and enjoy themselves as they are gaining valuable research and media skills to be used throughout their formal education and life-long learning. Thank you!"

The next grant was awarded to Taylor Elementary for a Freedom Wall Gallery.

Spanish Fork High’s special education students received a grant for technology.

Kay Thomas-Perkins, Spanish Fork High special education teacher, said, "I can’t thank you enough for approving this grant. We will use the grant to purchase four iPads. Our students will be able to use them to learn educational concepts such as math, grammar, spelling, speech and many others. By approving this grant, it allowed the students to use the iPads for about two hours per day per student. It has just doubled the time they can spend learning in a fun way. Words cannot express how THANKFUL I am and touched to think we received this. It means that we are important students who are fortunate enough to have these neat electronic devices for our use. These iPads will be used every day and enjoyed. Thanks again so much for considering and granting us this grant."

Brockbank and Hobble Creek Elementary Schools received Salem Wetland Grants for their students to learn more about the wetlands in Salem. This money is provided by Sapa through the Nebo Education Foundation.

Kara Mikesell, Brockbank sixth-grade teacher, said, "We are so grateful to have received this grant! We always love letting our students have a day to do scientific observations and plan experiments at Salem Pond. This is one of the field trips that our students always remember. They enjoy the freedom of getting to look deeper into the questions that they have about the world around them. Again, the sixth-grade team is so grateful for this grant! Thank you!"

Linda Pugh, Hobble Creek second-grade teacher, said, "The second-grade teachers at Hobble Creek Elementary received the exciting news that we had been granted $350.00 for a science trip to the Salem Wetlands through the Nebo Education Foundation and Sapa. Thank you very much for this opportunity. We really appreciate it. The state core curriculum for second-grade states that the students will investigate relationships between plants and animals and how living things change during their lives. The Salem Wetlands provides an excellent opportunity for us to teach this. We took last year's second-graders to the Salem Wetlands and found that it was a very educational setting. We have three learning stations planned, one for life cycles of plants, one for animals, and one for fish. We have also contacted the Division of Wildlife Resources for help with planning and received much information and help."

Blaine Bird, Nebo Education Foundation President, said, "It's exciting　to be a part of an organization that improves the learning opportunities for our kids in Nebo School District.　With　tremendous support of local businesses and giving citizens, the Nebo Education Foundation can provide　resources to teachers　to enhance the quality of education for our kids in the classroom.　Everyone wins when the kids benefit."

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

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Photo:

Back Row: K.L. Tischner and Scott Barlow

Middle Row: Lana Hiskey, Lynda Hales, Lisa Rowley, Natalie Clyde, Laura Taylor, Darlynn Menlove, Chris Smiley, Lorene Moore, Gayle Gammell, and Kristina Christensen

Front Row: Jed Mitchell, Brian Thorne, Dale Phelps, Reed Park, Kevin Johnson, Rick Nielsen, Blaine Bird Not Pictured: Susan Frischknecht