Draper Elementary teachers receive grants for classrooms
Earlier this school year, Draper Elementary teachers Michelle Johnson and Amy Brand wrote grant applications asking for supplies they knew they wanted in their classrooms. Recently, they learned their requests have been granted.
Sixth-grade teacher Amy Brand applied for the Chevron’s Fuel Your School grant for a flash drive for each student. She received $450 earmarked for the flash drives.
“These flash drives allow students to take assignments from school to home and back,” she said. “It’s become such a computer-based world that these flash drives have simplified the process with all the work being done on computers.”
After learning about Brand’s successful bid, teacher Michelle Johnson applied for the Chevron’s Fuel Your School grant, requesting calculators for her fifth-grade class. Johnson said her class at Draper Elementary was the only one without calculators.
“I had never applied for a grant, but learned I got it within one month,” Johnson said. “We got about $800 to purchase 30 calculators. We use them in division and multiplication with decimals and other math activities. I have the students do the problems first, then check it with the calculator to make sure it’s right.”
Inspired by her first successful grant, Johnson applied for the Utah Credit Union Education Foundation’s 100% for Kids grant for an atlas for each student in her class. She received about $400 for those and received the books in late 2011.
“I’ve always wanted the atlases for my fifth-grade class when they study about our country,” Johnson said. “They show maps how the country developed, such as the Westward Expansion and Louisiana Purchase. They also have information about the Declaration of Independence and other history, tying geography and social studies together.”
She plans to have students begin working in the books, reading and filling out worksheets, each morning. She also will use the atlases for class research and lessons on how to use an atlas.
“I’m so excited that these grants came through since there’s no textbook funding left and they’re items that will enhance the students’ learning,” Johnson said.
