The Bond County Unit 2 Academic Foundation recently awarded 28 teacher grants, totaling over $19,000, to fund classroom projects.
Teachers are invited to apply for Academic Foundation grants each year, requesting money for projects and equipment purchases the Unit 2 School District is unable to fund through their budget. A committee reviews all applications and selects a number of projects to fund in the fall.
Individual grants awarded this year ranged from $75 to $3,300 and will be used to fund classroom projects ranging from maps and books to computer equipment and a machine that reconstitutes clay for use by art students.
Grants were awarded to teachers in all Unit 2 schools in Greenville, Pocahontas, and Sorento.
A total of 35 grant requests were submitted this year. Individuals and organizations are invited to help fund additional teacher grants this school year. Unfunded grants will be listed online at www.bccu2af.org. To learn more, contact Academic Foundation President Don Dillon at 618-664-9479.
In the spring, the Academic Foundation committed $10,000 to be used for a STEM lab at Bond County Unit 2 High School. STEM stands for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math. $6,000 of the grant money distributed recently will go toward that project.
Another new grant distributed this year is the first Lester Harnetiaux Memorial Grant.
“Lester Harnetiaux was a great member of our foundation for very many years and was part of the Grant Committee,” explained current Grant Committee Chair, Melissa Pierce. “He had a real heart for teacher grants and getting things into the classroom.”
The project selected to receive the inaugural grant is a Little Free Library Box, organized by a first grade class at Greenville Elementary School. The box will be displayed in the community and individuals will be welcome to borrow and leave books.
Grants are funded by the Academic Foundation primarily through the group’s Annual Light the Way Gala. The 2019 event has been scheduled for Saturday, March 23 at Copper Dock Winery near Pocahontas and is sponsored in part by Bradford National Bank. A variety of additional sponsorships are available in connection with the event. Auction items are currently being collected for the gala. For more information on the Light the Way Gala, or to contribute an item for the auction, contact Academic Foundation Secretary Valerie Klenke at 618-367-5637.
For more information, visit the Bond County Unit 2 Academic Foundation at www.bccu2af.org.
Auction items for the upcoming gala will be posted on the website closer to the event and donors can make contributions online.
Membership in the Academic Foundation is available beginning at the $25 giving level.
