The annual Clinton Community Education Foundation (CCEF) teacher grants were awarded to Clinton Schools teachers Tuesday mornings.

Teachers across the district are encouraged to apply for grant funding through the non-profit arm of the district to supplement what the district cannot provide but classrooms need or could use to enhance learning.

Abbey Youngberg at Douglas Elementary School in Clinton received nearly $800 for math games equals fun. She explains making learning fun for special education children gets them to interact together while having fun and enhances their math skills.

Mrs. Angela Ball at Lincoln Elementary School received a grant for $250 for wordless picture books. She says it offers a chance for students to create their own stories and take ownership of their stories. She has found this to be an effective learning method.

Regional Radio earlier this year broke the news of author Dusti Bowling coming to Clinton later this spring. CES librarian Christina Soberalski received her grant for Bowling's visit. CCEF President Russell Long indicates the grant for Soberalski allows Bowling to stay an extra day and visit more students.

Bethany Coffman at Clinton Elementary School received a grant to allow her classroom to create a story walk. She explains the kids will pick a book and create displays in the community that will follow the book they pick. 

Laury Hubrich and Kari Klein applied for a grant for their non-verbal or minimally-verbal students to communicate with their friends on the playground. Klein notes this allows them to talk back with their peers on the playground.

Diana King is going to use a $500 grant to fund field trips she takes her students on in her life skills class. King aims to give the students practical experiences and learn basic skills for everyday encounters. 

Haley Bevans received over $800 for her junior high school science students to create and experiment with volcanoes.

For the last several years, the CCEF has funded junior high school students to go to the Challenger Academy at Heartland Community College and Bevans coordinates those trips each year. She explains they received a grant from ADM that has funded those trips for the past couple of years. 

Kayla Riedle at Clinton Junior High School received a little less than $100 to fund headphones for her students to improve their typing skills. She estimates kids may use headphones in her classroom for around 15 minutes per day.

The shop class at Clinton Junior High School, taught by Savannah Riegler, received over $500 for a laser that she explains will be the latest technology for engraving and much more.

Kristi Payne is an interventionist at Clinton Junior High School and says she is using nearly $500 to purchase electronic math materials. She explains as technology becomes a bigger part of the learning environment, there are ways to integrate hands-on learning and electronic learning. 

Fred Knap and Mark Tarbox in the Clinton High School shop class will share a grant for over $700 to update equipment in their classes.

Long says in total, around $7,000 was awarded to teachers on Tuesday. He says it was great to be back in the schools and see everyone's excited and happy faces when they awarded the grants to the classrooms.

Long points out some teachers that have applied for grants long enough, are going to begin annually funding those projects so those teachers do not have to keep applying for the teacher grants year after year.