For Educators, Our Work for Educators

Highlands Elementary Incorporates Fun Ways to Learn Through a Classroom Grant

Highlands Elementary School’s science teacher Mara Shaffer recognized the learning approach her students needed and this past July, applied for a Champions For Learning Classroom Grant. Shaffer wanted a way to “incorporate fun, instructional videos throughout the curriculum” and requested a one-year subscription service from Brain Pop and Flocabulary for her curriculum.

As students continue to learn through tablets and other devices, teachers are turning toward supplemental instruction videos which helps visual learners engage in a learning approach that benefits them.

Beverly Feagin, a committed member of our Champions community, funded this grant and supported Shaffer’s request. “Giving to Classroom Grants is a wonderful way to show appreciation to our teachers and to help them create innovative learning experiences. My family was a big supporter of education and I can’t think of a better way to carry on that legacy. It’s a wonderful feeling being able to contribute in any way possible,” said Feagin.

These services are professional educational websites that provide informational videos for students K-12 to help them learn and memorize classroom content. Shaffer wanted to benefit her classes and knew these videos would allow her students to “be more engaged throughout the lesson and will use the mnemonic strategy to remember key concepts being taught across the curriculum”.

The subscriptions purchased through the grant were used between multiple classes covering language arts, science, and social studies lessons. Because of this Classroom Grant, elementary students were able to learn in a fun and interactive way to help them remember class material. This is just one example of how a Classroom Grant can impact students in Collier County.

Collier County teachers! The classroom grants portal is now open for submissions. You can apply for a grant here.

All grants will be made public for community funding starting on July 19th.

In the meantime, support classroom grants in Collier County by purchasing a Support Education license plate. When a Florida resident purchases or renews their Support Education specialty tag, $20 goes directly back to support schools, teachers and students in the county where the tag is registered.  In Collier County, Champions For Learning, The Education Foundation of Collier County, invests 100% of those proceeds into classroom grants.

Lindsay Lydon is a graduate of Champions For Learning’s Take Stock in Children mentoring and scholarship program. She is currently a junior at Florida Gulf Coast University studying marketing and advertising and is interning with Champions For Learning this summer.