News From Terre Haute, Indiana

Breaking News

Local & Bistate

August 30, 2012

Education Foundation hands out $63K in mini-grants

TERRE HAUTE — In an emotional moment, Catherine Hill walked up to the Sarah Scott Middle School stage to present a grant award named in honor of her late son, Rodney, who was killed in a February 2011 house fire.

She presented the Rodney Hill Memorial award, given by the Vigo County Education Foundation, to John W. Petty, an English teacher at Terre Haute North Vigo High School.

The funds will be used for the school’s Northern Reflections Literary Magazine, which showcases creative writing.

Hill’s son, who attended and graduated from Vigo County schools, liked to write poetry. “He inspired a lot of people,” she said after the Vigo County Education Foundation grant presentations Wednesday.

Commenting on the memorial grant award, Catherine Hill said, “I think it’s an honor that his name will live on” and the grant will benefit other students who like to write.

She works in the Vigo County School Corp. administration building.

During the awards program, she thanked co-workers and Superintendent Dan Tanoos for making the memorial award possible. “I thank you all and I love you all,” Hill said.

The Vigo County Education Foundation awarded 94 mini-grants totaling $63,107   Wednesday. The grants are for classroom enrichment opportunities.

“All of these mini-grants are made for $750 or less, and it is amazing to see what great teachers are able to accomplish with that amount of money,” said Jenny Thomas, VCEF executive director.

The awards are requested by teachers throughout the school corporation, to be used to enhance learning opportunities for students.

During the presentation, Bart Colwell, VCEF board vice president, told teachers, “You have the most important job in the world and we appreciate your efforts and your passion for education and your passion for children.”

Among the many grant recipients was Rebecca Boehler, a second-grade teacher at DeVaney Elementary, who received a $750 grant for a program called “Meet My Family: A monthly family involvement activity.”

Jane Linville, a retired teacher, helps sponsor the grant, which Boehler has received for several years.

Activities occur every month during or after school and include bowling, research projects and a year-end celebration.

The project aims to “get parents involved and when you get parents involved, it makes a world of difference in the classroom,” Boehler said.

Several South Vigo technology teachers received grants, including a $750 grant for the Super Mileage Challenge. Earlier this year, a South Vigo team earned first place in the “unlimited class” category during the 17th Super Mileage Challenge in Indianapolis.

 The goal of the Challenge is to involve students in the research, design, fundraising, problem solving, fabrication and testing of a car to see how many miles per gallon their car is able to achieve.

Gregg Dillion, the team’s faculty sponsor last year and this year, said the $750 Education Foundation grant is important.

“That’s our single largest source of money” for the project, he said. The funds help pay for such things as materials, registration and an engine.

“This is huge. It’s almost  one third of what we spent last year,” Dillion said.

The Education Foundation is a private 501c3 organization.

Since 1984, the Foundation has given more than $1.2 million to schools and programs within the Vigo County School Corp.

Sue Loughlin can be reached at (812) 231-4235 or sue.loughlin@tribstar.com.

Text Only | Photo Reprints
Local & Bistate
Latest News
Community Calendar
Loading…
Events by eviesays.com
TribStar.com Poll
AP Video
Raw Video: Washington State Bridge Collapse Raw: Utah Teen Arrested in Death of His Brothers Sheriff: No Sign Killing of 2 Kids Was Planned Boy Scouts Decision "First Step" Say Activists Raw: Jurors Deadlock on Jodi Arias Penalty Raw: Heckler Interrupts Obama on Guantanamo Closer Look at Okla. School Where Children Died Boy Scouts Mom Supports Gay Inclusiveness Obama Offers Drone Strike Defense Boy Scouts Approve Plan to Accept Gay Boys Obama Defends Drone Strikes, With Limits Two Suspects in Murder Known to London Police Obama Renews Call to Close Gitmo Raw: Scuffles in London After Hacking Death Johnson: Don't Blame Islam or UK Policy Britain Attack Believed Linked to Radical Islam Oklahoma Family Reflects on Lost Son Chain-Reaction School Bus Crash Injures About 50 A Slice of Apple History Up for Grabs Raw: 80-Year-Old Climbs Mount Everest
NDN Video
AK-47-wielding thug may be the most bumbling crook ever Oklahoma Survivors, Heroes Survey Damage Trout's cycle a boost for Angels Raw: New Video of Deadly Oklahoma Tornado Kim Kardashian Flaunts Pregnant Bikini Body in Greece NBA star pledges $1M to help tornado recovery Shakira's Shocking Talent Morgan Freeman falls asleep on air GRAPHIC: Blood-Soaked Machete Killer Caught on Tape Elin Nordegren Furious With Lindsey Vonn For Parading Kids in Public Camera Captures Climber As He Loses Grip And Falls Helen Mirren Meets with Dying Boy in Queen Elizabeth's Place Crowd Chants '¡Si, Se Puede!' After Passage of Immigration Bill DWTS Crowns a Winner Police Ram House to End Hostage Standoff Demi Moore a Rocks Bikini at Harry Morton's Family House Anthony Weiner: I'm running for New York City mayor Kate Middleton's Dress Flies Up VIRAL: Baby makes epic soccer goal The Hangover Baby All Grown Up
Parade
Magazine

Click HERE to read all your Parade favorites including Hollywood Wire, Celebrity interviews and photo galleries, Food recipes and cooking tips, Games and lots more.
  • -

     

    March 12, 2010

activity
Real Estate News