(Batesville, IN) — The Ripley County Retired Teachers Association has awarded $100 mini-grants to five local educators to support classroom projects and student learning. The money will help teachers purchase materials for robotics, hands-on learning, practical life skills, and student well-being.
The recipients are Tricia McPherson and Shannon McBeath of Batesville Intermediate School, Dana Burton of Milan Elementary School, Bryan Beeler of Milan Middle School, and Ashlee Miller of South Ripley Junior High School.
McPherson will use her grant to give fifth-grade students hands-on experience in science, technology, engineering, and math through robotics materials and activities. The project will also strengthen a community partnership with a local automotive tool-and-die business.
McBeath plans to purchase a Chomp Saw for her fourth-grade students. The tool will allow them to design and build models of animals, castles, and other structures as part of their classroom learning.
At Milan Elementary School, Burton will purchase tactile, hands-on materials to help first-grade students build basic reading and math skills. The reusable resources will also be available to other teachers and students throughout the grade level.
The money will help teachers purchase materials for robotics, hands-on learning, practical life skills, and student well-being.
Beeler will use his grant to purchase a mini refrigerator for a new family and consumer sciences (FACS) class at Milan Middle School. The equipment will help students develop practical skills and become more self-reliant and independent.
Miller hopes to establish a “Calming Room” at South Ripley Junior High School. The space would provide support for students dealing with emotional distress, anxiety, or sensory overload.
All five recipients had applied for the Indiana Retired Teachers Association Foundation’s highly competitive Active Teacher Grants, which provide $500 each. The local retired teachers association recognized the educators with its own $100 mini-grants.
The five teachers and their principals expressed appreciation for the association’s support. The grants will help them continue providing quality educational opportunities for students in Ripley County.
The Ripley County Retired Teachers Association is affiliated with the Indiana Retired Teachers Association. The group meets three times a year at Osgood Baptist Church, and Sandy Bowlus serves as its current president.
