Plainfield, In. — Any teacher can tell you about the warm glow of satisfaction when a student, after much struggle, finally “gets it.” It’s an almost magical moment that is not soon forgotten.
The Duke Energy Foundation is enabling more and more of those magical moments in 2019 through $448,250 in grants to more than 30 schools and other educational organizations throughout the company’s Indiana service territory.
“Teachers are some of the most dedicated professionals I know, but they need resources to help students learn effectively,” said Stan Pinegar, Duke Energy state president for Indiana. “We are proud to award these grants to help keep vital resources flowing into K-12 classrooms and programs.”
According to the Indiana Literacy Association, “Approximately 25 percent of Indiana fourth grade students have not mastered minimal reading skills. Fourth-grade reading levels are a critical turning point because fourth-grade students are no longer learning to read, they must read to learn.”
The schools and programs receiving grants this year include many summer reading initiatives, but they also feature a wide variety of science, technology, engineering and math, or STEM, programs aimed at all age groups. One example is the Indiana 4-H Foundation which will use its grant to help local 4-H clubs give members opportunities in engineering design, computer programming and other STEM-related skills.
Indiana organizations receiving the 2019 K-12 education grants include:
- Metropolitan School District of Martinsville $15,000
- North Lawrence Community Schools $10,000
- Salem Community Schools Corporation $10,000
- Foundation of Monroe County Community Schools $25,100
- Community Foundation of Bloomington and Monroe County $13,500
- Milan Community Schools $15,000
- Zionsville Education Foundation $25,000
- Purdue University $35,000
- Bauer Family Resources $10,000
- Crossroads of America Council, BSA $15,000
- Franklin Community Schools $10,000
- Plainfield Community Schools $3,650
- Avon Education Foundation, Inc. $20,000
- United Way of Howard County $20,000
- Indiana State University $80,000
- Indiana 4-H Foundation $15,000
- Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology $12,500
- Vincennes Community School Corporation $10,000
- Metropolitan School District of North Posey County $10,000
- United Way Metro $10,000
- Greater Clark County Schools $15,000
- Crawford County Community School Corporation $15,000
- New Albany / Floyd County Schools $10,000
- Silver Creek Primary $3,500
- Westfield Washington Schools $10,000
- United Way of Central Indiana $5,000
- North Vermillion Community Schools $10,000
- Ivy Tech Foundation, Inc. $10,000
- National Inventors Hall of Fame $5,000
