Nine Mount Airy City Schools teachers have received grants from The Zach Smith Fund of The Winston-Salem Foundation. City educators received a total of $14,507 that will go toward professional development opportunities.
“I am thankful for our teachers and how they always go above and beyond. This year, in the middle of a challenging time, they continue to be innovative and prepare a classroom that is student-centered. The Zach Smith Fund always provides needed resources that benefit our students. We are thankful for the opportunity to bring new and creative ways of teaching students to our classrooms,” said Superintendent Dr. Kim Morrison.
Director of Innovative Programming Penny Willard noted, “These grant awards are a great example of how our educators continue to demonstrate their commitment to our students, their school, and the district. Mount Airy City Schools teachers persevere daily to design learning that is not only innovative but also ensures authentic engagement through the use of resources that will excite and inspire all learners. Our teachers model innovation as a mindset, which will continue to shape our students through the use of inquiry, creativity, problem-solving, and the willingness to challenge their thinking.”
The following recipients were awarded grants based on how they would enrich principal and teacher leadership, support activities in civic education, environmental education, local and state history, economic literacy, and leadership development, and/or promoting creativity in arts and humanities projects:
• Lisa Belcher, Mount Airy Middle School – $700 to support the visual arts classroom
• Kathy Brintle, Mount Airy Middle School – $750 to support the horticultural and environmental science classroom
• Lynn Brown, Bruce H. Tharrington Primary School – $519 to support building a culturally diverse literature library for students
• Fara Carson, Jones Intermediate School – $1,740 to support yoga sessions for students and staff
• Polly Long, Mount Airy High School – $2,450 to support the Blue Bear Cafe which provides workplace readiness skills
• Kasey Martin, Mount Airy Middle School – $2,500 to support the school-enterprise kiosk run by students
• Alex Tedder, Mount Airy Middle School – $2,253 to support improved student data collection for tailored instruction
• Gina Tompkins, Jones Intermediate School – $1,110 for flexible seating options in the classroom to meet the needs of differential learning styles of students
• Eve Trotter, Mount Airy City Schools – $2,485 to create a collaborative space for staff development and instruction
The Zach Smith Fund was created in 2009 with gifts made in memory of Zach Smith from the Z. Smith Reynolds Foundation, the Mary Reynolds Babcock Foundation, and his family and friends. The fund provides grant awards annually to educators in Mount Airy. To learn more, visit wsfoundation.org/teacher-grants.
Source: https://www.mtairynews.com