Lakeville Elementary kindergarten teacher Renee Green was selected as one of two recipients for this year’s Lakes Community Credit Unions Learning Creates Community Understanding $250 Mini-Grant.
The mini-grant program was established by Lakes Community Credit Union to assist the excellent educators in the Oxford and Lake Orion communities. The funds are set to enable one teacher from each district with completing a program or project that would not have been covered in their regular school budget. Five applications for the grant were received from Oxford Schools alone.
Renee Green, who taught for two years at Oxford Elementary and has been at Lakeville for the past two years, applied for classroom visual aids that include cloth characters and a display board. The characters enable students to act out stories in a developmentally appropriate, hand-on, fun way. The props will encourage the students to learn key concepts and benchmarks such as character, setting, retelling, comprehension, listening, interacting, visualizing, drawing upon prior knowledge and forming connections.
‘This is something I’ve wanted since I first started teaching kindergarten,? said Green. ‘It offers a lot of opportunity for the children to learn different language concepts. They think they are playing where they’re actually doing so much more.?
‘There was no doubt in my mind this is what I would apply for.?
With the grant money, Green will be purchasing a storytelling board, Chicka Chicka Boom Boom activity tree and six storytelling kits for well-known children’s books like This Old Man; Elmer; Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See?; and Polar Bear, Polar Bear, What Do You See? Green said she chose the visual aids based on books that she has seen children enjoy again and again over the years.
‘I was so surprised and excited when I learned I was selected,? said Green. ‘For me, it’s for all the kindergartners that I not only have now, but also in the future. These will benefit so many, many kids.?
The recipient for the Lake Orion School District turned out to be a joint effort between Oakview Middle School Vice Principal Jennifer Goethats and parent volunteer Jill Strampel. The Lakes Community Credit Union hopes to make this an annual grant.
‘I’m very grateful to the Lakes Community Credit Union for their commitment to the community,? added Green. ‘Without that, we wouldn’t have these wonderful tools. I just think this is wonderful.?