For the fifth consecutive year, teachers in Oxford Community Schools will be receiving grant money to help them teach in creative ways.
The Assistance League of Southeastern Michigan awarded 10 grants, totaling $8,461.85 to 14 Oxford teachers as part of their Link to Creative Teaching Program.
According to Shelby Twp. resident Carol Tomasi, a volunteer for the Assistance League, Link to Creative Teaching provides funding to teachers for special classroom projects to enhance or expand their existing curriculum or to develop new projects or approaches to teaching.
A total of 24 applications were submitted from OCS.
The Assistance League, a nonprofit organization, awarded grants to four different school districts in southeast Michigan, Oxford, Hamtramck, Pontiac and Mt. Clemens. They were founded in 1993 in Burbank, CA. The winners were:
Linda Dzurka, art teacher, Lakeville Elementary. She received a $1,000 grant for digital cameras for elementary students. This will allow students to have access to this technology for many projects in art.
Amy Devin and Lauren Pawlowski, Lakeville Elementary. They received $1,000 grant for Banbury therapeutic horse riding program for special needs students, allowing for them to feel like a regular child without any disabilities.
Darrell Shepherd, Crossroads for Youth. He received $1,000 grant for technology improvement to industry student Imac platform. The goal for the program is to be able to teach students to use a series of design programs that the graphic arts industry recognize as standard.
Rebekah Alexander and Holly McKenzie, Crossroads for Youth. They received a $270 grant for improving writing through media, which would allow students to write a movie review of a film that they have viewed.
Sarah Harris, Daniel Axford Elementary. She received a $515 grant for implementing Broadmaker Studio, giving students the potential to become more successful and independent learners with the use of visual supports.
Rita Flynn and Chad Boyd, Daniel Axford Elementary. They received a $994.86 grant for bringing International Baccalaureate alive. Through books, students will recognize what caring looks like around the world.
Ray Sutherland and Molly Darnell, Oxford High School. They received $1,000 grant for the Oxford Adventure Club.
Catherine Willoubby, Oxford Middle School. She received a $971.99 grant to purchase a projector for her class project, social studies alive and well. When attached to a computer, the projector enables a classroom to interact with cities across the globe, dive into oceans and fly to far away galaxies.
Marcie Bensman, Leonard Elementary. She received a $710 grant for making a difference with music and movement. There is significant research regarding positive effects of music and movement on the academic success as well as the impact it has on students who need the opportunity to move about.
Matt Robydek, Oxford Elementary. He received a $1,000 grant for iRespond UltraLite remotes and iRespond Grade Book. With the use of clickers, the teacher will be able to obtain immediate feedback of the students understanding of the content being taught.
‘To me, they best qualified for the funds that we give out,? Tomasi said.
‘Unfortunately, we are only allowed a certain amount of dollars, so therefore, some of the others that were probably worthy, (but) we had to omit them,? she added.