The Nebo Education Foundation meets most months at 7:00 a.m. to discuss submitted educational grant proposals for students in Nebo School District. One of the goals of the foundation is to fund worthwhile projects in the district that provide resources to enrich student learning.
Congratulations to the following teachers that continue to invigorate students’ appetites for learning.
Payson Junior – Justin Thornton
“This grant is so greatly appreciated. The money will be used to help update equipment in our weight room that has been here for 20 years. Interest in weight training has been increasing among our students, and this grant will be a nice reward for the hard work the students have been putting forth,” said Justin Thornton, physical education teacher at Payson Junior.
East Meadows Elementary – Mary Larsen
Mary Larsen, third-grade teacher at East Meadows, said, “Thank you again for supporting our school! This grant means so much to us! With this greatly appreciated donation, we will be able to purchase much needed magnet kits for our science lessons. In the third-grade curriculum, we learn all about the properties of magnets. Purchasing these magnet kits will enable us to allow for more student hands-on participation during experiments and exploratory lessons. The magnets will keep our students engaged and focused on learning. Along with the magnet kits, we will be purchasing picture books. We will use the books to integrate both literacy and science so that students will understand our core concepts more deeply. Thank you again for supporting our students and their learning! We truly appreciate it!”
Meadow Brook Elementary – Katie Oman
Katie Oman, first-grade teacher at Meadow Brook, said, “I am extremely grateful to the Nebo Education Foundation for choosing to fund my grant for brain bins supplies. Brain bins can be used any time of the day, but I always use them in the morning to start the day. They include open-ended toys/items children use to explore, create, play and build. While students play they develop other essential skills including the ability to collaborate with their peers. We know that play is developmentally essential for first graders and brain bins allow students a time to come to school to think and play which sets them up for a wonderful day full of learning. The supplies will be shared with all the first grade students at Meadow Brook Elementary which benefits more than 120 students. The generosity of the Nebo Education Foundation is remarkable and I appreciate their support of the students at Meadow Brook Elementary.”
Santaquin Elementary – Mindy Sumens
Mindy Sumens, fifth-grade teacher at Santaquin, said, “I am so incredibly grateful for the support from the Nebo Education Foundation and my administrator Ien Richins for funding my classroom library grant. I have the opportunity after almost 20 years teaching in K-1 classrooms to move to fifth grade in the fall. I am excited for a big change and want to provide a space that instills a love of learning and literacy in my new classroom. I reached out to my principal asking if he would kindly match a grant to the foundation to build a library for my future fifth graders. The willingness on the part of both Mr. Richins and the Foundation to fund this grant will allow me to purchase almost $2000 worth of books for my classroom library! I will be receiving 250 books that will soon be in the hands of students! What an amazing gift that you have provided. Kate DiCamillo said, ‘Reading should not be presented to children as a chore, a duty. It should be offered as a gift.’ Thank you to the foundation for allowing me to offer the gift of reading to my students. I cannot wait for them to discover new worlds, grow in empathy, travel to unknown destinations, and meet a variety of characters. These books will be read, read again, and then re-read hopefully for years to come. Thank you again for your kindness, generosity, and support of education in our district! I am truly blessed to be a Nebo teacher.”
Spanish Fork Junior – Chris Thompson
Chris Thompson, English teacher at Spanish Fork Junior, said, “Thank you! The eighth grade ELA team is excited to expand our literature circle library and will use the funds from the grant to purchase books for a dystopian novel unit as well as our study of WWII in conjunction with our reading of Anne Frank.”
Diamond Fork Middle – Allie Randall
Allie Randall, English teacher at Diamond Fork, said, “We are excited to have these new books in our class. Due to its gripping stories and accessible writing, Woodsong is one of the fan favorites every year, and being able to equip students with high quality materials makes a big difference in their attitudes toward their learning. Thank you!”
Santaquin Elementary – Mariajose Zaugg
“This grant is for the purpose of purchasing books for a new classroom library. I am currently a fourth grade teacher and have a classroom library full of grade appropriate books. This has given my students the opportunity to access books at their levels as well as books that they are interested in. Unfortunately, I will be moving grades next year and my entire classroom library will not be grade appropriate anymore. I will be new to first grade next year and as such will need to stock my classroom library with grade appropriate books. These books will be essential in helping me create a classroom community full of book lovers,” stated Mariajose Zaugg, first-grade teacher at Santaquin. “My hope is to get books that will help my students develop a passion for reading and put them on the right track to achieve reading success. Some of the books that I have chosen are great for social and emotional wellness as well. All of the books purchased with this grant will be used every day for many years to come. Thank you so much for giving me this money and for helping my first graders develop a love for reading.”
Anyone interested in the Nebo Education Foundation or who wishes to make a donation for education is encouraged to contact Lana Hiskey by email lana [dot] hiskey [at] nebo [dot] edu, by phone 801-354-7400, or mail 350 South Main, Spanish Fork, UT 84660.
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