The IRTA Foundation continues to work toward the future by offering $15,000 in grant money to educators.
How the Program Works
Being an educator, do you often think of this phrase - Extra Funds Needed - when it comes to planning special projects for your students? Due to recent state budget cuts, you may be finding that additional revenue sources are no longer available for such unique activities.
The Illinois Retired Teachers Association (IRTA) Foundation is making $15,000 in grant money available to 26 counties in Illinois. This special grant will provide additional funds to public school educators (Pre-K through 12) so that their students will have the means to participate in special projects. The program will rotate each year among Northern, Central, and Southern Illinois.
The grant is available in IRTA Areas 1 and 2 for this current year. The following counties are included: Aurora Area (Kane), Blackhawk (Rock Island), Boone, Bureau, Carroll, DeKalb, Elgin Area (Kane), Grundy, Henry, Jo Daviess, Kendall, Knox, Lake, LaSalle, Lee, Livingston, Marshall, McHenry, Mercer, North Lake Shore (Cook), NorthWest Suburban (Cook), Ogle, Putnam, Stark, Stephenson, Whiteside, Winnebago, and Woodford.
How Can You Participate?
Please download the application by clicking here and complete the grant proposal by describing your needs for the grant, telling how you will use it, and explaining the difference your project will make in the lives of your students. Please submit your application by mail to the IRTA Foundation, 620 N. Walnut St., Springfield, IL 62702. All proposals must be postmarked by September 10, 2010. A special committee will select the recipients of the grant money in October 2010. Recipients will be notified shortly after this time.
2009 IRTAF Grant Winners
In November, the Illinois Retired Teachers Association Foundation (IRTAF) awarded over $15,000 in grant money to 38 public school educators from Central Illinois counties. This grant money will allow these educators to enrich their instruction with materials not otherwise available to them. Their students are the real winners! A special thank you to the Illinois Principals Association for their assistance with the promotion of this program.
Below, you will find the name of each winner listed, along with his/her school, the amount of the award, and a summarized paragraph of each project in the winners' own words.
Principal Bertha Love and Patti Baird
Patti Baird, Pleasant Hill Elementary School, Springfield ($329.98)
Students love to perform Reader's Theater. It encourages a love of reading and performing. They love watching their friends perform, but really love to watch themselves perform on video. The Flip Camera and audio system creates an environment where students can build self-esteem and confidence in reading and speaking in front of a group. With the instant playback feature students can monitor and evaluate their own reading and speaking skills.
Assistant Principal Erika Diaz and
Lorraine Buggert
Lorraine Buggert, Sator Sanchez Elementary, Joliet ($525)
Jolly Phonics for the Smartboard is a program that teaches the main 42 sounds of the English language in a multi-sensory, interactive way. It allows the students to practice skills while moving and manipulating the activities. It provides an extensive year's program for use in whole group, with small groups and individual instruction.
Principal Tom Eder and Barb Bush
Barb Bush, Normal West High School, Normal ($120)
Students will use the large fraction fringe die cit to understand fractions, their relationship to each other and application in Culinary Arts, Clothing Construction and the drawing of floor plans in Housing and Interior Design. It will also be used as a graphic organizer in all Family and Consumer Science classes.
Principal Sara Burnett accepts for Krysta Christensen
Krysta Christensen, Tri-Valley Elementary, Downs ($425)
A sand/water center would provide my class with the opportunity to explore and grow in science and math experiences, as well as further social interactions and language skills development. Using a hands-on approach encourages learning in an age appropriate and fun manner.
Elaine Czajkoski
Elaine Czajkoski, Carl Sandburg Elementary, Joliet ($340)
Students at Carl Sandburg Elementary School in Joliet, Illinois "Leap into Learning" by the use of the Diji Learning Game Systems. Students work daily at learning centers to increase their reading, math and even science skills. Through the use of this technology students are incorporating learning with fun!
Alison Dickhut and Principal Eric Stotts
Alison Dickhut, Central Elementary School, Camp Point ($550)
A listening center and a variety of books and cassettes or CDs will allow several students at one time to listen to books on tape or CD using the wireless headphones, while following along with the story. My students will: build a sight vocabulary, hear model phrasing and fluency, be exposed to a variety of story structures or genres, have books that can compliment/supplement content curriculum, have the opportunity to listen to own taped reading for self assessment and foster independence. The fulfillment of this request has the potential to increase reading fluency, vocabulary, and independence in students.
Principal Linda Seth,
Kathleen DuBois, and Carol Guenther
Kathleen DuBois, Dirksen Primary School, Pekin ($500)
Funds provided would be used to support the Reader's Workshop process which is currently taking place in the classroom. Reader's Workshop uses hands-on, interactive activities, a variety of high-interest books, books at a variety of levels, cooperative learning groups, guided reading, and student choice to create a classroom environment where learning is engaging and targeted to meet the needs of individual students; Reader's Workshop allows students to make choices about their learning, work at their own level, and work with peers to develop a love of reading and writing that can foster life-long learning for students. This process is in alignment with district and school goals.
Principal Linda Seth, Kathleen DuBois, and Carol Guenther
Kathleen DuBois, Dirksen Primary School, Pekin ($400)
This project focuses on teaching students to have respect for their bodies and take better care of themselves through proper nutrition and physical activity, in order to live longer, healthier lives and decrease the number of overweight and obese children in our country. Students will be involved in hands-on, interactive physical activities and lessons on the five food groups and healthy eating habits. Additionally, students will take a field trip to the Hult Health Education Center in Peoria, Illinois to expand their knowledge on the subject.
Carol Guenther, Sarah Erickson, and Principal Bill Heisel
Sarah Erickson, Edison Junior High School, Pekin ($84.80)
On a normal day in the art room, the students come in to find the teacher made up to look like a monster created by Victor Frankenstein. The stage makeup artist guest who is responsible for the transformation of the art teacher talks about their craft and the opportunities for students to get involved in community theatre. Next the counselor leads a discussion about judging people based on their looks. Students will begin to think about how they treat people because of their looks, and some may be so impacted that they change how they treat others.
Principal Lisa Schuenke, Melanie Fessler, and Miriam Lyman
Melanie Fessler, Jersey Community High School, Jerseyville ($175)
Students need to be financially and technologically prepared to enter society. This grant provides students with the technology tools needed to create interactive presentations. The classroom will be transformed into various game shows. Thanks to this grant, students will become financially savvy, actively involved in learning and have fun at the same time.
Principal Shirley Padera, Kathi Frazier, and Harold Clem
Kathi Frazier, Alan B. Shepard, Bourbonnais ($400)
The money would be used to develop a high interest, low readability check-out library for my Title 1 reading students. These students do not like to be seen reading "baby books" and it is difficult to find leveled books for them to read in a library. Also, these students often come from homes that do not support reading in the home. Interesting books at their reading level would inspire my Title 1 students to read!
Carol Guenther, Traci Guenther, and Principal Bill Heisel
Traci Guenther, Edison Junior High School, Pekin ($350)
"In our classroom we are never finished learning. Learning is a process that continues your entire life." This is our classroom motto. My goal this year is to provide anchor activities for those students who are always done first, in addition to alternate instruction for those students who need more practice. As a resource for differentiation in the classroom, I would like to provide my students with access to a Versatiles math lab.
Kim Henderson and Principal Lori Emmons
Kim Henderson, Gillespie Middle School, Gillespie ($433.50)
StudenTales is a publishing program which helps motivate students to write while building self-confidence. Once published into hard-bound books, students will be able to display them in the library for everyone in the school to view. This project will teach students the writing process, while studying different authors; and it will give students an opportunity to show their creative personalities through individualized books.
Principal Dale Heidbreder and Mary Beth Holmes
Mary Beth Holmes, Lexington Elementary, Lexington ($500)
I would like to purchase a Leveled Library (a progressive, learning focused reading series) to develop a cross-curriculum reading program designed to enhance student learning and engage parents of my special needs students. I teach children with Autism and Learning Disabilities who have a hard time generalizing knowledge to different concepts and subject areas. I will be able to keep the students engaged by creating mini-thematic units showcasing wider topics. In addition, I would create a 'check-out' system and communication log, allowing the students take the books home to orally echo-read and co-read to their parents, creating a reading partnership.
Kathy Jackson and Staci Steiger
Kathy Jackson & Staci Steiger, Olympia North Elementary, Danvers ($500)
How do you channel the enthusiasm of students through the writing process, while meeting state standards and integrating the five big ideas of reading? Start with first grade students who never run out of things to say, add the excitement of a pen pal for sending and receiving letters and the motivation for writing will be in place. With mini lessons and teacher guidance, verbal expression will become written expression. While learning that writing is an exciting way to communicate, we hope to provide experiences and inspiration which will encourage our students to become creative, expressive writers.
Meredith Johnson and Principal Sue Wilson
Meredith Johnson, United North Elementary, Alexis ($499.10)
The power of observation is an important skill for all of us to have. By learning about microscopes and using them in the classroom to study microscopic life, my students will not only improve their observation skills, but also will strengthen their content knowledge, and their note-taking and writing skills. By using Brock microscopes, my students will experience direct hands-on activities with the microscopic world!
Carol Guenther and Assistant Principal Chris Carter accepts for Jill Jones
Jill Jones, Morton Junior High, Morton ($500)
Cooking is a life skill that comes easy for some, but can be challenging for others. A cooking center in the Morton Junior High Instructional Program would provide many opportunities for students with special needs to learn how to appropriately manipulate a variety of small kitchen appliances. The cooking center would provide a hands-on, practical approach to increase student skills in the kitchen. Consequently, students will gain a feeling of success and independence that will benefit them for years to come.
Amy Kluemke and Principal Janis Lindsey
Amy Kluemke, Sherman Elementary School, Sherman ($436)
The fourth graders at Sherman Elementary will "GO GREEN!" and enhance their study of our earth and its care with a Spinning Composter. This compost bin would provide hands-on learning and would interest students in the Pollutions and Solutions cross-curricular unit. Several books on the topic will also be purchased to support our studies, including a class set of Recycling: A Handbook for Kids by Gail Gibbons.
Principal Dale Buss and Kathy Lafary
Kathy Lafary, West Central CUSD #235, Biggsville ($344.94)
On the spot classroom videos of various fluency activities would be possible in my fourth grade classroom with a flip video camcorder. The students would have an opportunity to view their oral presentations such as partner poems on Special Person's Day, readers' theater productions throughout the year and a class play about Rosa Parks. This flip mini HD camcorder would not only increase their motivation to do their best but also to allow them to monitor their progress on fluency activities. Speed and expression of ideas by changing their tone of voice or level of their voice would be easily seen by viewing these short clips on any computer having a USB port available.
Assistant Principal Carol Paul and Danielle Ligocki
Danielle Ligocki, Washington Junior High and Academy, Joliet ($500)
Peer tutoring, in which 8th grade students tutor 7th grade students in the area of Math, is a fantastic learning experience for everyone involved. It demonstrates cross grade level cooperative learning, which creates a feeling of togetherness across the junior high. Peer tutoring also reinforces positive relationships between students, as well as creating additional role models for the kids. Finally, the peer tutoring program reteaches algebraic skills on a weekly basis, which builds confidence and success for all students involved.
Karen Lowis and Kay Tompkins
Karen Lowis, Medora Elementary, Medora ($449.83)
Thanks to the IRTA Foundation the students in my kindergarten classroom will be using a brand new Califone Wireless Learning Center during center time. The new listening center will replace the tangled, broken, and shorted cords of the old center. Kindergartners can be engaged, independent learners with this new technology. They will build listening skills, develop vocabulary, learn to love good books, and become great readers!
Principal Alice King and Deon Maas
Deon Maas, Avon #176, Avon ($141.95)
To promote cross-cultural understanding and to promote across-the-curriculum connections, my students would learn the art of Japanese "stab" bookbinding while compiling a permanent archive of artwork and work from their regular fifth grade classroom. The book will include: Egyptian hieroglyphics; Japanese printmaking; "pop-up" book features; petroglyphs; haiku poetry; leaf-rubbings; perspective drawings; and clothing designs.
Harold Clem,
Amy Martins, and Principal Paul Russert
Amy Martins, Manteno High School, Manteno ($302.59)
I have attached a description and price sheet for the materials I am requesting. These materials include tennis balls, softballs, shot puts, and a digital camera. At the track and field competition, students have the option of participating in a tennis ball throw, a softball throw, a shot put throw or individual walking and running events. I have also requested a digital camera bundle package to photograph each athlete at their event, on the medal/awards podium, and for continued use on documenting and lesson implementation of my life skills curriculum.
Missy McClure and Linda Behrends
Missy McClure, Illini Central, Mason City ($450)
My request for a grant includes a television/Wii/Wii Fit package for our Occupational Therapy Program at Illini Central in Mason City. While it may seem ridiculous at first glance, the Nintendo Wii and Wii-Fit system requires fine motor skills, including balance and coordination. Nursing homes and other special care facilities nation-wide have already begun using this program for the physical benefits it provides. This purchase would allow us to greatly enhance our O.T. program, and would be a fun, creative way to engage the students in their training.
Ross McDowell
Ross McDowell, Lewistown High School, Lewistown ($400)
The pneumatic tire changing machine and computerized electronic spin balancer will give students practical hands-on experiences in a safe environment and provide them with skills that will open doors for them in today's difficult job market. The project represents a joint effort by the students, school, and the supplier. We would appreciate any help that we might receive from the Illinois Retired Teachers Association Foundation.
Principal Rosemary Platt,
Julie McVey,
Peggy Ma, and
Bobby Jo Kellogg
Julie McVey, Lincoln Elementary School, Macomb ($550)
Frustration level reading is NOT fun reading and reading should be FUN!! As a new second grade teacher I am requesting funding to purchase a reading assessment system and leveled take-home reading books. This project will allow me to determine the reading levels of my students and to identify their reading needs. By using leveled take-home books my program will be much more effective and efficient!
Barbara Miller and Principal Van Wilson
Barbara Miller, Brown County High School, Mt. Sterling ($300)
Food... glorious food seems to appeal to a hungry brood of high-school 11th graders. I like to reward personal growth in the Junior Seminar class that is set up to prepare our students for the ACT/PSAE annual testing for NCLB. Not all students are capable of the highest score, but they can strive to improve their own scores.
Linda Behrends and Crystal Minson
Crystal Minson, Midwest Central Primary School District 191, Manito ($400)
Benefits of audio-assisted readings have been conducted for decades and show significant improvement in speed, expression, accuracy, and comprehension for struggling readers. This project will allow identified struggling readers to follow along with an audio recording of a story in alignment with the New Heights Reading Program to increase fluency. Not all students in our district have access to electronics to play the audio recordings. Therefore, we would like to provide audio players for in-school use to practice fluency so that each child has an equal opportunity to learn.
Carol Guenther and Kim Moore
Kim Moore, CB Smith Primary School, Pekin ($500)
Providing playground equipment for students promotes gross motor skills development and encourages healthy, active lifestyles. Providing activities on the playground also enables kids to expend energy at an appropriate time and place allowing their bodies to sit quietly while their minds are active learning in the classroom. This playground equipment will provide hours of enjoyment and activity for the students at C.B. Smith for many years.
Principal Steve Reschke and Deborah Perkins
Deborah Perkins, LeRoy High School, LeRoy ($300)
It is well documented that students who have exposure to quality literature at their reading level consistently show greater gains in reading ability and appreciation and even passion for the process of reading. This is equally true of special education students who, through no fault of their own, are often not given the opportunity to read high quality books at a lower reading level. I seek to research books that I know my children will enjoy while not struggling to decode as they so often have to do.
Carol Guenther, Jeanenne Plevka, and Assistant Principal Chris Carter
Jeanenne Plevka, Morton Junior High School, Morton ($400)
Students in Writing Lab at Morton Junior High School, Morton, Illinois, enjoy supplementing their writing with photographs. With equipment provided by a grant from IRTAF, students can shoot their own photographs and insert them in documents that they create. The personalized touch added to their writing projects gives the students a sense of pride.
Linda Behrends and
Reva Simpson
Reva Simpson, Midwest Central Primary School, Manito ($524.15)
MCPS students were able to have access to a wide range of content area leveled reading materials due to the generosity of the IRTAF. Books were purchased with the grant money to enable the children to read appropriate text in a small group setting. Thank you, IRTAF!
Assistant Principal Janice VanDuyn,
Jill Sparenberg, and Kay Kilbourne
Jill Sparenberg, Mary Miller Junior High School, Georgetown ($335.61)
I would like to have a student set of dry-erase boards, markers, and erasers for use in class to practice math problems and to review for tests. I would also like to have a set of coordinate grid boards to use for my math class. Having these dry-erase boards would allow me to make practice and graphing more interesting and real for the students.
Jane Tucker and Principal James Shaw
Jane Tucker, Pepper Ridge Elementary, Bloomington ($500)
Overweight and obesity in children and adolescents is epidemic and a public health emergency. It has serious economic, medical and psychological consequences. Through classroom instruction and demonstration, the school nurse and physical education teachers will educate the students on proper nutrition and activity levels to empower them to make healthier food and activity choices and decrease the prevalence of overweight and obesity in our student population.
Sara Husemann and
Janelle Wathen
Janelle Wathen, Quincy Junior High School, Quincy ($480)
This grant money would be used to purchase a Wii Sports/Fitness program and accessories. We are providing adaptive physical education classes for students in our Cross Categorical and Autism Classrooms. These students often are not able to participate in "typical" sports and fitness activities due to physical and/or cognitive impairments. The Wii program would allow students to participate in age appropriate modified physical activity and socialization with their general education peers.
Stephanie Wilson and Principal Lori Emmons
Stephanie Wilson, Gillespie Middle School, Gillespie ($275)
The Rebecca Caudill Young Readers Book Award program encourages reading for Illinois students in grades 4-12. This grant allowed me to purchase a set of this year's twenty nominated books for my classroom library. Students can read the books and then vote, along with thousands of other Illinois students, for the winner in February. Grants such as the IRTA's Excellence in Education Grant help me to help my students become lifelong readers and learners.
Miriam Lyman, H. Kay Wittman, and Principal Michelle Brown
H. Kay Wittman, Delhi Elementary School, Jerseyville ($500)
The Illinois Retired Teacher Association Grant would help me to provide high quality interactive and stimulating activities to motivate all students. Relevant activities would enforce the curriculum, and better prepare them to meet the Illinois Standards.
Photos of
Kay Wittman's Students using equipment
purchased with IRTAF Grant Money
Superintendent John Marshall and Connie Workman
Connie Workman, VIT CUSD #2 Elementary and Junior/Senior High, Table Grove ($379)
Today's students, grades K-12, have never known a world without cell phones,MP3 players, computers, and digital imaging. My students need to be able to use current technology to express themselves and share information and ideas with each other and the community. The purchase of two (2) Flip Video camcorders and basic accessories would allow students to create original video material in library and classroom instruction projects. These projects will connect students to books, students to students, and students to the community.
