For the first time ever, The Sand Springs Education Foundation awarded $100,000 in grant dollars spanning across all school sites. While awarding grants to teachers is the heart and soul of the foundation’s purpose, this is the largest amount given away at one time.
The awarded grants directly fund classrooms, helping supply enrichment opportunities for students, technology for classes, books, and more. The projects funded are not covered by state or federal funds given to public schools.
The $100K donated back to classrooms is funding 61 projects! Take a look below to learn more about some of the projects the Sand Springs Education Foundation supported this school year.
Early Childhood Education Center (ECEC)
Hands-On, Minds-On Outdoor Learning
MaKenzie Durkee wrote a grant to outfit her classroom patio with outdoor toys for her Pre-K students. She requested a Jungle Jumparoo, an activity wall, and balancing toys that strengthen fine and gross motor skills.
Our Extended Classroom
The patio areas at ECEC are a great extension of all the classrooms. That’s why Becki Pierce wrote a grant requesting enrichment and exercise equipment for her classroom’s patio. From baby dolls to train sets, she wanted a variety of toys to promote dramatic play while her students enjoy fresh air.
Little Sandites, Big Discoveries
Sierra Hamilton asked the foundation to help support learning materials for her Pre-K students to use both inside and outside. The grant request was for Montessori learning toys such as dinosaurs, alphabet letters, and wooden puzzles to help strengthen social and problem-solving skills.
More Than a Rug
Pre-K students learn spatial awareness during their first year at school. That’s why Becki Pierce requested a rug for her classroom that will create visual boundaries between students so they can learn the foundations needed for kindergarten.
Building Bodies & Brains: Outdoor Play
Pre-K students learn best through body movement and play. That’s why Hayley Schneider submitted a grant proposal for hands-on active play support. Her project included a climbing tower, playhouse, and slide to aid in imaginative play.
Sensoriously Awesome: Creating a Calm Zone
Jonelle Jones and the SPED team at ECEC wanted to add more tools to their sensory room to help Sand Springs’ smallest students regulate emotions during the school day. From spinning chairs to coordination tools, the grant request included several items to help calm and regulate students.
Northwoods Fine Arts Academy (NFAA)
FlipForm Risers for Performers
Music teacher Jennifer Butler wrote to the Sand Springs Education Foundation requesting two Wenger FlipForm Risers. These will be used during school plays and musicals to help all students be seen while performing. Because these risers are such great quality, they will be used for years to come.
Playground Equipment
The playground is supposed to be a place where all kids can have fun, regardless of their abilities. That’s why Candi McColloch wrote to the education foundation hoping for funding to install new, inclusive, and safe playground equipment for the students at Northwoods. The grant requested ADA-compliant equipment to help all students enjoy recess.
Music Keyboard and Staff Rug
To help teach students the fundamentals of music, Jennifer Butler requested a grant to fund a large rug for her music room. The rug features a piano keyboard and treble clef to help students learn notes, making the lessons more engaging.
Learning the Art of Playing Games
Candi McColloch requested supplies to help her students connect socially during their “Fun Friday” time. Magna-Tiles, Magic Tree House books, and old-fashioned games will help her students explore different interests and activities while building connections.
Games to Grow Speech, Language, and Social Skills
Speech therapy can be accomplished through games. That’s why Carole Hood applied for a grant requesting 35 speech-language therapy games to help around 80 students attending Northwoods Fine Arts Academy. This project will help motivate students to actively participate in speech therapy, fostering both communication and social skill growth.
Building a Foundation for Future Scientists
LEGO kits are a great way to teach students to collaborate while solving problems. That’s why 5th-grade teacher Samdo Herbert requested a LEGO Science Classroom Bundle. These kits are designed for smaller groups and include 40 lessons that meet Oklahoma State Science standards. This will be a fun and exciting way for students to engage in hands-on science lessons.
Bringing Enrichment to My Class
Educational games can support academic growth, collaboration, and student engagement. Kim Butler wanted to improve the interactive learning environment in her classroom through play-based activities such as Tetris, Connect 4, and Headbanz.
Manipulatives for Special Needs Students
Britta Hartman is a mild-to-moderate needs special education teacher who wanted to bring the power of play into her classroom. Because her room needs to accommodate a wide range of students, she requested supplies such as sensory tools, puzzles, alphabet games, and more. Her requests were not just “stuff;” the items are the key to turning academic struggles and big feelings into exciting, independent “Aha!” moments for her students.
NFAA Recess Soccer
With more students interested in soccer, a group of Northwoods teachers requested funding for two heavy-duty soccer goals along with equipment to give the kids a chance to play soccer during recess. Because the school already has a large open field, there is a safe and structured area to install the goals. Michael Carter, Taylor Grippando, and Laura Hamilton wrote the grant in hopes of utilizing these tools not only for daily recess but also for physical education class.
Pratt Elementary
Omnikin for All
Gage Kaiser requested an Omnikin Ultra Ball to use in his physical education classes. This isn’t like any other ball; the Omnikin is a large, lightweight ball that promotes teamwork, coordination, and active participation among students of all levels. This will be used in several different P.E. units across kindergarten through 5th grade.
From Code to Creation: Integrating 3D Printing
To help elementary students harness cutting-edge technology, computer science teacher Barbie Day wanted a MakerBot Sketch Sprint 3D Printer. This will be Pratt’s first 3D printer in their building and will help students transition theoretical computer concepts into tangible, hands-on creations. This will also introduce students to CAD.
Promoting Positive Behavior at Pratt
Principal Morgan Duglass wants to promote positive behavior at her school. This is why she requested the education foundation provide tools, resources, and strategies to reinforce positive behaviors for social-emotional growth. The grant request included tools such as flexible seating, magnetic blocks, fidgets, and visual timers.
Making Math Fun
All of Pratt’s first-grade teachers teamed up to request a grant to help make math more fun. Brittany Clawson, Valerie Thresher, and Mariann Tucker want to create a tool kit for each student to serve alongside the math curriculum. Each kit would include base ten blocks, cubes, counters, dice, and money.
De’Light’Ful Learners
Emily Hitchcock and Samantha Jarrett worked together to ask the education foundation for a light pad that will be used to create multi-sensory learning centers. The center could be used for both literacy and math concepts, allowing kids to learn through play.
Library Learners
Librarian Lisa Cannon wants to add more activities to the Pratt library. Because she works with students ranging from kindergarten to fifth grade, she requested grant dollars to fund games, art supplies, and puzzles that students can utilize during their library visits.
Little Hearts, Big Art Grant
Educators are constantly challenged to think outside the box to help students thrive. Brittany Clawson wrote a grant to put an art station in her first-grade classroom. Art is not only a fun experience for elementary students, but it’s an important way for learners to gain fine motor and problem-solving skills.
Emotion Aquarium & The Fun World of Learn
As the school counselor, Mindy Lee tries to make social-emotional learning fun. This is why she requested the education foundation help fund the Emotions Aquarium Books and Program. This interactive unit allows students to study the ocean while learning about emotional regulation.
Pratt Positive Promoters Club
Mindy Lee and Lisa Cannon teamed up to start a Kindness Club at Pratt. This club is composed of 4th and 5th-grade students who meet weekly as kindness ambassadors. The teachers wrote a grant asking for supplies to help the Kindness Club further their cause of expanding kindness and community at the school.
Garfield STEAM Academy
Let’s Glow
Title I teacher, Julie Ward, is planning a family engagement night designed to strengthen the school-family connection. She asked the foundation for glow games that promote literacy, numeracy, and physical activity to help her students learn in a fun way alongside their families.
Putting Together Puzzles Produces Progress
In a fast-paced, digitally oriented world, students need to take the time to slow down and connect with peers while solving problems. That’s why Kelli Shockley asked the education foundation to help fund puzzle boards and jigsaw puzzles for her classroom. These activities help students develop thinking skills, fine motor skills, and collaboration skills.
Emerging Entomologist
Garfield STEAM teacher Beth Fields requested supplies for her “Hands-On Friday.” During the year, she teaches kindergarten and first-grade students about different careers centered around science, technology, engineering, and math. Through this grant, Fields asked for books and supplies to teach students about the world of entomology.
I Want To Be A Vet
As another part of Beth Fields’ “Hands-On Friday,” she submitted a grant application for tools to teach a unit about veterinarians. While this is something she has taught in the past, this unit is very popular among her students, and she wanted additional supplies to dive deeper. In this lesson, students will practice taking the “animals’” temperature, checking eyes, ears, and noses, giving vaccines, checking weight, and bandaging wounds. The “animals” used in this unit are actually robotic dogs that can communicate their needs through color-changing technology.
Plotline Hotline
Librarian Kami McCabe wrote a grant request asking for two retro audio recordable telephones that can be displayed in the library. Their purpose? One phone would be reserved for Garfield staff to leave book reviews for students, while the other phone would be used for students to record and listen to book talks. This is a fun way to help students choose the right book, provide feedback, and instill engagement among young readers.
Connecting and Learning Through AR
Brooke Twomey wants her students to hit their Accelerated Reader (AR) goal each month. That’s why she applied for a grant for 34 books at a variety of levels to help students make their goal. Not only will these books help students learn to love reading, but they will also help them work on comprehension and recall skills.
Creativity with CAD
While Garfield is equipped with a 3D printer, STEAM teacher Beth Fields wanted software to help take class projects to the next level. Fields requested two multi-color 3D printers so that her classes can hone their CAD skills, creativity, and create more complex projects.
Choose Your Own Adventure
Kami McCabe’s goal as a librarian is to help her students fall in love with reading. That’s why she requested grant dollars to purchase a “Choose Your Own Series” collection of books. This helps the reader work alongside the story’s protagonist to adjust the plot’s outcome. Students will be a part of the story while reading this series.
Block Buddies
As technology progresses, learning how to code is more important now than ever before. That’s why Beth Fields submitted a grant proposal asking for Cubetto robots to teach her students how to write code in an engaging way.
The Power of Connection
As the special education teacher at Garfield, Kari Rockwood wanted to provide extra support to help her students develop fundamental social skills. After observing her students struggling with social skills, conflict resolution, or other social-emotional learning struggles, she wrote to the foundation hoping to receive funding for toys that will help students with various learning styles learn through play.
Hands-On Literacy For Lifelong Learners
Title I teacher, Julie Ward, had the idea of creating interactive literacy kits so her students could have hands-on learning centers. These centers will help strengthen foundational reading skills, including phonics, phonemic awareness, and reading comprehension. The grant requested includes items for the kits such such as games and puzzles.
Cuentos Encantados/Enchanted Stories
Kori Lyons helps support English Language Learner (ELL) students. Learning to read while learning English is a daunting task for students. However, research shows that developing literacy skills in a student’s home language strengthens their overall language abilities. This is why she contacted the foundation regarding a grant to help support books written in English and Spanish.
The Resource Room Lending Library
Melody Wolbert had the idea to create something that could benefit all Garfield students. She wrote a grant to the education foundation requesting materials to create a resource lending library for teachers. The library will stock writing boards, sensory tools, math games, and social-emotional learning activities.
Access to Art Enhances Academics
Art is a fundamental learning tool in elementary school. That’s why Kelli Shockley requested a grant for extra art supplies to ensure that students have access to materials to foster creativity and enhance learning.
Limestone Technology Academy
Sensory Room Revamp
While Limestone has a sensory room, Kandice Jacobs felt it needed a bit of a refresh. That’s why she wrote to the Sand Springs Education Foundation wanting new materials to help children unwind. Jacobs wanted a room equipped with appropriate materials to allow students to regain composure to complete their academic needs. The request included lights, games that can be attached to the wall, and rocking chairs.
Little Learners, Big Research!
Second-grade teacher Charity Emigh teamed up with librarian Hadley Tolle to write a grant asking for a child-friendly search engine. PebbleGo will help students research grade-appropriate online books and articles to help with non-fiction research projects.
Let’s Go LEGO!
While STEAM teacher Barbie Jackson regularly utilizes LEGOs in her classroom, she felt her supplies were limited. That’s why she requested a classroom set of LEGO Education SPIKETM Essential Kits. This will help expand her LEGO units with more bricks as well as an online component providing hands-on lessons while contributing to literacy, computer science, math, and social-emotional development.
Lively Literacy Learners
Title I teacher, Stephenie Sivadon requested the education foundation help fund materials that work alongside the district’s intervention curriculum. The materials requested include games that help students reach reading and comprehension state standards.
Classroom Centers
First-grade teacher Hannah Sloan-Crawford wanted to revamp her centers with engineering items, art supplies, books, letter games, and things to help with writing. She applied for her grant in order to get the supplies to continue teaching her children and fostering creativity and independence.
Angus Valley Elementary
Brilliance Beneath the Surface: Light Pad Center
Light pads are a great hands-on, multi-sensory learning tool. That’s why first-grade teacher Laci Durasso requested funding to pay for light pads to add to her math and language arts center rotations. With these light pads, students can explore literacy, math, and science concepts through light-based play.
Getting Brains Ready to Learn with Action-Based Learning
Angela Hobson, principal at Angus Valley Elementary School, has a dream of creating an Action-Based Learning lab that could be utilized by the entire school. The idea is that this room would engage students in purposeful movement activities to reinforce math, reading, writing, and problem-solving. Because great things take time, it was requested that the education foundation help start funding for this lab.
Engage, Explore, Empower: A Multi-Sensory Approach
Special education teacher, Kasey Willden, helps students with severe and profound disabilities in grades kindergarten through fifth grade. She requested tools that can help with both learning and self-regulation. Willden wants to provide sensory experiences in her classroom to help students engage in classroom activities and gain essential skills and independence.
Clyde Boyd Middle School (CBMS)
MultiGP Drone Racing Team
Partnering with MultiGP, a new drone racing team is launching at Clyde Boyd Middle School! This great opportunity for students provides hands-on learning in engineering, physics, coding, and teamwork while practicing real-world applications. Danny Scott wrote to the foundation, requesting funds for drones, controllers, and other supplies to make this team a possibility.
SPED Teacher
Lisa Dill wanted to make her classroom sensory friendly for all of her students. She requested a grant from the foundation to provide tools such as a balance board, spin disk, swing, stress balls, and more. All of these tools will be used to foster classroom engagement.
Special Olympics
Victoria Barrett is not only a teacher but also the Special Olympics Delegate at CBMS. This year, she wants to make some changes. Instead of competing in softball at the games, she wants students to compete in Cornhole and Bocce. However, for this change to happen, the team needed new equipment. That’s why Barrett contacted the Sand Springs Education Foundation for support.
Page Academy
Driver’s License Achievement Program
The staff at Page Academy pitched in to request a special grant project for the students. The Driver’s License Achievement Program removes barriers that students face when trying to get a driver’s license. This program helps students obtain proper documents to apply for a license or learner’s permit, brings a defensive driving course to the school, and provides vehicles for the driving tests. For the students at Page Academy, this opportunity will help them with the transportation needed to join the workforce.
Charles Page High School (CPHS) + Charles Page Freshman Academy (CPFA)
Building Algebra Connections Through Games
Freshman algebra teacher Kianna Cunningham requested math games from the education foundation to create a hands-on learning experience for students. The games requested help strengthen foundational math, reasoning, and problem-solving skills.
Hydroponic Tower
In 2024, the Education Foundation helped fund a hydroponic tower for Nutrition and Wellness teacher Lisa Wolf. The project was so successful, she requested another tower this year in order to grow more vegetables so her students could compete in the Food Truck War competition. This is an ongoing project that continues to build for high school students interested in technology, agriculture, and nutrition.
Pieces of Peace: Mindful Tools for Students
The counselors at Charles Page High School and Charles Page Freshman Academy banded together to request mindfulness tools that can be utilized by all high school students. Jenifer Holland, Sarah Wright, Kendra Roulet, Michelle Spears, and Megan Elliott wrote a grant inspired by the state’s “No Phone” policy. This grant requested hands-on, creative, and calming activities for students, including Legos, puzzles, fidgets, and coloring supplies.
Calming to Connect: A Sensory Regulation Spa
Sensory rooms to help students regulate between classes are not just necessary in elementary schools. That’s why CPHS teacher Niki Kottre wanted to fund a sensory regulation room for her high school learners. With fish bubble light tubes, projectors, and a sensory wall, this space is meant to provide a structured environment for sensory input, emotional calming, and self-regulation.
Hands-On Geometry: Enhancing Interactive Learning
As a high school math teacher, Monica Graves needed a SMART Board to provide interactive, hands-on geometry lessons for her students. The SMART Board will allow her to design and deliver lessons where students can directly interact with geometric figures, explore transformations, and visualize mathematical relationships in real-time.
Magnetic Drawing Boards for Character Writing Practice
Learning Chinese can be just as challenging as it sounds. That’s why Susie Tattershall requested magnetic writing boards from the education foundation. These reusable boards do not need Expo markers or batteries and will help students practice writing characters.
Continue to Connect: Lawn Games Pt 2
Student Council Advisor Heather Miller requested funding for lawn games from the Education Foundation to help foster school spirit and community. These will be used throughout the year by a variety of students, helping give students a positive experience and great memories of attending CPHS.
From Lines to Designs: Geometry Comes Alive
The high school geometry teachers teamed up to write a grant requesting funding for the Geometry String Art Project. Lisa Wright, Monica Graves, Kevin Avey, and Lisa Longsdale want to launch this project that integrates creativity, hands-on learning, and geometry. This art project will introduce students to string art while exploring concepts such as lines, angles, polygons, and symmetry in an engaging way.
All Elementary Sites
Glyph Translators: Cryptography Problems
The Gifted and Talented coordinator Robyn Harris wrote a grant requesting materials for gifted students across all elementary sites. Gifted and talented learners thrive when challenged with complex, open-ended problems that require persistence, creativity, and advanced reasoning. The cryptography and code-breaking tools will help students explore logic and advanced problem-solving.
Battle of the Books
All elementary school librarians teamed up to write a grant to fund their Battle of the Books Competition. For the past decade, Kami McCabe, Laura McGehee, Lisa Cannon, Hadley Tolle, and Annabeth Harris have organized the annual competition. This event has inspired students to read titles they normally wouldn’t choose. The purpose of this event is to motivate students to read, monitor their own comprehension, and become active participants in book discussions. This grant will be used to fund new titles that will be used for 4th and 5th graders across the district.