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Teachers
Past Grant Recipients
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Meet our newest grant recipients!
In January 2024, HSEF was proud to award the following HSE staff and student led grants:
Brandy Akin (Hamilton Southeastern High School)
Hands on Learning Grant
Student Impact: 195
The Hands-on Learning Grant will provide teaching tools, physical models, and hands-on student manipulatives designed to facilitate the teaching and learning of biological concepts. These 3-Dimensional instruction/learning tools will help learners of all levels by providing them with physical representations of abstract ideas that many students struggle to conceptualize. These tools should prove especially useful for English as a New Language (ENL) and Exceptional Learners.
Shannon Alexander (Fishers Junior High)
FJH Library Production Studio
Student Impact: 800
The FJH Library is creating a production studio in one of the small group rooms in the library. This project aims to purchase necessary recording and production equipment so that students can film, record, edit, and produce multi-media projects in the studio that is already equipped with a green screen and studio lights.
Joao Couto (New Britton Elementary)
Futsal/Handball Goals
Student Impact: 630
Portable futsal goals will provide an opportunity for students to continue to play soccer and indroduce and explore the game of Team Handball in different ways by using the goals on the basketball courts. Including portable futsal goals on the basketball courts will help provide an opportunity for that area to be used for different activities and sports during the school day.
Tracy Gucinski (Fishers Elementary School)
Constructing Words to Build Strong Readers
Student Impact: 100
Fishers Elementary is a Cadre School for the Indiana Literacy Initiative. One portion of the structured literacy component of the reading block incorporates students engaging in a hands-on learning experience with encoding and decoding words. This project will support first-grade students having access to magnetic word work mats that will allow them to manipulate graphemes and their phonemes to build their word recognition automaticity.
Krista Harrison (Riverside Junior High)
Science & Camp Tecumseh Microscopes
Student Impact: 430
Seventh grade students learn how to use microscopes in their classrooms, but ensuring the accuracy of what is viewed is only achieved by looking into the eye piece of each student microscope as students learn. Using microscopes with LED screens will allow for whole class and small group instruction, demonstrations, and student observations while maximizing instructional time and engaging students into the world of microscopic science. This technology will also carry over into group work at the 7th grade overnight experience at Camp Tecumseh each year with fun science labs.
Alex King (Riverside Junior High)
Worry Free Graffiti
Student Impact: 120
With the advent of virtual reality (VR) technology, two art programs have risen to the top. Kingspray and Tilt Brush allow students to spray paint and 3D sculpt their own creations in the safety of the classroom. Using a Meta Quest 3 virtual reality headset, students will create artwork to share and present digitally.
Jessica Marks (Deer Creek Elementary)
Student Choice Decodable Texts
Student Impact: 125
Decodable texts allow students to apply knowledge of letter sounds to read words. Beginning reader classrooms need more decodable texts in addition to the previously used leveled texts. This project will provide six classrooms with a book nook of decodable texts for students to choose from books that interest them, while being able to decode and read books that are just right for them!
Emily Parkhurst (Brooks School Elementary)
The BSE Greenhouse Makeover
Student Impact: 745
This project will help replace and renovate the current greenhouse at BSE by adding shelving, various sizes of planting pots, gardening tools, a wide variety of seeds, and any other necessities for starting a gardening journey. Once this space is prepared, students in all grade levels and academic areas can benefit from a hands-on learning environment designed to experiment, create, and grow. This project will create a space that is ready for any BSE student to walk into feeling empowered and walk away with real-world skills.
Agnes Pugel (Thorpe Creek Elementary)
Critical & Creative Thinking through Literature
Student Impact: 600
This project will help create a library of critical and creative thinking materials for teachers to assess to implement different lessons and strategies within their classrooms. Materials will include books containing strategies for teachers, along with picture books aimed for whole group and small group instruction.
Kerri Rhodes (Riverside Intermediate School)
A Trunk Full of Treasures
Student Impact: 475
A Trunk Full of Treasures is an innovative approach to introducing historical units of study that will spark interest and pique the curiosity of 5th grade students. Tangible objects that represent the major themes from each unit are placed in a trunk and revealed one at a time as the kids speculate the reason for their inclusion creating a hands-on connection. Having the teacher dressed in period clothes makes learning history more immersive and meaningful for students. Students will revisit the objects at the end of each unit to make connections to their learning.
Brandon Spidel (Fall Creek Intermediate/Fall Creek Junior High)
Steel Drum Invasion
Student Impact: 330
Steel Drum Invasion will allow for the purchase of 10 steel drums to allow students the opportunity to learn and play Calypso music. Music provides an excellent opportunity for students to travel to the world while remaning in the classroom. The more challenging aspect is to provide hands on experience for students due to our lack of inventory of world instruments. Not only will the students playing the drums benefit, but the entire band will be immersed in the experience.
Eduardo Torres (Fishers High School)
Translating Media
Student Impact: 1,200
This project is designed to create a focused Youtube channel that will be a resource to ENL students and their families. It will include walking tours of the schools and need-to-know information about our schools and the district. In these videos, current ENL students will be creating videos both in their native language and English.
Bethany Williams (Harrison Parkway Elementary)
Regulate, Reset, and Remember
Student Impact: 580
“The Zones of Regulation” is a research-based curriculum designed to help students understand and manage their emotions effectively. The program focuses on teaching students to recognize and cope with their feelings, emphasizing the importance of emotional regulation as a lifelong skill. By introducing the concept of four emotional zones and promoting the idea that all emotions are acceptable, the curriculum provides a foundation for emotional intelligence. The ultimate goal is to teach, practice, and apply strategies that empower students to regulate their emotions, fostering a healthy emotional development that can benefit them throughout their lives.
In October 2023, HSEF was proud to award the following HSE staff grants:
Sara Agee (Harrison Parkway Elementary/Sand Creek Elementary)
The adventure begins for 3rd and 4th grade readers!
Student Impact: 500
This project will provide almost 500 3rd and 4th grade students and teachers at SCE and HPE with multiple sets of high-interest, decodable chapter books that will help to close achievement gaps as well as empower our students to become life-long readers. All students benefit from access to engaging texts that develop confidence and interest as they develop foundational reading and comprehension skills.
Sarah Ash (Fall Creek Junior High)
Computer Science in Action
Student Impact: 200
This grant will allow FCJH to purchase thirteen Climate Action Kits to be used by 8th Business and Information Technology students. These kits work with existing equipment (micro:bits) to expand on current curriculum in computer science to include hands-on, real world, and cross curricular instruction in the fields of environmental science, global issues, and robotics. The kits include all the supplies required for six different lessons on protecting pollinators, wind energy, smart farming, autonomous vehicles, solar energy, and reforestation.
Heather Asher (Riverside Intermediate)
Nature’s Palette: Illuminating Biodiversity through Trailside Signage
Student Impact: 1000
Throughout the course of this project, students will explore the trails, research their findings, record data, write a research argumentative essay, and create signs to be displayed along the Riverside Trails. Students will create a video linked to a QR code wih a discovery that they uncovered along the way thoughout thier research. The goal of this project is to capture the curiosity of our young learners and have them teach their discoveries in a fun and impactful way enabaling other young learners to understand more clearly the environment around us and its history.
Heather Blount (Fall Creek Elementary)
MAP Accelerator
Student Impact: 114
MAP Accelerator helps teachers respond quickly to students’ learning needs through enrichment, remediation, and on grade level supports. Each student will be given their own personalized math learning plan. Using MAP Accelerator will help those students that are ready to work on advanced concepts AND help struggling students catch up to their fellow classmates, along with cementing concepts for students working on grade level.
Whitney Byrnes (Sand Creek Elementary)
Manipulatives Aren’t Just for Math!
Student Impact: 450
This project provides manipulatives and decodable texts that allow students to practice and apply foundational skills in multiple ways align with the Science of Reading. Best practice for learning foundational skills calls for instruction that is individualized and multi-sensory. By building a literacy library full of manipulatives and decodable texts, teachers serving our children will have access to mutltiple ways to differentiate instruction and meet the needs in their classrooms.
Dominique Carter (Fall Creek Intermediate)
History Alive! A Day in Ancient Greece
Student Impact: 110
Students travel back in time to Ancient Greece by spending the day in a student-facilitated Ancient Greek Agora (marketplace). Students are immersed into a cultural and economic system in which they are active participants in all aspects of Ancient Greek lilfe. Students will prepare activities which include, but are not limited to: weaving, pottery, agriculture, architecture, government, philosophy, theatre, and fashion.
Sarah Chattin (Hamilton Southeastern High School)
Catching a Criminal: Using a Comparison Microscope
Student Impact: 90
The HSE High School Forensic Science class gains the first Comparison Microscope to help students catch their criminals! This project will purchase a comparison microscope for student use. Comparison microscopy differs from standard microscopy because of the ability to see two different images in the same field of view. Students will be able to see if evidence from a crime scene matches that from a suspect to catch their criminal. Evidence that can be compared include: heat seals from trash bags, firing pin impressions and cartridge casings, soil, hair, glass and fibers.
Pam Chemelewski (Fall Creek Intermediate)
Math Can Be Fun!
Student Impact: 450
Fall Creek fifth graders meeting in small group instruction will utilize a variety of math manipulatives to strengthen or enrich their math thinking. This project allows students a variety of hands-on manipulatives, visuals and games that can provide foundational knowledge in a more engaging manner. High performing students will be challenged through use of similar materials encouraging strategy and higher level thinking skills.
Alexander Chisley (Hamilton Southeastern Intermediate/Junior High)
Animation in Education
Student Impact: 130
The objective of this program is to create an integrated curriculum that combines visual development and 2D animation for middle school students. This curriculum aims to provide students with a holistic understanding of the artistic and technical aspects of animation, fostering creativity, critical thinking, teamwork, and technological skills.
Averie Conner (Hamilton Southeastern High School)
Adult Transition Program Exercise and Movement
Student Impact: 50
The Adult Transition Program, which is housed at HSE High School, teaches pre-employment, life, and vocational skills to young adults to ensure the most independent future at any level. It focuses on transitions for our young adults which include a focus on cardiovascular health along with the mental health and benefits of movement. This project will fund equipment for our young adults to utilize and learn to promote a healthy life style that goes beyond high school.
Taylor Davis (Sand Creek Intermediate)
Creative Narrative Published Book
Student Impact: 50
Students in 5th grade complete a narrative writing unit. This project will take the narrative a step further by creating a published book. One book will be printed for students to take home and read to their family while a second copy of the book will be available in the school library for other students to read. Students need to be encouraged to develop their creative thinking process. This will help them develop critical skills in other subjects that will help them in their education and future professional lives.
Brooke Denny (Hamilton Southeastern Intermediate/Junior High)
Literacy, Sustainable Development Goals & Increasing Global Awareness
Student Impact: 50
This initiative seeks to enrich students’ literacy and global awareness by providing access to a curated selection of picture books and short stories, each connected to one of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Over a 17-week read-aloud program, students will explore these SDGs in the context of diverse geographical locations, fostering a global-minded perspective. This project aims to expand our book collection, promote daily shared read-aloud sessions, and facilitate discussions that encourage a deeper understanding of universal themes and global connections among students.
Elizabeth Farr (Cumberland Road Elementary)
Ozobot Coding Project
Student Impact: 520
The Ozobot robots are easy to use coding robots that can be used with or without a screen. The flexibility of not having to use a screen allows students as young as kindergarten to operate them, while screen use can introduce more complex coding to older students. Every student K-4 at CRE will be able to use these coding robots!
Erin Gastineau (Hamilton Southeastern High School)
Anatomy/Physiology Suture Lab Activity
Student Impact: 130
Students enrolled in the Anatomy/Physiology course spend time learning about wounds and wound healing. Part of the instruction involves emphasizing the importance of suturing wounds in the healing process. The use of silicone models and suture materials provide students with a deeper understanding of the layers of skin and how proper suture techniques facilitate wound healing. These models are reusable and provide students the opportunity to practice this technical skill many times over. Learning different suture techniques is a valuable real-world application and culminating experience to the lesson.
Sue Gaudreau (Brooks School Elementary)
Strategic PuzzlePlan: Boosting Skills Through Mindful Play
Student Impact: 700
Puzzle work is an excellent way to build strategic thinking skills. Puzzles encourage critical thinking, problem-solving, and the development of strategic plans. They require players to anticipate and plan for various scenarios, which can be valuable for improving strategic thinking abililites. Puzzles offer a number of benefits for children including cognitive development, fine motor skills, patience and persistence, memory improvement, creativity, social skills, confidence boost, learning content, screen-free time, and making learning enjoyable and engaging.
Sarah Griffey (Thorpe Creek Elementary)
Promoting Problem Solving Through Games
Student Impact: 125
The world needs more problem solvers! This project will provide different and unique games for students to play when they are done with their daily lesson or are not meeting in a small group. They are games most students have not played before. They vary in complexity, allowing students to be challenged at different levels of problem solving. By having a collection of games, students have variety of what they can play each day, practicing different problem solving techniques and methods. A beneift to problem solving games is that they can’t be “mastered”, but will be different each time.
Karen Gropp (Deer Creek Elementary)
Co-MINT-ed to Problem Solving
Student Impact: 650
First grade students would like to create raised garden beds to place around the Deer Creek Elementary playground in order to grow mint, which will detract wasps from the playground, while encouraging other pollinators to visit. This problem solving opportunity lends itself to studying both plants and insects, which are part of the first grade curriculum, and will provide students an opportunity for action.
Casey Gumina (Brooks School Elementary)
Transforming Education Through Accessible Learning
Student Impact: 750
This project will provide students with audio books that live in print books to foster literacy and inclusivity. The goal is to acquire a diverse audiobook library that will benefit all students, including those who have reading challenges or speak a different language. The project will boost the love for learning, engagement, increase reading proficiency, and provide opportunities for VOX books to be used as an educational tool for our school community.
Jennifer Harmon (Geist Elementary)
Turbine Tinkering: Wind Power Exploration
Student Impact: 150
This project will allow students to work in pairs to create their own mini wind turbine. This will involve using recycled materials of their choosing for the blades and testing their engineering designs to develop a prototype that generates the highest electrical output possible. This is part of an innovation unit for the entire third grade that combines reading, social studies, and engineering in a multimodal unit of inquiry for students.
Jennifer Harmon (Geist Elementary)
Fueling the Imagination: The Makerspace for Creative Learning
Student Impact: 650
The GES Makerspace is an area of inquiry, innovation, engineering, tinkering, and making that is utilized by all students in the school. This project allows us to expand on the items that teachers and students can use, which will greatly expand the standards and topics that can be explored in the space. These makerspace additions will give students the ability to try robotics with straws, build a video game based on a story of their own creation, animate a story of their own, and more!
Craig Helming (Hamilton Southeastern High School)
Amplifying Creativity Through Laser Activity
Student Impact: 1200
Historically, artists have taken advantage of the variety and breadth of accessible tools and media. Our visual arts students are no different. They lead with their ideas, exploring and fabricating with the resources available to them. The addition of a Laser Cutter will open many new ways to innovative in all areas of our program – many yet undiscovered; and put HSE High School at the forefront of creative educational development with the higher order thinking necessary for a 21st century graduate.
Olivia Jessup (Southeastern Elementary)
The Whole World in Our Hands
Student Impact: 850
‘The Whole World in Our Hands’ project is an innovative way to encourage students to make independent discoveries about our Earth using interactive globes. With interactive globes, students can ask and answer their own questions relating to geography, biology, culture, and more. Not only are these globes a great way to relate Global Studies lessons to hands-on learning, they are a different form of technology that can expand student knowledge and skills.
Erika Katon (Deer Creek Elementary)
Let the Games Begin: Enhancing Math through Game Play and Creation
Student Impact: 23
Students will be able to enhance their understanding of 4th grade math concepts through playing and studying engaging board games that incorporate 4th grade math skills. At the end of the year, they will meet a local game developer and entrepreneur to hear the game design and creation process. After this experience students will transfer their knowledge into game creation to further their math skills through teaching others. Students will also be able to practice problem solving, communication, and strategy skills. We will celebrate by taking a field trip to Moonshot Games, for a day of game play.
Lisa King (Hamilton Southeastern Intermediate/Junior High)
Thyme to Garden: Sustainable Farming with an Indoor Vertical Hydroponics Garden
Student Impact: 50
Thyme to Garden will provide an indoor hydroponic garden at HIJH. This innovative approach to gardening allows students to learn about sustainable agriculture while developing problem-solving skills. By creating a student-led garden in the classroom, we can empower the youth of tomorrow to take ownership of their learning and cultivate their love for nature.
Kimberly Kuhn (Fall Creek Intermediate)
Universal Design Learning Amplification
Student Impact: 861
The main purpose of the project will be to give access to material that is presented auditorially by the teacher to all students. By providing microphones/amplification of voice to the teachers, teachers will have less strain on their vocal chords, all students will be able to hear and have better access to the curriculum regardless of where they are in the room, and teachers will not need to raise their voices which will make the classroom a more inclusive environment for students with trauma.
Marsha Lee (Hamilton Southeastern High School)
Exceptional Treats for Exceptional Learning
Student Impact: 48
Students with exceptional needs will learn the different jobs that are needed to start, run and maintain their own business, a bakery for dogs. Students will learn all the roles in running a bakery from ordering supplies, quality control, marketing to sales. This project provides students with exceptional needs the opportunity to learn skills necessary to develop their own business in the school setting. They will learn vocational skills in a real business setting in the school environment.
Katie Luck (Hoosier Road Elementary)
Science of Reading Toolkits
Student Impact: 300
Allowing children the chance to interact with manipulatives as a learning strategy has high impact for our readers. It supports learning targeted information by letting them physically interact with concrete representations of letters and words. These tools to support our readers and writers in research based strategies that will lead to to better outcomes.
Lindsay Mahan (Hamilton Southeastern High School)
Project Citizen
Student Impact: 500
Project Citizen would allow students to actively engage in the lawmaking process through game play! Citizen is a unique game that allows students to learn how to get a law passed through the federal government by replicating the process in a fun and interactive fashion. The game is one that “stimulates interest, inquiry, discovery, understanding, and self-identification as an active participant in our democracy.” Project Citizen will help students have the opportunity be more knowledgeable and engaged citizens.
Jennifer Norris (Fall Creek Junior High)
Literacy Lab
Student Impact: 600
Literacy Labs will focus on achieving the updated academic initiative for educators to use Science of Reading to teach literacy. This isn’t a specific curriculum or program, but a body of research based on children’s brain development, instruction, and best practices that provide educators with multiple strategies for teaching kids how to read.
Risa Petty (Hamilton Southeastern High School)
Kindness Kits
Student Impact: 50
Program class students will assemble the Kindness Kits, promoting job skills. Each student will be in charge of following a checklist to ensure all components are included in the kit. Each student will select someone at the school that has impacted their life and include a handwritten note.
Mindy Rader (Hoosier Road Elementary/Lantern Road Elementary)
Cracking the Reading Code
Student Impact: 50
This project will provide decodeable readers that are not only rich in the skill focus, but provide exciting storylines and illustrations that appeal to older elementary students. Providing a small group set of a variety of texts to enrich our resources and reading materials will help support decoding and breaking down words to grow as readers for all students.
Jennifer Regelski (Hamilton Southeastern High School)
Investigating the Environmental Health of our Local Ecosystem
Student Impact: 100
The students in AP Environmental Science at Hamilton Southeastern High School need to fully understand the connection between the soil and water quality in an ecosystem and how that applies to the overall ecosystem health. One way to fully understand this concept is to collect real-time data on the physical and chemical properties of a local ecosystem. This project will allow for the students to participate in these studies which will add meaning to the required content.
Peggy Savin (Fishers Elementary)
Support for SOR
Student Impact: 200
This project provides materials that support a need for change in our literacy instruction using Science of Reading. With the advent of more focus on the importance of direct, explicit instruction in phonemic awareness and phonics, we have a great need for more decodable, age appropriate texts to support our learners and help them break the reading code!
Robyn Stout (Sand Creek Intermediate)
Computer Science ALIVE with Lego Education
Student Impact: 850
At SCI, robotics is a pilar in the STEM curriculum and it is important to keep things new and fresh. Lego SPIKE Education does just that. This addition to the STEM curriculum will be in addition to other unique robot experiences for students through our STEM Lab including: VEX IQ, VEX GO, and Lego Education. Adding Lego SPIKE to the curriculum provides an opportunity to expand the robotics curriulum beyond Project Lead the Way and VEX.
Carrie Sturges (Deer Creek Elementary)
Carnival By The Creek
Student Impact: 120
March, swim, or fly on over to Carnival by the Creek! Second-grade students will take a walk on the wild side as they investigate animals and their behavior in art, library, music, physical education, Spanish, and STEM. To culminate the study students will share visual and performance art with other students in the school.
Sharon Talley (Sand Creek Intermediate)
S.T.E.M. (Supplies and Tools to Enrich Minds)
Student Impact: 10
S.T.E.M (Supplies and Tools to Enrich Minds) is a year-long project that provides STEM activities for ALL students from the most structured activities to the more free-thinking and creative activities. Activities allow for students to learn problem solving skills at multiple levels and provides differentiated instructional activities for those students in the Functional Academics Program. Students will study how items move, work and function. They will use their problem solving skills and writing skills to create a story using Stop Motion video. Students will demonstrate their growth at SCI scheduled show-case nights and our annual year end performance.
Karen Wijesekera (Cumberland Road Elementary)
Brain and Artistic Development Through Movement
Student Impact: 519
Movement, play, and exercise are very important to childhood brain development both as ways to develop and strengthen gross and fine motor skills as well as develop and increase communication between areas of the brain. This project is designed to meet these requirements and explore artistic creation through the combination of brain-compatible movement exercises, Dalcroze eurythmics, and folk dance from around the world.
Samantha Wilkins (Riverside Intermediate)
Stop, Collaborate and CREATE!
Student Impact: 7
Students in the FAP class will collaborate and work with their classmates to create stop motion videos to enhance their learning. Creating stop motion videos will allow students to extend their learning, show their creativity, help with problem solving skills and allow them to collaborate with other students in a fun and engaging way. These stop motion videos will enhance student learning experience by allowing them to work on executive functioning skills, following a timeline, problem solving skills, fine motor skills, writing and expressive communication skills and collaboration with classmates.
Jessica Williams (Hamilton Southeastern High School)
Housing & Interior Design Software
Student Impact: 125
Students in Housing and Interior Design will utilize a design software app to implement and apply skills learned during class to create one-of-a-kind unique spaces. The app is beneficial in that it can carry a lot of traffic without crashing. Other apps have glitched or crashed when students were all on at once. Having the pro-plan app will allow students access to endless ways to create new spaces.
In January 2023, HSEF was proud to award the following HSE staff and student grants:
Pam Chemelewski (Fall Creek Intemediate) – Engineering and Design with Sphero Robots
Student Impact: 600
Using Sphero robots, students will work in teams to create and design their own obstacle course then code and race their Sphero robot to complete the course all while implementing the Next Generation Science Standards for Engineering and Design, along with some great math work!
Pam Chemelewski (Fall Creek Intemediate) – MakerSpace Collaboration Stations
Student Impact: 80
Providing students with hands-on Maker Space materials for use in the classroom reinforces concepts learned and experienced while on their study trip to the Maker Playground. Students will be able to continue their collaborative exploration of circuits, pieces, parts, coding, construction and more fueling their interest in science, technology, math and hands-on exploration.
Danielle Dobbins (Geist Elementary) – There is More Than Corn in Indiana
Student Impact: 150
This project will support an informational writing project with social studies classes about important events, places, people, and things special to Indiana. To help with the research, this project will provide books and other resources that classes can use to learn about specific topics. Students will pick a special topic that is organized in an A-Z of Indiana fashion. They will come up with their own questions to answer through their research, write a five paragraph informational piece, and create an illustration to accompany their writing in a book that will be published.
Mike Espich (Fishers High School) – College and Career Academy Student Information Display
Student Impact: 3600
This project will create an informational display that will provide students with career opportunities, college awareness/visits, and job availability. This display will highlight student based internships, showcase local business partners, and internship sites for FHS Students. This project will provide a central location to provide important information, highlight student achievement relevant to college and careers. This will focus on career and college opportunities more than other displays in the building. Much of the content that will be displayed is currently being created by FHS Students and will provide a designated and consolidated visual space to display their work.
Andrea Fenchak (Fall Creek Elementary) – Decodable Book Room
Student Impact: 525
Decodable readers help students become confident in their reading abilities. Having a portion of the FCE book room dedicated to decodable emergent readers and chapter books will greatly benefit the students and staff of Fall Creek Elementary. Decodable stories are important because they supplement phonetic instruction and allow students to practice what they’ve learned.
Karen Gropp (Deer Creek Elementary) – Plenty of Puppets
Student Impact: 300
First grade students became interested in puppets after reading some reader’s theatre scripts in class. One of these students made some paper bag puppets on an eLearning day and brought them in to share with the class. Students in the class enjoyed playing with these puppets during soft start, but the puppets are beginning to show wear and tear, as they were not created with durable materials. Students are interested in expanding the puppet selection to more durable puppets, and adding a puppet theatre to the “neighborhood” area, which is shared by all first grade students at Deer Creek Elementary. They are also interested in purchasing more durable materials to create more puppets. This project will purchase a pupet theatre, puppets and puppet making materials for our students at DCE to encourage creativity, problem solving, fine motor skill building, teamwork, reading fluency as well as many other important skills!
Kristin Head (Lantern Road Elementary) – First Grade Science of Reading
Student Impact: 22
This project brings concepts from Science of Reading based instruction into first grade at Lantern Road Elementary. Funding will purchase materials such as whisper phones, magnetic letter tiles, wands, word mapping paddles, science of reading based games, etc. to enhance small group instruction.
Madeline Hennessy (All Junior Highs) – Diversify Our World
Student Impact: 1009
With support from world language teachers around the country and our district’s equity coaches, these books will not only represent, but also honor human beings of all kinds. Students of different races, religions, and abilities all deserve to find themselves in classroom libraries. This project will show students through class libraries that we see and value each and every one of them.
Jessica Marks (Deer Creek Elementary) – Living and Playing in our Curriculum
Student Impact: 125
Kindergarten students will be able to show the transference of math and literacy skills they are learning through play in order to realize that their learning can be applied to real world experiences. Items purchased will be directly aligned with current reading curriculum topics and skills. Every 4 weeks, and for the duration of each literacy unit, students will be provided with different learning experiences aligned with curricular topics. Students will recognize cross-curricular connections, engage in real-world experiences, and apply and practice things they are learning through play.
Agnes Pugel (Thorpe Creek Elementary) – Operation Save our Gardens
Student Impact: 650
Operation Save The Gardens will help rebuild the learning gardens at Thorpe Creek Elementary because the current raised beds are rotting. This project will improve TCE’s learning gardens by rebuilding and replacing the current garden structures. After researching local gardens (Holland Park, Cyntheanne Park, SCE, & HIJH) during a study trip, students researched different materials and developed a plan. Funding will be used to purchase materials to build the garden structures, soil and mulch, and the seeds to replant the gardens.
Jessica Savage (Southeastern Elementary) – Uke Can Do It!
Student Impact: 488
This project will bring a class set of 30 ukuleles to use in 2nd-4th grade music classes at Southeastern Elementary. These ukuleles will be used by students for many years to come. Ukuleles are fun and relatively easy to play, while also building fine motor skills and being versatile enough to cover many elements of music. Playing an instrument is incredibly rewarding, can relieve stress and anxiety, and teaches perseverance, teamwork, creativity, and problem solving. These skills help build confidence and give students a sense of belonging in their school community.
In October 2022, HSEF was proud to award the following HSE staff these 42 grants:
Heather Asher (RIS) – Recreating the 13 Original Colonies with Legos
Student Impact: 1000
In this project, students will be recreating the 13 original colonies with Legos. Students will work in groups researching a colony and a person who had a huge role in founding of the colony. Students will then build their colony out of legos using their research. After students have built their colony with their group members, students will create a video giving a tour of their colony as the person they researched who had an important role in founding the colony. Students will teach their peers about their colony in a student led presentation.
Anna Ballenger (RJH) – Citizen Scientist
Student Impact: 150
Students will share data with Cornell University during this highly interactive bird-research project. Seventh-graders will be out in the field collecting data on birds, organizing it in a spreadsheet, and then learning how to understand the data through statistical analysis. Students will also enter this data into Cornell University’s eBird database. Our citizen scientists will also work with a county parks department educator to learn about birds in our area and what to look for when they are out in the field. Students will find that their work has meaning by working on a real-world research project.
Erika Boyd (SES) – Playful Patios
Student Impact: 176
Southeastern Elementary is fortunate enough to have outdoor patios off of kindergarten classrooms. However, these patios are in need of inviting, open-ended materials for students to enhance outdoor learning. This project will bring outdoor sensory tables, mud kitchens, and other learning manipulatives to be used on our classroom patios. These materials will help foster our youngest learner’s physical health, fine and gross motor skills, confidence, independence, creativity, and appreciation of nature. It will also help meet our students’ sensory needs and enhance their communication skills.
Danielle Campbell (SES) – Multilingual Library Project
Student Impact: 811
The Multilingual Library Project will provide English Language Learners with the opportunity to read at home with their families in their first language. The Multilingual Library will include bilingual children’s books in a variety of languages which will help improve literacy skills and foster a love of reading for English Learners. It will strengthen the home-school connection through one of the most common ways to involve parents, which is reading with their children. In addition, all students will have access to these books, which will give them the opportunity to explore other languages and learn more about their classmates’ cultures.
Sherri Cline (FCE) – Elevate Elementary Art
Student Impact: 525
Young artists, grades K-4, will elevate their art and confidence. Utilizing upright tabletop easels, canvases, and paint palettes, students will create masterpieces inspired by artists such as Van Gogh, Monet, Degas, and more.
Joao Couto (NBE) – Pickleball Funding
Student Impact: 650
This project will purchase pickleball equipment to be used in the PE classroom as well as with other areas of the New Britton Elementary school community. The goal is to foster the growth of this sport by helping the students and staff get involved with a fun and active activity. Pickleball is also an easier way to introduce younger learners to the game of tennis which is also a lifelong sporting activity. This project will encourage learners to stay active with a lifelong activity.
Daniel Brooke (Fishers AgriPark Teacher in Residence) – Let Us Grow!
Student Impact: 1500
The mission of adding a teaching greenhouse at the AgriPark is to show students innovative farming techniques that allow agriculture to occur during all times of the year. Students will see that produce can be grown indoors in the winter. They will be able to explore, compare, and investigate crops grown in greenhouses. In the spring, students will play an active role in starting seeds in the greenhouse that will be transplanted to the farm. Students will see they are able to make a difference in their community with their hard work partnered with the innovation in farming.
Rebecca Davis (RIS) – Exceptional Learners and Agapes Equine Assisted Learning (EAL) program
Student Impact: 12
This grant will support allowing FIATS and CFL students with disabilities to experience Agape’s Equine Assisted Learning (EAL) program. The grant would allow on-site visits for the students. The mobile visit would include bringing two miniature horses to the school for interaction including petting, grooming, and engaging in a fun activity of play with the horses.
Maria Dorsel (HIJH) – Stand Up for Math
Student Impact: 400
The Thinking Classroom is a research-based way of engaging the learner in Math curriculum. Research shows that students will connect their thinking on a deeper level with the learning if they are working on a verticle surface. The Wipebook is a reusable, white board-like surface that can be arranged in any classroom to allow all students to do their thinking on a verticle surface. This classroom set up is also a collaborative teaching method that has students interacting with each other in such a way that they are using academic vocabulary and explain their thinking.
Alice Emmons (SCE) – MakerSpace: More Than a Classroom
Student Impact: 100
The second grade teachers have noticed a high desire from students having hands on materials and inquiry into STEM related topics. Students return from the once weekly STEM classroom wanting to continue and build on lessons. With the limited time in STEM related arts, second grade would like to pilot a STEM resource center that we can share later with other grades. This project desires to add useful, practical tools, and materials to the SCE makerspace for students to use outside of library and STEM.
Karen Gropp (DCE) – Getting Buggy With It!
Student Impact: 140
This project would give students hands on experience with insects in order to compliment the Nature First program. Students would have preserved insects/ models to look at along with slides, and microscopes along with containers for living insect observation.
Christopher Hamon/Eric Brown (RJH/HIJH) – Computer Science & Engineering with Lego Spike Prime
Student Impact: 450
This project includes a class set of Lego Spike Primes. These sets will be utilized across two grade levels and between two junior highs within HSE Schools. Using Spike Prime, students will be given a task, work in teams to design and create hardware, plan out their programming using Pseudocode, and write software that will accomplish the task. These activities will fulfill multiple state standards in Computer Science, Physical Science and Engineering.
Kristin Hicks (CRE) – Reading Is For Everyone!
Student Impact: 600
Over the past few years, students have had to rely more on electronic resources for reading. Capstone Interactive provides great books, and teachers find the platform easy for their students to navigate.
Laura Hicks (SCI) – Ukuleles for the Music Room
Student Impact: 500
Students at SCI will get a hands on learning experience with ukuleles during their 6th grade year. In addition to learning how to play basic chords on the instrument, students will learn the history of the instrument, which will give them insights to different cultural customs, ideas, and practices. Their understanding of this history will not only inform their music-making, but will broaden their understanding of how music is created in different cultures.
Leah Hintz (FES/RIS/RJH) – Zot Artz- Art for All
Student Impact: 200
Zot Artz is a company that design adaptive art tools, so that children with different abilities can create huge, amazing art pieces. These adaptive tools can be used over and over again, and with an occupational therapist’s expertise, can be individualized for each of our student’s talents, abilities, and needs. Examples of the adaptive art tools are the “Super Squirt” and “Pogo Poles”. The “Super Squirt” is a switch activated liquid paint brush that attaches to a walker or wheelchair. Just add washable paint, then press the big red button, and get ready to paint! Pogo Poles are large stamps!
Dana James (RIS/RJH) – Osmo Opportunities for Engagement
Student Impact: 7
The CFL class at Riverside supports students who have complex communication needs, significant cognitive disabilities, and often have challenging behavior needs. The CFL class teaches functional academics, communication skills, vocational skills, and independent living skills. Students in the CFL class benefit from hands on materials and fun activities that increase their motivation and engagement. Osmo kits will address a variety of skills including phonics, number sense and counting, money math, vocational skills, following directions, turn taking, and problem-solving skills.
Gregory Johnson (NBE) – 3D Print the Future
Student Impact: 600
Build problem solving skills, aid the development of spatial intelligence, learn new skills and more with 3D Printing! Students will learn the basics of CAD software and 3D printing technology through specialty lessons and supplementing current lessons. They will also discover opportunities to improve their school and help their community grow and improve with 3D printing!
Ramey Johnston (BSE) – Board Game Library
Student Impact: 500
We know that all students learn best in a classroom community where they feel safe and comfortable, and a great way to build a classroom community is by playing together. A board game library at Brooks School Elementary will give students and teachers an opportunity to play together while learning social and emotional skills and even reviewing literacy and math concepts. The board game library will impact all students, K-4, in the BSE school community.
Lauren Jones (DCE) – Libros Y Books: A language library
Student Impact: 610
The Global Studies program at Deer Creek Elementary focuses on Spanish language and culture. This project will create a library housed in the Global Studies classroom. This additional reference will serve as another way to inspire student desire to learn Spanish. This library will be used by students during class, as well serve as a lending library for classroom teachers. It will include English and Spanish versions of certain books, as well as cook books, atlases, and other informative texts.
Carah Kennedy (FOCUS) – Snack and Drink Cart
Student Impact: 50
Students in the FOCUS day FAP classroom will be in charge of stocking, selling, and bookkeeping aspects of a snack and drink cart for the school. Items will be sold within the classroom and to other classes as well during recreational time.
Alexander King (RJH) – Bringing Digital Art to Life
Student Impact: 150
Bringing Digital Art to Life engages students in scanning and printing 3D models of their handmade artworks with the result being a permanent resin plastic piece. Students will craft an art piece using different mediums, use a 3D capturing camera and turntable to scan their piece from every angle. Once scanned, students will print the piece in resin using new technology. Students will experiment with scanning produced art, printing, and modifying artwork with other mediums forming a new piece.
Lisa King (HIJH) – PLTW 5TH Grade Robotics and Automation
Student Impact: 50
Project Lead the Way 5th grade Robotics and Automation module is introduced with a story about moving hazardous waste. For the project, students build a robot using the VEX IQ Robot Design Kit. The problem of the module is based on the hazardous clean-up that came after the 2011 Japan earthquake and tsunami. The Fukushima Dai-chi nuclear plant needed to utilize robots to clean the hazardous materials. Using that as inspiration, groups of four students will design, build, and program a robot. In the class, they will have a simulated nuclear plant that needs hazardous material removed from it.
Erin Kivett (DCE) – Mathematics Pentathlon
Student Impact: 24
Mathematics Pentathlon are interactive, problem-solving games that align with national and state Standards. These games strengthen math concepts and skills, and are specially designed to meet the needs of ALL students of varying abilities and learning styles. Mathematics Pentathlon improves students’ abilities to: reason computationally, geometrically, and logically; communicate their ideas effectively; critically listen to others’ ideas; offer creative and varied alternatives to problem situations; and develop critical problem-solving characteristics of flexibility, persistence and inventiveness.
Amy Loughman (CRE) – Keeping our Cool @ Cumberland
Student Impact: 577
Yoga and mindfulness can help students reset and find focus throughout the day. We want our students to leave CRE with the tools they need to be successful, productive citizens in life. Our vision is for our students to continue to have compassion, empathy, and self-respect. Mindfulness creates space and allows students to replace impulsive reactions with responses that are thoughtful. Being self-aware and understanding our feelings helps reduce stress, increase attention and improve self-control.
Allison Manion (DCE) – STEM Lab
Student Impact: 130
All 2nd graders at Deer Creek Elementary will benefit greatly from these STEM materials. These items will be kept in the 2nd grade science lab for easy access. Students will be able to use these items to explore and create during Soft Start and Science time.
Adrienne Moore (NBE) – Loose Parts Exploration
Student Impact: 150
Loose Parts Exploration will provide kindergarten students at New Britton Elementary with a variety of materials to use and manipulate each day. The students will be presented with different invitations and provocations to use the loose parts. Loose parts used in the classroom can help students develop critical thinking skills and improve upon their social emotional learning. This project incorporates a variety of materials including mirrors, baskets, marbles, feathers, letter tiles, number tiles, etc. Providing students with this opportunity on a weekly basis will enhance their creativity and willingness to learn new things.
Daniel Moosbrugger (HHS) – Presentation is Everything
Student Impact: 200
This project is designed to enhance the presentation of student visual artwork in our school and in our community. Current sculpture display pedestals are aging and unattractive, and detract from the excellent work placed upon them at the annual district wide art show. The addition of frames will also allow for student art work to be professionally displayed in local businesses and within our school building. Creating professional relationships in our community and increasing visibility of our students is a goal we would love to achieve.
Amy Murch (Conner Prairie Teacher in Residence) – Classroom Connections Continued for Adventures on the Prairie
Student Impact: 1500
Classroom Connections Contiuned will do exactly as it sounds! Students and teachers from all across the district can utilize these learning tubs to support, promote and provoke inquiry and curiosity around 4th grade standards.
Darla Nolan (SCE) – What’s all the Buzz at SCE?
Student Impact: 530
Within the first days of school, students identified a problem (bees on playground/students being stung), brainstormed ideas for a solution, and expressed a desire to research together to problem solve. Students have decided to provide the bees with a sanctuary in our nearby pollinator field. This will rehome the bees into an environment where they can thrive while also ensuring the playground’s safety. Faux wasp nests and wasp deterring plants in pots will also be added around the playground.
Jennifer Norris (FCI) – Solution Stations
Student Impact: 800
Restorative Practices are a framework for the foundation of our classroom communities and for responding to challenging behavior through authentic dialogue, coming to a genuine understanding, and resolving conflict. Our “Solution Stations” will be utilized within our Fall Creek Intermediate classrooms to offer students a self-directed conflict resolution area to begin using these strategies.
Jaime Pfenning (DCE) – Outdoor Learning Terrace
Student Impact: 150
This project is for the outdoor terrace that connects to the third-grade neighborhood. This outdoor learning space will have planter boxes that will be constructed by students at Hub & Spoke during a study trip so they can observe plant life cycles. This space will primarily be used for third graders, as well as other classes in the school. It will be used for science, inquiry projects, math lessons, writer’s workshop, independent reading space, read alouds, and outdoor class lunches. This project is so important because it allows students to take to take their learning outdoors and to connect with nature.
Daniel Renckly (FCI) – Flight before Rockets
Student Impact: 56
This project helps bridge the gap between my science classes and my math classes. These simple experiments will require students to engineer and create ways to alter a styrofoam plane to meet flying requirements.
Jilly Renckly (BSE) – Story Walk
Student Impact: 749
This Kindergarten class will create a story walk outside behind Brooks School Elementary. The story walk will feature some of favorite stories and illustrations on weatherproof signs that community members can walk through and enjoy. It will incorporate relevant visuals and activities to encourage learners to immerse themselves in favorite books, promoting literacy skills and appreciation at every level from Pre-K to adult.
Kristina Sanders (NBE) – Choose Kindness and Pass it On
Student Impact: 150
In the words of Ishi, “Happiness is a choice. Be Happy.” These first graders want everyone to know that you’re going to have stinky days, but you can get through them! First graders love spreading joy and supporting each other. The idea of everyone creating their own ishi rock and displaying them in a clear glass vase, allows us to build a sense of belonging to all the students at New Britton.
Rebecca Schroeder (HHS) – ENL Welcome Kits and Brain Regulating Zones
Student Impact: 110
This project will be creating “Welcome Packs” and “Brain Regulating Zone” for ENL students. It will provide spirit wear for our new students. It will also help create a zone in the classroom with soft seating for recharging and regulating brain activity to prepare for the academic tasks ahead. Lastly, our classroom will have scientific calculators to help provide equity within class work and tests.
Robyn Stout (SCI) – Robotics on Demand!
Student Impact: 900
This project incorporates a classroom bundle VEX GO kit! VEX-IQ robots are already in use in the STEM Lab, and these new materials will give teachers and students the opportunity to have VEX robots in their classroom (rotating classrooms) to give students a longer hands on experience than what they get in the STEM Lab. VEX-GO will also be available in the STEM at times, however, VEX GO is so compactable that it would allows moving them around classrooms as a STEM Cart offering.
Jennifer Suskovich (Hub & Spoke Teacher in Residence) – Creative Design with Subtractive Technologies
Student Impact: 1500
Students would begin this project by creating a sign via an app like Canva. Once the creation portion was complete, students would convert their image to a vector file. he files would be loaded into the Glowforge 3D printer and printed for each fifth grade student in the district.
Sarah Terebinski (DCE) – Stop-Motion Lab
Student Impact: 225
Third and fourth grade students will complete training in basic steps of creating a stop-motion movie. Utilizing wooden mannequins, students will work in groups to creatively tell a story. Students will also create custom designed backgrounds for their characters, and utilize green screen concepts to impose the stop motion characters onto a background created by them. This project crosses disciplines and provides a creative and fun way for students to learn new ways to communicate with digital art.
Katie Thurston (RIS) – Save the Monarchs
Student Impact: 45
While studying invasive species, students learned about Monarch butterflies becoming endangered. Wanting to be part of the solution, students researched what others are doing and decided creating a Monarch Way Station would be our best solution. They will build a garden that holds seasonal plants/flowers that benefit Monarchs, as well as create habitats to house larvae, caterpillars, and butterflies. Working with experts will ensure they are creating the most effective habitats and garden.
Nick Tschuor (FCJH) – VEX V5 WorkCell Assembly Line Simulator
Student Impact: 250
This project will allow Fall Creek Junior High to purchase two VEX V5 work cells for robotics classes. The work cells incorporate a robotic arm, sensors, conveyor belts, and a coding software to simulate how a real world assembly line operates. The purchase of two additional work cells will allow more students to get a hands on experience with the system and will allow students to work in groups to make the systems work together.
Karen Wijesekera (CRE) – Advancing Literacy and Children’s Music Culture
Student Impact: 515
The Cumberland Road Elementary music program will adopt the First Steps in Music curriculum to be used primarily with kindergarten and first grade with applications for K-4. This curriculum is entirely based in children’s music culture and includes songs and games developed by children for children. This innovative program not only meets state music curriculum standards but extends that learning through creative play and relatable culture into musical excellence by teaching students to express themselves with their voice, move freely with their bodies, and practice appropriate social skills and interactions through their own games and songs.
Samantha Wilkins (RIS) – FUNctional Academics
Student Impact: 9
The FUNctional Academics grant will allow students to have access to materials that support fine motor and STEM activities such as blocks, Legos, playdough and Magnatiles. This grant would provide access to more hands on activities and have more variety within the Functional Academics Program classroom. It will increase problem solving skills, following directions, critical thinking skills, cause and effect and promote creativity.
In February 2022, HSEF was proud to award these HSE students and staff the following grants:
Samantha DeKruiff (Riverside Intermediate School)
Bird’s Eye View
Student Impact: 20
Students in the Riverside Intermediate FAP class will expand on a bird inquiry project to study the behaviors of birds, using drones to simulate flight patterns to learn about birds and their habitats. The Bird Buddy is a bird feeder with AI technology that alerts users when there are birds at the bird feeder. Students will also use drones here to study different bird behaviors and fly the drones based on the bird’s typical behavior and create videos of the different flight patterns.
Becky Floetker (Riverside Intermediate School)
The Great Chicken Mission
Student Impact: 1,000
This grant provides supplies to expand the outdoor chicken coop area at Riverside Intermediate and create a second, smaller chicken coop. With the supplies, the students will design and build a coop for the new chickens we want to add to our flock. To keep the flock strong, new chicks need to be added every other year. Chickens have a pecking order. If new chicks are put in with the older ones, they will attack them. They need to live next to each other for a while before they can live together and will use the second coop to provide a safe place for the expanding chicken flock!
Jeff Harrison (Fishers High School)
Benjamin Lurton Eagle Project – FHS Courtyard Benches, chairs, tables, trash can, art umbrellas
Student Impact: 3,700
Picnic tables and chairs will be built and added to the FHS Courtyard outside the main cafeteria. This will provide additional seating at at lunchtime and for class project use. This project will include three picnic table umbrellas as requested by the art department and a new trashcan enclosure.
Shannon Herring (Riverside Intermediate School)
Scaling United States Landmarks with Architecture Legos
Student Impact: 250
As part of 5th grade, students study United States history. During math, students will learn to scale actual buildings into smaller versions using scale drawings, scale models and scale factor. After researching each landmark, students will build Lego replicas of US landmarks. Students can then use the scale factor to scale these replicas.
Allison Manion (Sand Creek Elementary)
Keys to Success
Student Impact: 25
This third grade class loves to write and publish their work. When introduced to Microsoft Word at the beginning of the school year, they loved having a new publishing tool. Students taught themselves how to change the font, add spacing, and even how to add pictures and text boxes. Students will use new wireless keyboards that connect with their iPads to assist in the publishing process.
Suzanne Miksha (Durbin Elementary School)
Zipping with Zumi
Student Impact: 340
In the project, elementary students will learn the basics of artificial intelligence and coding through a miniaturized self-driving car. Zumi is a self-driving car that helps students learn about artificial intelligence. Zumi is programmed through both block and text code. Students will code Zumi to recognize street signs, facial expressions, and hand gestures. Zumi provides a fun and educational opportunity for students to engage with coding and artificial intelligence.
Kayla Rago (Geist Elementary School)
Provocation Power
Student Impact: 48
This project creates a space in the cove of the building that sparks curiosity in our youngest learners. These provocations will be an extension to science activities that have already been planned and could possibly lead students in other academic directions. Students would visit with loose parts, natural materials, and other items in the space to build, design, wonder, and launch into projects that answers their questions about the world. This will allow time to collaborate, problem solve, and deepen understanding of their world.
Emily Spencer (Fall Creek Intermediate)
FCI Sensory Room
Student Impact: 1,000
The Sensory Room at FCI serves about 900 fifth and sixth grade students from different backgrounds. Most people have some sort of self-regulating sensory activity used every day. Chewing gum, tapping our pen, or taking a walk in nature are all self-regulating activities. As humans, we naturally regulate our bodies constantly. This project expands the FCI Sensory Room into phase two, providing access to all students at Fall Creek Intermediate School.
Carrie Sturges (Durbin Elementary School)
I See, You See
Student Impact: 353
Can others see us? Can they hear us? Books with characters that like to sing, dance, learn and play as they navigate everyday life with medical needs, physical limitations, vision impairments, and more will allow others to see and hear people with different abilities. It will be a mirror for students within The Functional Independence and Transitional Skills (FIATS) class to see and hear themselves. The project will also build a window for other students to become more aware of how to build friendships with differently-abled people.
Audrey Torres (HSE High School)
Specialized Percussion Instruments
Student Impact: 45
One of the best things about percussion is its history from all around the world. Percussion offers a unique perspective on different cultures and allows us to explore diversity while connecting with people in a meaningful way. On top of offering a broader selection of musical pieces to perform, the new specialized percussion instruments provided within this grant gives the opportunity to represent cultures that often go unrepresented in modern performing arts.
In November 2021, HSEF was proud to award these HSE staff the following grants:
Marcia Abraham (Fall Creek Elementary)
Music Creation Stations
Student Impact: 600
Music Creation Stations allow students to apply learned skills into creating their own music. Creating music is not only fun but an excellent way to express emotions and channel them into a creative outlet. Creating music challenges our brain to think in lots of different ways and the results are amazing.
Erika Boyd (Southeastern Elementary)
It’s a Small World: Story Making and Small World Play
Student Impact: 150
Story Making and Small World Play uses inquiry-based play to enhance literacy. Using play to elicit oral and written language is highly engaging for our youngest learners. Story Making and Small World Play creates interest-driven and inclusive learning that can celebrate our students’ innovations, wonderings, experiences, and stories.
Pam Chemelewski & Heather Wing (Durbin Elementary)
Coding is Cheesy
Student Impact: 800
Learning Resources Code & Go Mice allows students at all levels to practice coding and programming. Code & Go Mice are user friendly and encourage teamwork, tenacity and problem-solving skills. Students use the mice during work units, for enrichment, in after school clubs and as a follow up or lead-in to the Project Lead the Way modules.
Laura Christie (Sand Creek Intermediate)
Raining Poetry
Student Impact: 48
In honor of National Poetry Month in April 2022, students will write poetry that rainy weather can reveal on the sidewalks at Sand Creek Intermediate. When students walk in the rain, they will discover poems appearing right under their feet on the sidewalks at the bus lot. The students will use a biodegradable spray and simple cardboard stencils cut out with the GlowForge we already have at SCI to affix poems to the sidewalk in minutes. All poems are temporary and wear away in six to eight weeks.
Brooke Daniel (Teacher in Residence at the AgriPark)
Farm 2 Table: Innovative Farming
Student Impact: 1500
Innovation in farming is a necessity to continue to feed the growing population. This project helps students learn about sustainable and innovative farming methods for all 2nd-grade students. Students will examine problems innovative farmers noticed and solved, and then look at new and innovative ways to farm, including sustainability. Students will design or look at the design process of an innovative way of farming that they think will best help generate the 70% more food we will need to feed the world’s population by 2050. Students will be able to see real-world innovative farming techniques, explore the design process behind each type, and compare and contrast each type of farming.
Katie Davis (HSE High School)
FIATS Assistive Technology Library
Student Impact: 9
The Functional Independence and Transitional Skills (FIATS) Classrooms serve students who are devloping a functional mode of communication and self-help skills across all grades in HSE. These students are overcoming multiple hurdles towards accomplishing these goals including medical needs, physical limitations, vision impairments and more. This classroom library of additional equipment assists in modifying devices so students can independently access them to open up a new world of independence.
Megan Ewing (HSE High School)
Lost in Space- Coding in Astronomy
Student Impact: 90
Coding is a basic skill that is not only useful to students interested in studying that field, but to all students. Students use problem solving and basic mechanical skills that accompanies the engaging content of trying to solve the problem of getting their broken space craft in working order. Students will successfully repair their hypothetical space craft with a set of 30 challenges that involve problems that can be resolved through coding skills. The kits are hands on and engaging so that students can solve problems and work together with their partner on the overall goal.
Erin Grampp (Brooks School Elementary)
A “Sense-sational” Kindergarten Reading Journey
Student Impact: 100
Becoming readers is a life changing journey that we are fortunate to experience with our students. Providing our young readers with multi-sensory materials increases their sight word fluency, the building block to becomming avid and confident readers. The materials in this project allow our students to hear them, see them, and touch them!
Heidi Greer (Southeastern Elementary)
SHARE Bags (School and Home Advocates for Reading & Empathy)
Student Impact: 42
This project allows for beautiful literature to be in the hands of our families each week. Learning is based in relationships, and that interactions between teachers, families and students should be joyful, compassionate and authentic. Our students are hearing the message of inclusiveness in school and having conversations about embracing similarities and differences. This project allows that experience to be shared at home.
Karen Gropp (Sand Creek Elementary)
Past, Present and Future: A 2021 Second Grade Time Capsule
Student Impact: 150
As part of our study of the past and present, our students will make a time capsule to remember the 2021 school year. This year is special because of the COVID Pandemic, and things at school are significantly different than they were even 5 years ago and this group of students do not know a school year that not impacted by COVID. The will one day show future students how schools adapted during Covid-19.
Carol Gump (Fall Creek Intermediate)
Students Rock!
Student Impact: 889
It is common for students to have some degree of anxiety related to school and academics in general, and many students experience the physical effects of anxiety during the school day. The Students Rock! project uses guided imagery along with soothing audio and rocking chairs in the clinic, to promote mindfulness techniques, encourage students to be fully present, recognize where they are and the support system they have, support a calm mind and body, relieve anxious thoughts, as well as decrease or eliminate physical symptoms of anxiety they may be experiencing at school.
Madeline Hennessy (Fishers Junior High & HIJH)
Diversify Our Bookshelves
Student Impact: 675
Making students feel welcome and at home in the World Language classroom comes down to not only what teachers say and do, but also to what they provide to their students. All of our students deserve to see themselves in the books available for them to read no matter what language the material is in. Students begin with weekly 5-10 minute sessions of silent sustained reading, then gradually begin building their world language reading stamina throughout the school year. During Free Choice Reading sessions, students get to choose what they want to read, read at their own pace, reflect on their reading in a log that they keep throughout the year, and discuss what they understood with small discussion groups.
Kristin Hicks (Cumberland Road Elementary)
The Roadrunner Tale Trail
Student Impact: 560
The Roadrunner Tale Trail will be installed outdoors on our CRE campus. Sixteen StoryWalk book displays will be installed on our school grounds. Inside each display will be a spread of pages from a book. Students and any other CRE community members will walk through the trail in order to read the book. Our Tale Trail will be open for not only our students, but also the community. Families or other community members can enjoy the trail when school is closed.
Samantha Kindler (Hoosier Road Elementary)
The People Project
Student Impact: 350
The People Project provides preschool students the opportunity to explore humanity through the lens of a scientist. What do they see? What do they hear? What can they touch, smell, and taste? Preschool students use their senses to explore different ways to be human. By creating a resource library of materials, our students will hear the music, notice the language, and make the foods of the cultures of our global community.
Amy Knerr (Riverside Intermediate)
Math Museum Manipulatives and Puzzles
Student Impact: 950
The Riverside Intermediate Math Museum is an extension of the STEM classrooms that provides the space for all students to explore patterns, games, maninpulatives, puzzles, visual representations of math ideas, and picture books. Math games and puzzles benefit all students, not just those who finish classwork early. All learners need opportunities to engage in rich math tasks and math discourse to build lasting confidence and enjoyment of math.
Rebekah Landez (Harrison Parkway Elementary)
Naturally Curious
Student Impact: 700
This outdoor learning lab will support learning in all domains, especially social-emotional development and collaboration. Linking nature-based outdoor educational experiences to elementary curriculum to create rich academic experiences, as well as positive developmental outcomes. The lab will include a theatre stage with seating, sensory paths, learning/story walks, a garden with greenhouse, as well as a mud kitchen to support the whole child. It is our vision that children will feel celebrated through nature, creativity, collaboration, and community while engaging in meaningful outdoor learning opportunities.
Cristie Ondrejack (Fishers Elementary)
VEX Robotics For All
Student Impact: 435
Kindergarten through fourth grade students at Fishers Elementary will have the opportunity to participate in hands-on activities that utilize VEX 123 or VEX GO classroom robotics kits in connection with their grade level curriculum. Students and their teachers will have access to the robotics kits allowing them to learn and practice a variety of skills that tie in with science, coding, engineering, and math standards
Matt Poisel (Fishers High School)
Not your Dad’s Video Camera
Student Impact: 150
Through this experience, students highlight a personal interest or passion and explore the connections of it to mathematics. Students use audio/visual equipment to create short videos using a combination of regular, action camera, and drone footage that showcase their interest and math exploration which will also provide an inspiration to other students.
Tricia Powell (Southeastern Elementary)
Save the Monarchs…Plant a Garden!
Student Impact: 900
Kindergarteners will grow milkweed and other nectar producing plants on school grounds to help prevent the continuing decline of the monarch butterfly population. The project intends to teach others in the school and community about the importance of helping the pollinating insects. The project includes a greenhouse, gardening materials, and books needed to research, teach, and begin growing a butterfly garden at the school.
Daniel Renckly (Fall Creek Intermediate)
Leaving Earth
Student Impact: 56
STEM students need hands-on activities in order to learn and become inspired. Leaving Earth will inspire students into becoming future engineers and designers. The project has students put together kit planes and rockets and redesign systems to make them work more efficiently. The program will start with redesigning balsa wood flyers and lead into parachute design for chemical powered rockets.
Jen Robinson (Southeastern Elementary)
Outdoor Reading Grows Readers
Student Impact: 910
Providing growing readers a multiple locations to read, including comfortable spaces outside, encourages the practice that reading can and should be enjoyed everywhere! Also, fresh air has been proven to improve brain function, especially in the areas of concentration and stress reduction. Our outdoor reading courtyard provides a space for all readers to take advantage of these brain benefits routinely during school and has the potential to provide a positive reading experience for students who often read reluctantly. This is a safe space for readers to access the benefits of the outdoors independently, with a small group, or as class.
Robyn Stout (Sand Creek Intermediate)
STEM Tools On the Move
Student Impact: 815
The addition of Dash Robots, Cubelets, and a BBC Micro:bit Lesson in a Box to the STEM Carts make this project a true extenstion of the STEM Lab. These tools elevate and extend what students do in the STEM Lab and allow STEM teachers and students to have hands on experience with concepts such as hardward, software, computers modeling intellegent behavior, data representation and so much more.
Jennifer Suskovich (Makerspace Playground at Hub and Spoke)
Utilizing Artificial Intelligence to Solve Problems
Student Impact: 1500
This project utilizes the Dobot Magician Robotic Arm and conveyor belt to introduce students to a complete production line simulation. Students use block coding to program the robotic arm to write, 3D print, and sort items as desginated by students for real-world problem solving and computer science applications. This project gives our students an introduction to artificial intelligence and the impact on society and careers this technology has for our future.
Sharon Talley (Sand Creek Intermediate)
Flight
Student Impact: 15
This year long project takes FAP (Functional Academic Program) students on a journey through the study of flight and help excite them about their own learning. Activities focus on the beginning of flight with hot air balloons and continue to the current usage of drones. Students study, create, plan, and manipulate all types of flying machines, obstacle courses, plan a trip and fly a drone.
Sarah Tappendorf (Southeastern Elementary)
Muscle Up Our Bodies and Minds
Student Impact: 65
Young students learn best with the use of a variety of mediums and by actively engaging with their environment through visual, auditory, tactile, and kinesthetic approaches. Research shows that regular breaks throughout the day are not simply downtime for students, but rather these breaks increase their productivity and provide children with opportunities to develop creativity and social skills. Our “Muscle Up Our Bodies and Minds” kit provides students with equipment/items that help develop collaboration, problem-solving, and imaginative “ways to play” skills.
Katie Thurston (Riverside Intermediate)
Integrating Reading with Coding
Student Impact: 79
The Hummingbird kits allow the kids to design, build, and program a personally meaningful robot out of any materials, with any device, in multiple programming languages. Multiple projects are possible with these kits that students can use for years to come.
Nick Tschuor (Fall Creek Junior HIgh)
VEX IQ Robotics for FCJH
Student Impact: 700
VEX IQ Competition robot kits and game fields for Fall Creek Junior High. These kits help facilitate authentic classroom demonstrations and hands on activities. This project will provide an opportunity for more students to have acccess to STEM resources while cultivating 21st century skills and teaching them to collaborate on problem-based learning projects.
Wendi Washburn (Hoosier Road Elementary)
Let’s Learn Outside
Student Impact: 100
This project allows kindergarten/first grade students at HRE to learn and play outdoors more by providing them with materials and supplies that they need to make their learning more purposeful and meaningful. It gives resources to make more connections to the environment and provokes their interests and curiosities which will lead to more project based and inquiry learning.
Tammy Wayne (Sand Creek Elementary)
Tactile Tactics for Transformative Tranquility
Student Impact: 689
Our current K, 1, 2 students have never known a normal year due to COVID. The need to meet students where they are and help them understand, regulate, and process their feelings is crucial to their academic success/growth. The Tactile Tactics to Transformative Tranquility project intends to help students and staff turn trauma into triumph. This project includes tactile boards, sensory-motor pathways, and nature-inspired outdoor sensory break opportunities to support a multi-pronged approach to meeting the needs of both students and staff.
Karen Wijesekera (Cumberland Road Elementary)
World Percussion
Student Impact: 561
CRE is a diverse school with 19 student languages and 27 home languages whose student body represent over 20 countries from around the world. Such a school requires for the benefit of all students an equally diverse music program in which students can see their family heritage and identities reflected in the music they learn and perform. The inclusion of a world percussion ensemble and prgoram at CRE not only helps celebrate and honor the different cultures at our school but also ties directly into and supports the school’s SEL and equity work.
Katy Williams (New Britton Elementary)
Outdoor Reading and Relaxing
Student Impact: 650
Who doesn’t love to curl up with a good book in a comfy spot? We know that there are many ways to help develop a love of reading within a child. One way includes creating a space for reading that allows the child to feel safe and comfortable. By adding outdoor hammocks we will allow students the opportunity to enjoy a comfortable spot to enjoy their favorite books as well as enjoy our beautiful outdoor spaces at New Britton.
In March 2021, HSEF was proud to virtually award these HSE teachers and students the following grants:
Karen Creager, Brooks School Elementary
STEM for Us
Student Impact: 16
The Kindergarteners from Mrs. Creager’s class will use STEM materials students to engage more deeply in the engineering design process. Just by looking at pictures of the various STEM materials, these 5 and 6 year olds can envision possibilities. These materials allow the students to imagine, create, test, and improve their designs. A few of the STEM kits even introduce various simple machine functions that will lead to even more possibilities and further learning.
Samantha DeKruiff, Riverside Intermediate
Birds of Riverside
Student Impact: 4
Students in the Functional Academics Program would like to continue their “Birds of Riverside” exploration through digital media by taking photographs of birds found on campus. They plan to share their photographs via Twitter, Instagram, Flipgrid and through photographs displayed at Riverside. To attract more birds to campus, they will create a bird sanctuary outside and use new books to help learn how to take pictures and how make bird food and snacks.
Maria Dorsel, HIJH
The Show Must Go On
Student Impact: 15
Julianna Lam-Chi plans to start a theatre program for 5th and 6th graders to HIJH. This theatre program will be student directed with a teacher as a facilitator and mentor. The goal is to inspire young minds and give students a place to feel connected and to express themselves.
Jacquie Margolis, Hoosier Road Elementary
Globe-tastic
Student Impact: 561
This project will provide globes to the Global Studies class at Hoosier Road Elementary. Students want to have different kinds of globes at every table to explore learning about different countries and become experts on our world.
Jennifer Mulvaney, Brooks School Elementary
Pathway Project
Student Impact: 541
Fourth graders in Miss Mulvaney’s class designed a project that will create a pathway outside at Brooks School Elementary to help prevent walking through an area that is consistently muddy. Students will paint pavers and make spaces for them on the ground by digging and adding the stones to make the pathway and a more useful space outside.
Jilly Renckly, Brooks School Elementary
Art Appreciation in Kindergarten
Student Impact: 18
This Kindergarten class wants to expand their learning about various artists and genres. The students have expressed an interest in learning more in depth about these different artists and their preferred mediums, such as clay, acrylic paints, ceramic tiles, ceiling tiles and water colors. Students will also create their own masterpieces using the same materials.
Jennifer Robinson, Southeastern Elementary
Every Explorer Matters: Time for Kindness
Student Impact: 850
Every Explorer Matters: Time for Kindness, is about having all students feel that they are important and belong. Sometimes in books, kids don’t see themselves or connect with the characters. We want all Southeastern Explorers to feel important and not invisible. In books, not all kinds of people are always included as characters. Some of our friends don’t see their culture or skin color. This project will buy books that will be rotated around all classes at SES, once a week, that start important conversations about kindness, cultures, equity, diversity and being an up stander.
Tally Shanley, Harrison Parkway Elementary
A Place for Chase: Remembering our Friend
Student Impact: 500
The Harrison Parkway Family suffered the sudden loss of 4th grader Chase Absher this year. Many 4th graders have wanted to do something to remember and honor Chase at our school. With some ideas in mind, some students decided to make this memorial happen. They want to install an engraved bench in Chase’s memory on the 4th grade playground near the basketball court. Chase was an avid IU fan, so the basketball court seems like the perfect place. They will order, possibly help build, and dedicate the bench in his memory with the help of some other students.
Naomi Snyder, Cumberland Road Elementary
CRE Dig Pit
Student Impact: 458
The CRE Dig Pit is a place where all students can dig in play and learning. It will allow students to be creative and collaborate with others. The Dig Pit can also be used for outdoor learning opportunities to provide hands-on learning and could continue into the STEM specials. The goal for the CRE Dig Pit is to have a safe place for students to be creative, collaborate with others, and learn through nature.
Eduardo Torres, Fishers High School
Elements of Identity: From the Stage to the Screen
Student Impact: 400
The objective of this project is to combine the students’ understanding of film and stage to create a series of short films. Students will be required to write or select a script. Then they are responsible for producing, directing, acting, and editing the short film. The films will be aired at the Elements of Identity Film Festival on April 29th and 30th. The EOI film festival was designed to interrogate issues of identity, dealing with equity and mental health. Through the arts of writing, acting, and film making students and audiences will develop an enhanced understanding of these issues.
In December 2020, HSEF was proud to virtually surprise these HSE educators with the following grants:
Lauren Avery (HRE) A Breath of Fresh Air: Raising Nature Lovers and Nurtures at HRE
Student Impact: 650
Two outdoor learning libraries will be installed at Hoosier Road Elementary so students can discover, learn and appreciate the natural world around them. Many helpful tools such as field guide books, bug catchers, binoculars and water catchers will help students really dig deep and experience nature in a way that they have never tried before and will leave them wanting to explore more! Relaxation books are also included and teachers can have students relax and learn how to be mindful outdoors.
Alexandra Beiswanger (NBE) Building Connections: An Innovating Approach to Creating Community
Student Impact: 200
In light of recent events, both in the social justice and health arenas, connections are more important than ever; they are critical. Literature has long been a vehicle for readers to find “windows and mirrors” providing a glimpse into lives of characters who may look like them, have similar life experiences, or expand their understanding of the world. Our children are gaining exposure to more diverse text and critical literacy experiences at school, but parent involvement is a missing component. This project will serve as a catalyst to collaborate with families in the creation of a diverse lending library as well as engaging family book club experiences.
Kayla Bleemel (NBE) NBE Nature Learning Center
Student Impact: 645
Through this project, learners of all ages will be cultivating their minds and the outdoor experiential learning environment at New Britton. The purpose is to provide a space for authentic connections to nature through mathematics, movement, community, and emotional wellness. The climate will foster a respect for global perspectives and of indigenous peoples and agriculture.
Janet Chandler (HSEHS) Civics Grant
Student Impact: 44
This project will help provide funding for three different civics programs at HSEHS – We the People Team, Law & Government Academy and Mock Trial Team.
Sherri Cline (FCE) Artists Read in All Colors
Student Impact: 600
This projects will impact current and future students in all grades at Fall Creek Elementary (Kindergarten through 4th grade). The goal is to use grant resources to create open-minded and equitable learning for all students through a permanent literature collection which includes books about artist from around the globe. Students will create art projects inspired by these artist while learning about history and the human experience.
Daniel Fisher (HSEHS) Wacom Cintiq Pro 24
Student Impact: 160
The Wacom Cintiq Pro 24 is a pen display used to create professional quality digital drawings, graphics, and figures (in this case, in Adobe Illustrator and Adobe Photoshop) for Regular/Honors/AP Physics classes, along with the other Physics classes at HSE High School. This drawing tablet allows production of new, original, and professional quality vector and raster graphics for use across all Physics classes.
Erin Grampp (BSE) Reflections of Me
Student Impact: 100
Students need to see themselves in and around the classroom to feel at home and connected to their peers. It is important that they can identify with characters and events that are found in stories shared and available in their learning environment. This project includes a document camera, diverse literature, multi-cultural crayons and mirrors to create read alouds that would take place throughout the year, both virtually and in person. Many of these read alouds would be part of community circles to encourge discussion, sharing, and celebrating of diversity. Students will continue to explore student identity and celebrating all that comes with it by utilizing individual mirrors to admire themselves and create detailed self portraits with multi-cultural crayons to display in the classroom.
Brian Grismore, (FHS) A Breath of Fresh Air
Student Impact: 1000
This project will provide outdoor options for students. This project allows students to have access to camping chairs and lap desks to more effectively have class outside. This project will be useful during COVID-19 restrictions and beyond.
Amber Harling (HRE) Sounds All Around
Student Impact: 557
This project creates a hands-on way for our students to explore sound in our natural environment. This outdoor instrument wall would be adaptable so that students can have the opportunity to explore different sounds with the changing of the seasons or other changes in our school year.
Steve Herman (HSEHS) Physics Lab in a Virtual World
Student Impact: 300
Students will have the opportunity to participate in inquiry style labs using equipment that would allow them to take precise measurements of physics quantities wirelessly. Virtual students and “at school” students could then simultaneously work together to analyze the data and investigate laws of physics all while meeting over zoom.
Kristin Hicks (CRE) Reading, Writing, ‘Rithmatic, and ROBOTICS!
Student Impact: 25
Cumberland Road Elementary students in grades 2-4 will have the opportunity to participate in lessons that integrate the VEX GO classroom robotics kits with their grade level curriculum to learn and practice various skills related to science, coding, engineering, and math. In addition to those skills, students will use the design process and practice many other important skills such as creative and critical thinking, problem solving, and collaboration/team work.
John Hochstetler (RSI) Cardboard 2.0
Student Impact: 450
It’s time to bring those cardboard projects into the 21st century. By incorporating Hummingbird Robotics Kits into these low-tech projects, teachers will be able to not only address the skills of design and engineering, but also address their new computer science standards. Students will be exposed to open-ended problem-solving, complex issues, tinkering, and creativity.
Lisa King (TCE) Marble Run Imagineers
Student Impact: 800
Since learning occurs when students are challenged, collaboration, critical thinking, and perseverance are essential in successful engineering projects. Imagining and designing marble courses promotes these skills and provides students with leadership opportunities. Students are willing and excited to try new designs and work together to find solutions.
Ashley Lansdell (FCE) Monarch Waystation and Garden at FCE
Student Impact: 500
FCE Kindergarten students will build and plant several garden beds to house an official Monarch Waystation. Monarch Waystations are places that provide resources necessary for monarchs to produce successive generations and sustain their migration. Without milkweeds throughout their breeding areas in North America, monarchs would not be able to produce the successive generations that culminate in the migration each fall. Similarly, without nectar from flowers these fall migratory monarch butterflies would be unable to make their long journey to overwintering grounds in Mexico. The need for host plants for larvae and energy sources for adults applies to all butterfly populations.
Marsha Lee (HSEHS) Growing Equitable Vocational Opportunities for Exceptional Learners
Student Impact: 60
Students in the Exceptional Learner Program Classes will use hands on learning to learn about the growth of plants and then learn how to use what they grow in cooking and developing their own business of selling what they grow. The skills used will be transferred to help them obtain employment or volunteer opportunities in businesses that focus on agriculture.
Katy Lee (NBE) NBE Sandbox
Student Impact: 680
Now, more than ever, it is crucial to build a culture of safety in our schools. One of the ways to positively impact social emotional efforts at New Britton Elementary is by developing an area on our outdoor campus into a large sandbox for all students to enjoy. This addition to outdoor learning and play will lend itself to developing emotional regulation, collaboration, connection, critical thinking and growth mindsets, all competencies in which we seek to develop in our students.
Katie Luck (HRE) Catch Us If You Can
Student Impact: 550
Two cameras will be placed to help students observe the existing chicken coop at HRE. One camera will help observe the entire coop and the other will be placed inside the chicken house. The cameras would give provide an opportunity for students to be able to see inside the house and watch the behaviors of the chickens as they lay their eggs. This allows students to study how chicken behaviors change at different times of day or during different seasons, as well as a great way to engage virtual learners into our learning community.
Allison Manion (SCE) SCE City
Student Impact: 700
The SCE City will allow a space on the playground for all students at SCE to use their imaginations and learn through play. Since all students are now required to play in zones at recess, this will give students another fun and interactive space to play and engage with their peers.
Adrienne Moore (NBE) Outdoor Lab
Student Impact: 700
Children greatly benefit developmentally from noticing, playing, wondering, and learning in outdoor spaces. Our Outdoor Lab at New Britton Elementary is a magnificent blank slate yearning for extra love, care, and creativity to nurture both the area and our student’s fullest potential. Kindergarten students have started a project based learning based solely off this space. Their driving question is, “How can we make the Outdoor Lab a more inviting place to learn and play?” They’ve created an idea map that includes a mud kitchen area, a sensory garden, and several food gardens.
Kristen Morgan (HPE) Innovative Learning for the Modern Classroom
Student Impact: 600
HPE is committed to creating a culture of curiosity, providing joyful learning experiences, and connecting the wonder of learning both in-person and virtually. By redefining our instructional practices to address recent changes in our world, we can better support the needs of the whole child. Benefits of this project include the opportunity for better audio/video connection, increased collaboration and social experiences, and precise modeling and demonstration of new skills. The technology tools provided through this grant will help improve and redefine the learning and teaching experience.
Stacy Peters (NBE) Kindergarten Cares about Solar Energy
Student Impact: 21
Children are world changers and we want to learn about solar energy! Throughout this project, students will learn about the sun and the energy it produces, solar panels, and how to use solar energy to power common household objects. Ultimately, students will think about how we can become more environmentally responsible through using renewable energy.
Kristi Smith, HSE Exceptional Learners
Student Impact: 200
Students with special needs rely on various supports, including sensory tools. Typically, students are able to share sensory items within their classroom. In order for our exceptional learners to comply with recommended safety protocols, they will need individual sensory items and fidgets. This project includes sensory item kits for students in the exceptional learning department programs. It includes items such as stress balls, pop tubes, and noodle ropes. These sensory support items have many benefits, including assisting with self-regulation.
Robyn Stout (SCI) Mobile STEM
Student Impact: 845
Given the current times, we need to have materials and learning spaces that are flexible. This project provides a mobile STEM cart that can be loaded with several different materials to take to classrooms. Classes will still visit the STEM Lab, however, having a mobile cart will allow serving more students, more of the school day. It also provides a new Flashforge Inventor 3D Printer. This will allow students to design and print all from their classroom.
SPRING 2020 STUDENT LED GRANTS
HSEF is proud to support innovative ideas from HSE staff and students. We are delighted to announce the HSEF Spring 2020 grant recipients. This was the Foundation’s first student-led grant cycle where students came up with the project ideas and in many instances filled out the grant applications themselves.
Julie Alano (HSEHS) Securing the Future
Student Impact: 100
Students will have the opportunity to expand their knowledge in cybersecurity and take part in ‘packet sniffing’ and ‘packet injection’ activities to adapt to different systems and networks. Students will program Raspberry Pi 4’s using their knowledge of the Linux operating system and create a functional network among the Raspberry Pi’s that they will have in the classroom.
Isabelle Alexander (FHS Student) & Cynthia Baney (FJH)
Hope for Human Trafficking Awareness Campaign
Student Impact: 3,000
The Hope for Human Trafficking event was started by Cynthia and Lauren Baney seven years ago in order to raise awareness about the human trafficking epidemic worldwide. This project will help expand trafficking boundaries and include online exploitation in the area of focus. Specifically, it will to address social media and online methods of exploitation, preventative and proactive methods against trafficking and exploitation, and the inclusion and education of minority populations in trafficking communities.
Mary Auger (HIJH) Math Mates
Student Impact: 2,000
Math Mates provides a unique opportunity for junior high students to work with elementary-aged students in Math. Math Mates will bring math games and creative ideas to share with the younger mathematicians. Learning math is fun, and the joy of learning math is contagious.
Melissa Bock (FES) GaGa Pit Project
Student Impact: 421
Through the GaGa Ball Pit project, students will update materials for the bottom of the pit so that will not be dusty and will dry out faster in wet conditions. This will enhance the student experience for over 400 students at FES because they will be able to once again play a game they love.
Erika Boyd (SES) Growing Love: Learn, Grow, Give
Student Impact: 730
The Tower Garden will use cross-curricular connections to teach students how to use this growing system. Students will be empowered to become ambassadors of the Tower Garden at Southeastern Elementary and in the SES community. The students will actively make decisions about how to use the food grown in our Tower Gardens.
Courtney Cohron (SES) The Visible Child
Student Impact: 736
Feeling a sense of self belonging isn’t always easy. The use of a conversation starter sign and “getting to know you” activities near lunch tables in the cafeteria, along with an elementary friendship focused coloring book, no student will ever feel lonely.
Brooke Daniel (HRE) Outdoor Mindful Space
Student Impact: 650
This project is an outdoor calming space. If students are feeling mad, sad, frustrated or that they need some time to calm down they can use the outdoor calming space. The goal is for people to enjoy this space and feel like they have somewhere to be calm and mindful.
Kristen Faghih (RSI) Building An Outdoor Community at RSI
Student Impact: 1,000
The purpose of our project is to expand the outdoor learning opportunities to all students at RSI, RJH, other HSE schools, and the local community. This project will add informational signs with QR codes for students and visitors to read about the RSI outdoor spaces.
Brandi Farrell (FCE) See the Need, Plant the Seed
Student Impact: 45
See the Need Plant the Seed project is a student driven project beginning with the FCE community by adding to the FCE nature trail with words of encouragement on signs throughout the trail to inspire a better state of emotions and a clear mind while connecting with nature.
Teri Folta (RJH) Egg Crash Dummies
Student Impact: 500
This student-led and designed science project uses wood, wheels, axel materials, hot glue, plastic eggs and other junk drawer materials to build a car that can protect an egg (the dummy) in a crash simulation. This project focuses on Newton’s three laws, speed, velocity, acceleration and drag, while practicing collaboration skills by working in a group. As future drivers, students also learn about the importance and functionality of safety features in cars like seatbelts.
Jennifer Gabbard (TCE) TCE Recycles
Student Impact: 800
This project will add recycling bins in prominent locations in the school so other students and staff can practice recycling. Through the regular and systematic practice of recycling together at TCE, we will show kindness to the Earth.
Sue Gaudreau (BSE) BSE Mud Kitchen
Student Impact: 850
These first graders identified that there was a problem with a lack of interactive outdoor learning opportunities and materials. They brainstormed new playground and outdoor learning equipment, and they discovered a need for an updated creative play area. This area will promote problem solving, creativity, communication, and responsibility among our school community. The Mud Kitchen will also be used to help students learn about measurement, states of matter, and other health benefits that come with playing outdoors and with natural materials.
Erin Grampp (BSE) HEXBUG STEM Fun: Coding Challenge for Kinders
Student Impact: 22
Kindergarten students will have endless opportunities to practice their coding skills by creating paths for their Hexbugs to travel. It will require teamwork and problem-solving skills to determine how to create ways to make the Hexbugs travel left, right, or straight ahead. The materials requested in this grant are reusable, allowing them to be used by students for years to come!
Elizabeth Helms (HPE) Coffee Cart
Student Impact: 13
Faculty/Staff Impact: 80
The FOCUS Program at Harrison Parkway provides an act of service to teachers and staff with the offering of a weekly Coffee Cart. The cart allows students to transfer their learning and move out of the self-contained classroom to submerge themselves within the school building alongside their peers. Students are able to communicate with teachers and work on progress towards their individualized goals and social emotional learning skills. This cart provides a service to teachers as well as an authentic opportunity for students to practice what they have been taught in social skills.
Shannon Herring (RSI) Bring Dash to RSI
Student Impact: 980
This project will help expand students’ knowledge of the coding field through a singular Dash, and a Wonder Pack for the online store; Wonder Workshop. These robots will help expand creativity through new games and improve teamwork by doing cooperative games and programming together.
Susan Hillman (LRE) Once Upon a Robot
Student Impact: 23
Students will be creating a robot based on their fairy/folk tale characters from their writing. Initially, students will learn about the elements of folktales and fairytales and how many of the stories have deep cultural ties. Then the class will create their own story using the elements of traditional literature. Stories will be published using a format of their choice and students will design their own robot using the kits.
Natalie Hines (NBE) Clean Water and Zero Waste: Bottle Refilling Station
Student Impact: 726
By providing students with a way to easily fill a reusable water bottle these fourth graders are hoping that they can cut down on the amount of plastic water bottles that are brought to school or sold in the cafeteria at New Britton Elementary.
Jaime Howard (SES) Innovation and Beyond
Student Impact: 200
Technology and STEM materials will be used to extend student possibilities and learning beyond the walls of Southeastern Elementary. Through providing students with hands on technology such as Osmo and other coding resources, student will be exposed to authentic, real world experiences that allow them to deepen their knowledge and prepare them for 21st century learning.
Cari Hudson (FCI) Foreign Language Exploration
Student Impact: 909
Knowing children learn foreign languages better and faster than adults, and to prepare students to choose a foreign language to study in grade eight or nine, FCI will dedicate time exposing students to Spanish, French, and German. By sharing foreign language facts and words on morning announcements and adding books about foreign language to the library’s collection, students will have learning opportunities in each of the world languages offered at Fall Creek Junior High.
Dana Huffer (SES) “Pause for Paws”
Student Impact: 50
Students are recreating simple machines to help the Hamilton County Humane Society with the cats and dogs mental and physical health. When the pets become undepressed, cats and dogs will have a better life in and out of the Humane Society. Our goal is to get the pets adopted!
Heather Jahn (FCI) #PassionCut
Student Impact: 55
Project based learning allows students to learn through inquiry and utilize practical skills like cooperation that are reinforced with this project. These future entrepreneurs would like to manage businesses along with community partners like the City of Fishers BizKidz Farmer’s Market Day. The Cricut 3D plotter/cutter will help us create student designed projects that cover technology academic standards, but also allows students to raise funds for charitable organizations in the community
Leslie Johnson (RJH) English as a New Language (ENL) Student Library
Student Impact: 100
Students who are learning English as a new language lack reading material in their native languages. It is extremely important that these students continue to read in their native language while learning English so that their reading comprehension levels do not stagnate or decrease. Students will have challenging books to read in their native language until they progress to reading texts in English.
Kelly Lattal (HRE) HRE Student Garden
Student Impact: 45
Third graders will grow vegetables for our school and community. The idea is to partner with our chickens and bees and sell eggs and lip balm at our HRE market, so that students can learn about business and marketing.
Niki Monkul (SES) In ‘N Out Book Swap
Student Impact: 800
Students will help build and develop book swap mailboxes. Locations are anticipated to include School House 7 cafe and the playground at Southeastern Elementary for those within the community.
Katie Norton (SES) It’s Digging Time
Student Impact: 600
When they are outside, all these Kindergarten students want to do is dig for worms, plant pretend flowers, and dig a big hole! Their imaginations go wild when they can dig as deep as they want. Every recess, students go out in the grassy area looking for insects, rocks, or anything they can discover. This digging pit will allow students to dig for their own treasures, make big holes, and use their imaginations.
Jessica Renner (FES) FES Garden Project
Student Impact: 421
The world changers in Room 8 seek to inspire our school and community by creating an interactive, multi-sensory garden that will be an epicenter for learning, discovery, and tranquility at Fishers Elementary.
Vince Scott (TCE) Thorpe Creek Orchard
Student Impact: 700
The Thorpe Creek Orchard is an innovative outdoor learning space that provides students an opportunity to observe and facilitate the growth of various fruit bearing plants. This student led project gives real world meaning to math, science, and social studies concepts outside of the traditional classroom setting.
Michelle Smit (TCE) TCE Digging Place
Student Impact: 736
This project was inspired by a study trip to Ritchey Woods where they have a dedicated space for digging. This project will provide students with a place where they can safely dig, get messy and have different outdoor experience.
Melanie Smith (BSE) Zero Hunger Heroes
Student Impact: 24
This project is about saving kids who don’t have enough to eat. Through UNICEF Kid Power Bands for every 25,000 steps, students will unlock a therapeutic food packet for those in need. Students will learn as the track data each day, while making an enormous difference throughout the world.
Christa Stevenson (SES) An “Egg-cellent” Experience
Student Impact: 56
Science is embedded everywhere, so students want to have an up-close experience learning about our life science and measurement standards. Students have a natural curiosity about living things in the world around them. By having incubators and related equipment to do an embryology unit student will have a direct experience with the life cycle process, and they feel learning is best with hands on experiences. Students will be able to guide their learning through observations, experiments, measuring, data collection, and journaling within the embryology unit.
Meg Strnat (SES) The Passable Bridge to the Impassable Area 51Student Impact: 735
Students will be using the Engineering Process to develop a plan for a bridge at Southeastern Elementary. They will be developing all of the plans related to the project to construct this new structure for all of the students at the school to use.
Christi Thomas (GES) A Community Building, Self-Regulation and Joy Providing School Wide Aquarium
Student Impact: 670
This fish aquarium for Geist Elementary School is something that all staff and students can enjoy while learning about different types of fish and their habitat. The fish tank is centrally located and will be used as a calming device, teaching resource, and community building model for all to take care of and maintain.
Wendi Washburn (HRE) Mirror, Mirror by the Bathroom
Student Impact: 692
This student-led project will involve hanging mirrors outside of our bathrooms above the sinks. HRE students worked with the facilities department to do a site visit and developed a proposal to bring mirrors to their school. The students indicated that this will improve students’ confidence and make them feel better above themselves.
FALL 2019 GRANT RECIPIENTS
Marcia Abraham (FCE) Mindful Music
Student Impact: 600
“Mindful Music” is a program to combine music and tactile manipulatives to create mindfulness. Mindfulness is a tool that can be used every day to reduce negative emotions and stress, help focus and tune out distractions, Music has a powerful impact on our moods and emotions. Tactile manipulatives decrease stress, increase focus and concentration, and improve fine motor skills. The goal of combining both of these into “Mindful Music” is to create tools for students to regulate their emotions, manage their stress more effectively and decrease anxiety.
Laurie Boykin (FCI): Innovative Sphero STEM Units
Student Impact: 900
The Sphero STEM challenge project will empower students to develop scientific thinking through creative problem solving and authentic collaboration. Spheros can be used to inspire creativity because they can be used in seemingly endless ways, and students develop critical 21st century skills. The Sphero project is innovative because it starts with specific engineering design challenges and progresses to student-created challenges.
Lindsey Bradshaw (HIJH): Birds Galore!
Student Impact: 12
This real-life experience will give our FAP students the knowledge of what birds are around them, what they eat, and how they interact with their environments. The key objective for this project is to provide our FAP kids with a way to connect to the outdoors even when it’s cold out, to participate in Citizen Science Projects with people all over the world, and get to dissect something like their peers in the general education program. This will enhance their student experience because we see how much they like to build, take apart, observe, document, and apply their learning.
Heather Butz (SCI): Let’s Go eVRywhere!
Student Impact: 50
Students will use Oculus Quest virtual reality devices to explore and interact with places throughout the world and history. From the Acropolis and Parthenon in Ancient Greece, to the Colosseum in Ancient Rome to the construction of Notre Dame in Medieval Europe to touring Anne Frank’s house during the Holocaust…the destinations and connections are endless!
Janet Chandler (HSEHS): Civics Education/We The People
Student Impact: 61
Student experiential learning would be enhanced by this grant as it goes to defray cost of programming in civic education. We the People is a co-curricular program to encourage civil discourse and civic engagement.
Lauren Doran (SCI): Connect Classroom to World
Student Impact: 110
This project leverages video conferencing technology to build global partnerships to help students to build empathy, understand and appreciate cultural diversity, and understand global issues. Global connections with other classrooms allows students to connect with others through shared literacy experiences and project-based learning. Students can build relationships and find their place in the world by traveling virtually anywhere on the globe without ever leaving our classroom.
Maria Dorsel (HIJH): Learning-To Infinity and Beyond
Student Impact: 1200
The project is directly related to the science standards as they relate to Space Science and STEM. Revolve around the sun and explore the planets! Discover space history and important STEM concepts. Bring the universe to students with this brightly colored map that illustrates the inner and outer planets, a portion of the sun, orbital paths and a timeline.
Erin Duros (DES): DES HUB
Student Impact: 375
A library should be the hub of a school where there are opportunities and tools available to meet the needs of our diverse learners. The space goes beyond checking out books and instead should be a place for innovative change. These seven design studios within the library becomes a gathering space for collaboration, innovation, and authentic learning opportunities.
Jeff Fronius (FHS): Engineering Class Modernization
Student Impact: 400
This project incorporates four current technology robot brains and associated controllers and sensors for teams of students to learn through robotics. The learning will include programming for machine control, control feedback loops, and kinematics. This new equipment will help keep up with changes in technology and increased interest in engineering classes at Fishers High School, which are at the highest enrollment in the school’s history.
Johanna Gianforte (FHS): Making an Imprint on Society
Student Impact: 65
Printmaking is an innovative artform dating back to 105 A.D. with modern applications used in many forms including amongst graphic design companies. This new class will be a valuable resource to students hoping to pursue a career in visual arts. These new gelli plates will help with the instruction of monotype printmaking, one of the first more introductory types of printmaking.
Madeline Hennessy (FJH/HIJH): A Natural Approach to French
Student Impact: 93
The CI classroom methods deepen student learning and open more doors for our learners down the road by making the classroom a more fun and engaging place. Through student voice and student choice, these students will be prepared to enter the world as global citizens, developing abilities that will prepare them to make connections with people around the world.
Kristin Hicks and Finae Rent (CRE): CRE Sharing Bookshelves
Student Impact: 570
Through a Global Goals project, students collaborated to set up a Little Free Library outside of CRE as well as some local neighborhoods. These Little Free Libraries will house books that can be borrowed, traded, owned or replaced by any children that want or need a new book to read.
John Hochstetler (RSI): Drone On
Student Impact: 500
Students will learn coding with drones by creating a safe enclosed environment using the 9 Square in the Air Game Equipment. Netting will be added to the frame of the game and obstacles will be added to increase the challenge level.
Jennifer Jacks (SCE): Get Your Mind Ready
Student Impact: 678
The Mind Yeti program is designed to help children practice mindfulness. Mindfulness, a subset of social-emotional skills currently being taught through the Second Steps program, helps improve student attention, perspective taking and empathy, increase sharing and including others, and helps decrease aggression and signs of depression. Utilizing Mind Yeti for all students K-4 at SCE will lead students and staff through sessions which are designed to help children practice mindfulness.
Johanna Kitchell (RJH): Going the Distance with Healthy Hawks
Student Impact: 85
This project will add a way for students who don’t otherwise have a phone or smartwatch app to actually track their running distance and empower them to take more control of their training. Adding these pedometers also provides opportunities for student equity and access in training.
Sara Larkins, Brittany Sugg, Erin Mohr (FES): You Belong Here Buddy Bench
Student Impact: 7,913
This project will create, design, and build buddy benches for any HSE elementary school that currently doesn’t have one. A buddy bench is a place you go when you need a friend at recess. If a peer sees someone on the buddy bench, they might come and ask that student to play. This will encourage everyone to feel welcome and like they belong!
Amy McDuffee (SCE): Microscopes for iPads
Student Impact: 650
These mini microscopes that attach to iPads will help students observe flowers and leaves in the SCE garden with a detailed viewpoint and take pictures of these observations. Students can learn a lot from being able to see the intricate details of a natural object when viewed under magnification. The microscopes will do much to influence their view of the world they cannot see with the naked eye and combine science and art with mindful observation.
Amy Murch (Conner Prairie Teacher-in-Residence): Classroom Connections for Adventures on the Prairie
Student Impact: 1,700
This project will help extend the learning experiences of all fourth grade HSE students created while at Conner Prairie travel back to the classrooms. These kits will encourage students to ignite a curiosity and wonder prior to visiting Conner Prairie and the outdoor classroom. Students from all over the district will be able to connect, reflect, challenge and spark a natural connection with fellow 4th grade students.
Todd Niswander (CRE): Rigamajig Workshop
Student Impact: 600
Rigamajig Workshop is a large-scale wooden building kit for open-ended cooperative play and exploration. Rigamajig encourages curiosity and cognitive thinking through play utilizing wooden planks, nuts and bolts. Students will be creators, using their imagination, to build structures and simple machines from the Rigamajig materials. Through collaboration, students will practice and develop problem solving, communication, teamwork, and adaptability.
Kayla Pippenger (FCI): Traveling the World to Create Cultural Awareness
Student Impact: 167
Humanities class interweaves reading, writing workshops, social emotional learning, and social studies. Virtual reality headsets will allow interactive movement and allow for students to view places and things all over the world in 3D, enhancing cultural understanding, global awareness, and historical awareness in our classrooms. These headsets also allow teachers new ways to present works of literature and related topics.
Jennifer Regelski (HSEHS): Integrated Chemistry and Physics on Mars-a PBL Approach
Student Impact: 140
Students will work in collaborative teams in a project-based learning environment. The students will be tasked with setting up a colony on Mars and will need to use problem-solving and critical thinking skills to complete various tasks and challenges centered around the physics and chemistry standards that are traditionally taught in Integrated Chemistry and Physics.
Bob Rice (HSE Energy Manager): Renewable Energy Interactive Display
Student Impact: 22,000
Kids and adults can light up a model of the electric grid using hydropower, wind, and solar generation. This interactive mobile power lab will potentially put renewable power generation into the hands of all 22,000 students of Hamilton Southeastern.
Allie Rogowski, Heather Skaggs, Carolyn Porzuczek (BSE): Imagineering an Animatronic Robot
Student Impact: 75
Students will rally together to build their own robots from scratch. The students will design, build with recycled materials, and completely wire and code their own unique robot. Using this inquiry driven process, students will develop real world skills, as well as deepen their understanding of academic content.
Amanda Scott (HFA): The Academy Wellness Education Program
Student Impact: 135
Substance and vaping use is a growing problem among students. Through this class, students will learn more about common substances being used, healthy coping mechanisms, and ways to help both themselves and those around them.
Leah Ann Self (HSEHS): Create, Enhance, and Innovate with Cricut
Student Impact: 150
Cricut use is limitless and will help enhance student learning by creating projects and posters for the classroom as well as for group assignments within Fashion and Textiles courses. Students will be able to see their innovations on the computer become reality as they learn how to manufacture and enhance their designs.
Kelly Steiner (FES): Building Community Through Sensory Opportunities
Student Impact: 416
This project promotes authentic play, inquiry, collaborative and problem-solving opportunities aligned with HSE21 through a sand exploration table. With the power of a child’s imagination the sand table can be an archeological dig, a bakery, an art studio, and an experiment on friction at the same time.
Robyn Stout (SCI): Robotics for ALL Students!
Student Impact: 945
The STEM curriculum provided by Vex-IQ can be weaved into many of the curriculum areas but not limited to language arts, math, science, and computer science. Robots and arenas will support whole class activities as well as the robotics team.
Emily Stout (RSI): RSI Podcasting Cart
Student Impact: 1,000
Podcasting stations will be available for students to script, create and record their own podcasts based on current curricular needs and eventually moving on to student created podcasts based on interests.
Jessica Sullivan (FCI): Finding Coherence: Connecting Heart, Mind, and Emotions
Student Impact: 30
Using the Smart Brain Wise Heart™ program in conjunction with the advanced emWave® technology, students will be able to actually see how their body is responding in both moments of stress and calm. This curriculum will allow staff members to provide a targeted intervention to students who have high needs in areas such as emotional dysregulation, impulse control, or anxiety.
Sarah Tappendorf (SES): Environment as a Third Teacher: Let Me Explore the World Outside
Student Impact: 56
This field study and provocation kit will allow students to use the environment outside the classroom walls as a third teacher, giving them an authentic opportunity to engage and explore nature. Students with all types of learning styles will be able to share their findings via note-taking, sketching, researching, and presentations.
Benjamin Wyss (FHS): Wireless Stylus
Student Impact: 1,500
The student experience will be enhanced through the efficiency of the teacher going through the lesson with this stylus. Due to the increase in efficiency, teachers will have more time during class to help students that may need extra attention at the conclusion of the lesson.
2018-2019 GRANT RECIPIENTS
Vince Scott (TCE) Thorpe Creek Orchard
Student Impact: 900
This student designed outdoor learning environment will allow students to study plants and wildlife. Fruit bearing trees can be utilized by students and staff at Thorpe Creek, as well as a dedicated outdoor workspace. Students are motivated to ensure there is a snack available for all students.
Sherri Cline (FCE): Petite Printmakers
Student Impact: 631
Elementary artists will experiment with the exciting process of printmaking through the use of Gelli printing plates. Gelli plates are a durable, reusable and easy to clean printing surface made from synthetic gelatin.
Lauren Driskell (FCI): Magnify & Amplify Podcast
Student Impact: 55
Students will work to create, write, produce and edit weekly podcasts examining history through a lens of equity and social justice. Students will learn to converse with each other in a meaningful, brave and safe way.
Daniel Renckly (FCI): Lost on Mars
Student Impact: 108
Students will design and program a robot to save a lost astronaut on Mars using problem solving, engineering and on board computer programming. Students will be faced with an alien environment that contains the lost astronaut. As engineers at mission control, they will design and program a robot to rescue the lost astronaut.
Kate Spanke (FHS): Calming Room for Trauma-Informed Student Care
Student Impact: 50
The FHS Focus Resource program will create a calming area to support students with emotional disabilities. These students will benefit from a space where they can utilize coping strategies and return to classroom activities more prepared to learn.
Adam Mitschelen (HSEHS): Cheating at Games with Nontransitive Dice
Student Impact: 500
Students will discuss probability using nontransitive dice to beat their friends at games and learn to make decisions based on logic and most likely outcomes.
Katie Norton (HRE): Endless Possibilities-Virtual Reality Technology for Student led Projects
Student Impact: 120
Inspired by the Unconference, student led topics will use virtual reality to allow students to be immersed in nature, a job/skill, or an experience.
Jeremiah Follis (HSEHS): Olio Road Productions in Film Making
Student Impact: 1,000
Olio Road Productions will utilize new film equipment to create an original feature length film, which will be shown at Hamilton 16 IMAX theater, Leonard Auditorium and submitted to film festivals.
Deborah Kletch (FJH): Invisible World
Student Impact: 550
Bringing in examples of digital microscopes and different types of specimen can increase student understanding and excitement related to STEM fields, especially public health and biology.
Carolyn Porzuczek and Maria Kussy (BSE): Books Should Include EVERYONE!
Student Impact: 885
This project will provide students with rich children’s literature that showcase stories of inclusiveness and strong diverse characters. Student drives inquiry projects will guide this long term goal of inclusiveness. Collaboration with a Ball State University immersive learning project “Rethinking Children’s Literature” will prove Brooks School students opportunities to share books, discussions and reflections.
Jackie Renick (TCE): TCE Exploration Space
Student Impact: 900
To the naked eye, the basin outside Thorpe Creek may look like an overgrown area with plants and wildflowers. But for this project it provides a home to countless opportunities to study birds, insects, plants native to Indiana, trees and water.
Janie Ulmer (HFA): Academy Enterprises: Learning Through Business and Philanthropy
Student Impact: 135
Alternative education students are often disengaged from the traditional school model. To increase employability skills, Academy students are required to participate in work based learning projects. This enterprise project will sell items that are chosen or created by Academy students and include a designated local charity for the profits.
Stacy Peters (NBE): K is for Coding
Student Impact: 140
Inspired by the Unconference, this project will provide naturally curious Kindergarteners hands on opportunities to code through active play. Coding promotes problem solving, logical thinking, sequencing, and experimenting to create paths and commands to be followed.
Jason Young (FCI): M&Ms-Musers and Makers
Student Impact: 65
This project will develop a collaborative play and STEAM center for students. Students will use task cards to guide them in their “tinkering” and creating. Students will have a safe place to explore, learn and make high-tech or no-tech projects that foster the development of 21st century learning skills.
Julie Alano (HSEHS): Cybersecurity
Student Impact: 115
The Internet of Things is all around us-in our homes, in our cars and in the classroom. Smart devices are all over and they can be a threat to cybersecurity. By working with connected devices, students will be able to understand the possible threats.
Heather Wing (DES): Empowering Students Through Diverse Literature
Student Impact: 430
Providing a collection of diverse literature for teachers and staff to utilize will help address topics such as diversity, racial bias, discrimination and social justice. These books will support teachers and staff address these topics in a positive and powerful way.
Megan Ewing (HSEHS): Board Games to Enhance Learning
Student Impact: 180
Board games offer a unique and different way for students to not only learn new content, but also problem solve using critical thinking and teamwork. These new, updated games offer amazing artwork, strategy and challenges that focus on themes such as weather, climate and space.
Daniel Reddan (FHS): Wave Demonstration Tank
Student Impact:400
This wave tank will give students a hands on approach to understanding properties of waves, wave motion, ocean currents and tsunamis. The goal is to inspire students to understand the physical world around them using this state of the art wave tank.
Christi Thomas (Administration/GES): HSE Safe Schools: District Reunification and Building Level Safety Kits
Student Impact: 22,000
District level reunification kits and safety kits will aid in reunifying students and families, as well as provide resources such as immediate medical equipment and organizational resources to all schools, in the event of a crisis. The master kit will provide essential management and communication tools to assist in streamlining the reunification process and minimize additional stress in a crisis situation.
Jennifer Suskovich (SCI): Classroom Makerspace for Pop Up Museum Creation and Real World Job Month in May
Student Impact: 120
Inspired by the Unconference, students will be running many different jobs and projects for a nature trail project. The makerspace will allow for small prototypes to be created and tested in the classroom.
Laura Moos (TCE): Barefoot Sensory Path
Student Impact: 900
This barefoot sensory path is an innovative approach to self-regulation. Students will be free to explore this natural approach to learning and will be empowered to regulate through social and emotional wellness techniques.
Cristie Ondrejack (FES): Makerspace Treehouse
Student Impact: 484
Building a “treehouse”, along with a mural wall in the media center will divide the library from the MakerSpace from both visual and sound distractions. This structure will be a collaborative learning space for all students.
Kelli Servizzi (Early Childhood): Fabulous Fidgits for Little Fingers
Student Impact: 360
Fidgit walls provide sensory input for students of all needs. The walls are specially designed to combine a range of stimuli in helping children develop and engage their senses. They can include lights, colors, sounds, soft play objects and aromas, all within a safe space that allows students using it to explore and interact without risk.
Sara Larkins (FES): In My Feelings Art Show
Student Impact: 41
Following a Guiding All Kids goal of bringing awareness to students about ways to reduce stress and cope with their feelings, this art show will include a service project that has students creating art to raise funds for mental health awareness. Students will also experience an assembly from a local foundation promoting students managing their feelings and stress.
Todd Niswander (CRE): Imagination Playground at Cumberland Road Elementary
Student Impact: 600
Imagination Playground is a play system that turns any classroom or learning space into collaborative play experience. These blocks encourage students to design their own play while developing skills in communication, collaboration, critical thinking and creativity.
Amy Heath (TCE): 21st Century Storytellers
Student Impact: 25
Students will use storytelling kits to create narrative stories with Lego manipulatives. Students will make their stories come to life using apps to share with other students and families. These kits help students develop characters, plots, character reactions and settings through oral storytelling and narrative plot structure.
Brooke Lawson (Administration): Social Emotional Learning-District Alignment
Student Impact: 750
Social emotional learning curriculum Second Steps will be expanded to align with the rest of the district and include students and staff at the new Southeastern Elementary School, as well as FOCUS programs and a training kit.
Janet Chandler (HSEHS): Civics Education
Student Impact: 50
Civics education is promoted through Law & Government Academy interns, two mock trial teams, and the We the People class. Mock trial teaches critical thinking and public speaking. We the People team is a co-curricular class that teachers legal research skills, critical thinking and public speaking. Students gain networking opportunities with legal professionals and compete in regional and state competitions.
Adam Jahn (FCI): Our Students Strive to be a “CUT” above Mediocrity
Student Impact: 800
A GlowForge laser printer/plotter/cutter will enable students to create life-size 3D models, prototypes and masterpieces to bring alive entrepreneurial spirit to their own creations. Along with the computer science standards covered with technology, this project based learning design will motivate students to excel through the creative disciplines of the arts intertwined with engineering.
Katie Luck (SCE): Amygdala First Aid Station
Student Impact: 23
This first aid station for the brain will help students figure out and reduce their stressors, learn what it feels like to be calm and focused, as well as develop strategies to get back to calm when a stressor is presented. Giving brain breaks and focused attention practices will help students cope with stress, self-regulate and focus on their learning.
Wendy Holsman (RSI): Student Choice: Ukelele Edition!
Student Impact: 980
A portion of the music curriculum is based on student choice where classrooms are more like studios and students decide what instrument to focus on. Ukuleles will be offered as a choice for students at Riverside Intermediate. The opportunity for students to choose what interests them gives them freedom to move music of varying levels of difficulty, thereby learning at their own pace.
Jenifer Shults (FCI): We Are One
Student Impact: 1,000
Members of the equity team at FCI want to embark on a journey to broaden their knowledge about equity and share their understandings with colleagues. We Are One is an initiative partially funded by the Lilly Endowment Comprehensive Counseling Fund that will strengthen FCI’s identity safe environment by developing the cultural fluency of educators in the building.
Kimberly Pelton (RSI): HSE Deaf/Hard of Hearing Connections
Student Impact: 30
This project will provide successful events for Deaf/Hard of Hearing students that will give opportunities to connect with other students.
Brian Behrman (RSI): #HSEFutureReady Unconference Mini Grants
Student Impact: 300
Many times when teachers attend professional development, they find that the most valuable part of their learning is the time to interact. Unconference is designed around teachers sharing and voting on ideas they want to learn more about. Mini grants allow teachers to think about how they might take their own learning from the Unconference and apply it in their classroom in innovative ways.
Sara Curran (TCE): No Stress Chess
Student Impact: 900
Using this fun new way to learn chess without stress, these unique sets help students learn the rules of chess with an innovative deck of action cards. Students play math games during balanced math workshop to develop conceptual understanding of mathematic principles.
Courtney Cohron (HPE): HP Engineers
Students Impact: 600
This project allows more Harrison Parkway students the opportunity to engage STEM education by participating in the HP Engineers Robotics Team. This program will give students, including several female students, a hands on robotics program at a young age to ignite their curiosity and explore the fascinating subjects of STEM.
Lauren Doran (SCI): Podcasting- Listen and Create
Student Impact: 150
Using this new form of storytelling, students will have the opportunity to listen to and create their own podcasts. They will analyze and critique podcasts in order to identify qualities that create engaging content for listeners.
Erin Duros (DES): Bags Galore!
Student Impact: 430
Art studio bags provide children the opportunity to create, explore and innovate with materials at home alongside their families. The bags are multi-disciplinary and provide students more opportunities to experience nature and embrace curiosities. This project also includes outdoor backpacks for students to use at Durbin’s outdoor nature lab and recess time.
Marc Williams (FHS): Tiger Music Producers Club
Student Impact: 3500
This program is designed to provide a structured space for emerging electronic music producers to produce their craft. Through this adventure, young people can learn basic to advanced techniques of electronic music production.
Brooke Lawson (Admin): Bringing Mindfulness to RJH
Student Impact: 944
This project allows RJH to bring mindfulness implemented at the intermediate level to the junior high. Mindfulness can then be implemented into curriculum either through social emotional learning, mindful moments or wellness.
Jagga Rent (HSEHS): Black Student Union
Student Impact: 70
The goal of the Black Student Union is to celebrate the African American culture, to educate HSE stakeholders about the culture and to unify our school campus through programming. This project will support student programming and marketing efforts including a mentoring program with Hoosier Road Elementary.
Robin Young (HIJH): Mankind is our Business
Student Impact: 200
This student-driven, service-based learning project encourages students to see that they can have an impact on our world. As future philanthropists, students will learn more about the world around them, see the needs in our community, and out of their abundance help meet the needs of those around them by creating their own non profits.
Kristen Faghih (RIS): Riverside Hawks: Save the Bees!
Student Impact: 1900
Two outdoor hives and one indoor observation hive and plants present an opportunity to enhance life science experiences & concepts that goes beyond a digital interaction. This brings ongoing opportunities for students to investigate and problem solve ecological issues that affect the bees and other species that support our ecosystems.
2017-2018 GRANT RECIPIENTS
Kelli Servizzi (BSE) Making Math Child’s Play
Student Impact: 250
Fun, intentional, and engaging math experience in preschool matter. For 3- to 5-year olds, most of their learning occurs through opportunities to play. Math can be seen on the playground, during music and movement, in the dramatic play area, and at home. Math take-home bags can extend learning and involve families in their children’s education.
Lori Smith (FCE) Mobile Learning Lab
Student Impact: 625
Students are future artists, mathematicians, scientists, architects, explorers, programmers, and specialist of the future. This project creates an innovation lab to add to the related arts rotation.
Julie Vairo (FCE) Fall Creek Community Trail
Student Impact: 634
This will create an accessible trail in the wooded area behind Fall Creek Elementary. Students will gather for instruction and create a wetlands area with board walk access. Supported by Tri Kappa, Boy Scouts, and Hamilton County Parks Department. This project may be eligible for district matching funds.
Lisa Harvey, Kristen Beinecke, and Susan Galliher (GES) Great Gator Outdoor Learning Project
Student Impact: 800
Student led project to create an outdoor “excavation” site. Students will experiment with moving soil around to effect the path of water, using collaboration and cooperation. Exploration will continue in the areas of environmental science, process in nature, and paleontology. This project may be eligible for district matching funds.
Erin Duros (HRE) Anything you can dream, you can weave
Student Impact: 700
This project fosters confidence for all students to be artists while providing hands-on learning, critical thinking, visual thinking, and collaboration. Students will unleash the inner artist in students – even those who don’t feel artistic.
Jamie Howard (HRE) Beekeepers
Student Impact: 700
Pollinators are vital to creating and maintaining the habitats and ecosystems that many animals rely on for food and shelter. This student-led, inquiry project encourages students to investigate honey bees culminating in the three phases of project work. Study will include developing questions, studying habitat and bee behavior, and documenting learning.
Lori Mankin (NBE) Nature’s Classroom
Student Impact: 300
Greenspace provides the perfect natural environment for tying together important work in the district. Nature’s classroom promotes authentic play, inquiry, collaborative and community-based opportunities aligned with HSE21. This project may be eligible for district matching funds.
Angel Myers (NBE) I Want to Be an Engineer!
Student Impact: 25
This project welcomes young learners to the field of engineering. Children will be engaged in collaboration, communication, creativity and critical thinking. The hands-on experience will help students move through a design process creating a positive first interaction with STEM.
Bryan Alig (SCI) Shark for Sharks
Student Impact: 971
A 325 hundred gallon salt water aquarium has been installed for students to student a living environment.
Jennifer Suskovich (SCI) Light My Class with Solar Energy
Student Impact: 110
Student Led Philanthropy Project – Zimmerman Moeller Fund
Students will use solar energy to power the lights in the classroom. Using knowledge of seasonal daylight movement, students will investigate the locations that provided the maximum amount of solar energy.
Amy Knerr and Michelle Bunnell (RSI) We the People
Student Impact: 160
We the People promotes civil competence and responsibility for HSE humanities students. This project brings the famed program to the intermediate level.
Daniel Loomis (FCJH) Treadmill
Student Impact: 800
Regular exercise aids the classroom in that students who regularly exercise perform better academically, sleep better and are sick less often. This project will begin to build a cardio room at Fall Creek Junior High.
Adam Brown (FCJH) Human Battlegrounds
Student Impact: 125
Students will explore the microbial world of viruses, bacteria, and parasites as well as how they interact with the human body and its defenses. Students will have the chance to grow bacteria, learn how to identify them by real life lab processes and formulate testable hypotheses.
Nick Tschuor (FCJH) New Digital Media
Student Impact: 500
This project will facilitate the creation of a digital media class at the junior high level providing authentic classroom demonstrations, differentiation, and collaboration with fellow students and educators.
Cindy Baney (FJH) Operation Choir Festival
Student Impact: 700
Traditional choir contests do not foster a growth mindset among musicians as it is a “one and done.” This festival approach is designed to encourage interaction between performers and vetted choral experts including Ryan Alwardt, HSE Alumni and Straight No Chaser performer. The experience will culminate with a performance demonstrated what students have learned.
Elizabeth Good (FHS) Project Lead the Way Upgrade
Student Impact: 400
Through problems that engage and challenge, students explore a broad range of engineering topics including mechanisms, the strength of structures and materials, and automation. The program’s courses engage students in compelling, real-world challenges that help them become better collaborators and thinkers. Students take from the courses in-demand knowledge and skills they will use in high school and for the rest of their lives, on any career path.
Jennifer Pope (FHS) Focused Success
Student Impact: 50
One of the key factors in sustained focus is the need for body movement. This project incorporates the use of standing desks, seating discs, and standing pads into the classroom to improve focus and alertness.
Janet Chandler (HSEHS) We the People
Student Impact: 60
We the People and Mock Trial team allow students to immerse themselves in the Constitution, law, government and civics education.
Jagga Rent (HSEHS) Black Student Union
Student Impact: 25 – 3400
The goal of the Black Student Union is to celebrate the African American culture, to educate HSE stakeholders about the culture and to unify our school campus through programming. This project will support student programming and marketing efforts including a mentoring program with Hoosier Road Elementary.
David Young (HSEHS) HSE Student Media
Student Impact: 30
This project expands school and community connections by developing a streaming sports broadcasting program. Students will gain hands-on knowledge of mass media, journalism, photojournalism, newsroom production and broadcast journalism.
2016-2017 GRANT RECIPIENTS
Inviting teachers to lead innovations results in high impact projects that fuel student engagement. With the support of the Fishers community, HSSF is proud to be able to support approximately 85% of proposals submitted by faculty and staff! Please meet our 2016 teacher leaders and their projects!
Kelly Hogan, Robyn Stout, Jami Wiegan (DES) for Sphero- yeah!
Student Impact: 400
Sphero is a robotic ball that introduces various apps and coding to students. Students can program the device through a wide range of motions such as tilting, rolling, and turning at various speeds and angles. Spheros are a collaborative way for students to authentically investigate the HSE 21 initiative and apply S.T.E.A.M. (Science. Technology. Engineering. Art. Mathematics) concepts. Students, kindergarten through fourth grade, will have learn through a hands-on 21st century experience.
Erin Duros and Danielle Thompson (FCE) for 3rd Teacher
Student Impact: 110 kindergarten students annually
Third teacher is an expansion of an outdoor learning environment. Erin and Danielle believe that all children are capable, competent, and curious. It is their mission to empower our learners, through investigation, inquiry and play, to believe that all things are possible. Borrowing from the Reggio Emilia approach, this program asserts that the environment plays a vital role in the development of the child. By constructing intentional learning spaces, we are providing choice and engaging the students in our curriculum. In line with HSE21, the outdoor classroom will allow for meaningful learning opportunities for our students through: classroom engagement, healthy living, problem solving and cause and effect, student-led inquiry, multi-sensory approaches, and social play.
Will Hurst (HRE) for Climbing to Success
Student Impact: 750+ annually
Climbing to Success allows students the unique opportunity to reinforce learning activities in all curricular areas while navigating a traversing wall. The magnetic traversing wall would span an area of forty feet in one of HRE’s cafeteria hallways. This is a high traffic area that all HRE students walks by every single day. Students would be able to place, remove and arrange magnets while climbing for a truly interactive experience. Teachers could set routes, play games and lead cross-curricular activities while having their students traverse the wall. This project also allows for physical movement breaks and helps build fine and gross motor skills. In alignment with HSE21, HRE is attempting to provide our students with non-traditional learning activities in non-traditional learning spaces.
Sara Cherry (LRE) for Classroom to Learning Lab
Student Impact: 24-30 annually
In support of HSE21, this project is designed to transform traditional classroom space into a learning laboratory. The reconfigured space will pilot flexible seating to allow students to collaborate more easily in small groups yet quickly pull seating together for large group discussions and research. This new style of classroom will also free up more space around the room for maker-space areas and to lay out and design projects. A learning lab environment with various choices of seating will allow students to take more ownership of their learning, students will explore the seating options and determine what environment allows them to learn and work more effectively both individually and collaboratively.
Joni Curia (LRE) for Intensive Assistance for Struggling Readers
Student Impact: Approximately 24 students annually
Fountas and Pinnell Leveled Literacy Intervention Kit expands on the benchmarking kits provided to all elementary schools by the Foundation and will enable third grade classroom teachers at LRE to provide structured, systematic reading/writing remediation for struggling readers. These are students scoring 30% or lower on NWEA – Reading. These students may also be at risk for failing IREAD and/or ISTEP – Language Arts. We do not currently have a methodical, skill based reading remediation program that supports student growth in phonics, fluency, comprehension, and writing all in one. The LLI Kit provides the logical “next step” to the Benchmark Assessment Kit previously mentioned. Once a child is determined to be at risk for failure in reading, the teacher can initiate a plan of remediation geared specifically to that child’s needs.
Lori Silbert (LRE) for Let’s Go Osmo, Let’s Go!
Student Impact: 750 annually
Spring 2016 is a fantastic time for elementary teachers to promote the learning that HSE21 focuses on. With the 1:1 iPad rollout coming in Fall 2016, we can become cheerleaders for critical thinking, creative problem-solving and working together to find solutions while using technology. We do not want instruction to be just about using devices. However, because the iPad is going to be a part of our students’ lives, this project will blend effective instruction with communication and technology skills. Osmo is a product that allows the iPad to become interactive with physical items in the real world. Using this learning tool will excite and inspire students to explore, collaborate and learn in a 21st century mode. Osmo works with the iPad camera. The five learning activities can be used in general education classrooms, FAP (Functional Academic Placement), ENL (English as a Native Language), resource room, art class and the library media center with individuals or for small group learning. These activities are “learner-led” so student direct their own learning.
Brad Lowell (FCI) for Taking Engineering and Coding to New Heights
Student Impact: 110+ annually
Imagine taking coding to the skies! Coding and programming has become a needed skill for our students. 5th grade science students will be able to use their IPad and the free app, Tickle, to program their drones to fly simulated missions. Maybe they are coding their drone to rescue a stranded Martian miner or they are engineering an attachable device to pick up and deliver medical aid to victims of a hurricane! With the on-board camera they can even gather snapshot evidence along the way in their search for new species! The applications are endless. Coding is an important skill of the future that cannot be found in a text. Pairing Ipads with apps and codable devices provides students with a fun way to gain needed 21st century skills. The learning is really disguised within the fun!
Brad Lowell (FCI) for Ozobots
Student Impact: 110+ annually
Thanks to a generous gift from FCI parent, students at FCI will embrace the future by becoming a maker of technology, not just a user. In the 21st century, computer science is often where child’s play meets learning and skill building. Our students will be able to connect directly with their own powers of creation and problem solving.
Adam Jahn (FCI) for PBL Aerial Drone
Student Impact: 120 directly, but 1000’s of kids will use the grasslands as part of cross country course
What started as a classroom challenge has evolved into a project that would enhance learning through HSE21’s PBL (Project Based Learning) initiative. FCI students wanted to re-vitalize the grassland ecosystem that sits between HSE High School and Fall Creek Intermediate. Initial surveys revealed we have 12-acre plot that has a ½ mile cross country course loop weaving through it. Drone technology has and will expand students’ ability to use aerial geospatial telemetry and data to construct models of the grasslands. Technology helps invigorate students and prepares them for the 21st Century. Along with the academic standards covered with technology, drones motivate learners to excel through the creative disciplines of the arts. Students not only learn, but retain knowledge when they are motivated and have a personal involvement in its process.
Laura LaCross (RSI) for Integrating Programming and Coding
Student Impact: 140
Engaging students in coding and programming can be a challenge. By using creative play and imagination with mini robots, block programming can be easily introduced into existing curriculum of all subjects. After becoming familiar with block programming, students can then be encouraged to advance into more complex programming. Though undeniably STEM, this project fully embraces HSE21 and engaged learning by not leaving the robots lonely in the science room. For example, students in social studies can program the robots to act out battles or conduct simulations. In math, students can use robots to plot x and y coordinates on a plan. Integration is the key and the ideas are endless.
Kimberly Pelton (RSI) for SERTOMA Hearing Support
As HSE Schools transition to digital content, students are utilizing fewer and fewer textbooks and relying largely on devices. It is critical that our ASL interpreters have access to the same devices as our hearing impaired students. First, interpreters often require access to curriculum in advance to adequately communicate with students, especially if the content is dense or complicated or contain lots of metaphorical language (like poems or songs). Second, during classes, deaf students who are skilled users of interpreters, ask to pause while they write or process content, and then pick up the interpreting again. If the interpreter has the content available, s/he can wait and be effective in filling in the gaps when the student is ready to proceed. Last, iPads contribute logistically to interpreting. If an interpreter lacks a device, they must share the screen with the student, in essence standing behind the student to look over the student’s shoulder. However, to be seen by the student for instruction, the ASL interpreter must stand in front of the student. Dual devices resolve this issue.
Kristen Distler (FCJH) for Makerspace
Student Impact: 750 annually
MakerSpaces will be created in the Media Center which would increase the availability of STEM education to all FCJH students. Makerspaces are DIY areas where students can gather, create, and learn together. The spaces focus on science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) as well as creative learning for everyone involved. Spaces include but are not limited to woodworking, robotics, electrical engineering, and coding. This project is a unique opportunity to allow students to be creators of information, not just consumers. It allows students to build critical thinking and problem solving skills while collaborating with others. These skills prepare our students for college or career choices after high school. This project also supports HSE 21 and 21st century skills by promoting inquiry based learning in an innovative environment.
Rachel Hiatt (FCJH) for Vernier LabQuest
Student Impact: 40+ students annually
Thanks to a generous gift from an FCJH parent, students in both grade levels will have access to an assortment of data collection and analysis tools including motion detector, pH sensor, voltage probe, temperature probe, light sensors, force sensor, pressure sensor, and magnetic field sensor. The lab starter kit can is a pilot to be used as a single station or demonstration piece with the hope of expanding hands on experiments in the future.
Nick Tschuor (FCJH), Kelli Collins (HIJH), Kris Gaza (FJH), Brad Bill (RJH) for Spheros & Coding
Student Impact: 400+ annually
A collaboration of all four Jr High Technology Education programs, this effort will purchase a classroom Sphero kits to facilitate authentic classroom demonstrations, and discussions; all key aspects to the HSE Technology Education curriculum and the HSE21 initiative. This will enhance the creative and differentiated instruction and performance-based student learning in all of our Technology classrooms by integrating robotics and programming into our curriculum.
Bob Rice and Greg McCord (HIJ) for Crazy Traits
Student Impact: 250 annually
The Crazy Trait kits introduces hands on activities and inquiry based labs into topics such as genetics, inheritance, adaptation, natural selection, and probability. Students will incorporate 21st century web based technologies and application of previous knowledge to solve open ended and critical thinking questions. The modular approach of layered learning boosts understanding of key concepts through science and engineering investigations. The project will also be able to incorporate web based digital learning tools in partnership with HSE21. Students will be interacting with the Crazy Traits Creatures believing it’s a fun game but in actuality they will be investigating complex scientific ideas. The mixture of learning and fun will increase their retention of the material and aide in mastery of the content.
Jill Mochler (HIJH) for Project Lead the Way (PLTW) Robotics
Student Impact: At first, 100; eventually all 5th graders at HIJH
PLTW is the nation’s leading provider of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education programs. Students will use the project-based learning approach to study, build, test and program robots to solve a real world problem. During the first year of implementation, approximately one hundred 5th graders will participate in the curriculum. Once staff is trained, the goal is for all 5th graders at Hamilton Southeastern Intermediate and Junior High to participate.
Liz Paternoster (FHS) for We the People
Number of students this is expected to impact: 25
Though HSSF doesn’t typically fund student club and/or team travel, a generous grant from Church Church Hittle & Antrim supports the very successful We the People team which promotes civic competence and responsibility among the nation’s upper elementary and secondary students. The relevant content and the simulated congressional hearing make teaching and learning exciting for both students and teachers. The National finals take place in Washington D.C. on Capitol Hill. The twenty-five participating students will get the opportunity to testify in actual Congressional hearing rooms. In addition, they will get tours of museums, historical monuments, and other sites from local historians. This trip will bring all of their civic studies to life!
Janet Chandler (HSEHS) for Civics Education
Student Impact: 40-45
Though HSSF doesn’t typically fund student club and/or team travel, a generous grant from Church Church Hittle & Antrim supports the very successful We the People, HSE Mock Trial Team and the Law & Government Academy. These activities provide students with an in-depth study of the U.S. Constitution and its application to today as well as paying homage to its past; courtroom experience and hone critical thinking skills; and valuable work experience in addition to networking opportunities.
Phil Lederach (Central Office) for CybeRoyals and Code Red
Student Impact: 20+
Hamilton Southeastern High School and Fishers High School offer a course designed to use student expertise to support the implementation of technology called Computer Tech Support. These students, who are nicknamed “Code Red” at FHS and “CybeRoyals” at HSHS, have done an outstanding job with very little formal training. Our plan for the coming year is to use the summer to pilot more extensive training to these students. In order to meet this objective, HSE has partnered with Ivy Tech. In the summer of 2016, we hope to have at least 20 HSE students participate in training to earn the Comptia A+ certificate and three hours of college credit. Comptia A+ is an industry-recognized certificate, one that is in high demand in the business world—and by schools. These students will train this summer and then provide technology support to students and teachers at the high schools–and perhaps at other HSE schools.
Laura Rinderknecht (CO) for Excellence for ALL: Sustainability
Student Impact: 21,144 (potential)
Building off of a pilot grant received from the HSSF foundation in 2014 (Excellence for ALL), this grant is hoping to expand the work and bring it full scale to the district in order to address the “achievement gap” currently found in HSE. This would benefit all 21,144 students, but have a significant impact on the 5,175 students of color in HSE. Funding from this grant will build capacity in the form of internal trainers to lead the Dismantling the Strongholds of Racism two-day workshop. The train-the-trainer model would allow us to lead our own workshops, instead of having to rely on outside consultants and the ongoing costs associated with outside trainers.