Fannin County, Texas -- Fannindel third-grade teacher Heather Steely applied for and received a $1,000 Classroom Assistance Grant from the Texas Retired Teachers Foundation in March. Gwen Craig, state TRTF Board member, and Deb Thompson, District 10 TRTF liaison, made the presentation at the May Fannin County Retired Teachers and School Personnel meeting Tuesday, May 5. Ms. Steely’s principal, Laurel Lane, also attended the presentation.
Heather’s grant proposal was for an integrated learning experience to incorporate language arts, science, math, and art. Through hands-on gardening and art activities, students will explore the life cycle and basic needs of plants while learning creative techniques such as flower pressing and nature sketching. Grant money will pay for raised garden beds, watering cans, garden tools, seeds and starter plants, as well as a flower press, oil pastels and canvas boards.
In addition to Helping Hand and Disaster Relief grants for retired teachers, the Texas Retired Teachers Foundation also offers assistance for active public school teachers. The First Year Teachers Scholarship provides $1,000 to new teachers to assist the recipient in purchasing materials for his or her classroom. The Classroom Assistance Grant provides $1,000 to public school teachers for the creation of programs, events, or other learning platforms to support the classroom curriculum. More information can be found on the foundation website at trtf.org.
