The Sioux Falls Public Schools Education Foundation awarded two grants at Axtell Park. Dawn Marie Johnson, Brent Thurlow, and Connor Bergh received $1,030.31 for their grant, “Fortitude Foss: JoeCast.” They will purchase podcasting equipment for students at Joe Foss. In their application, they wrote, “The podcast system will provide a hands-on experience for students by…

Allyssa Krull, Josee Mendel, and Kelsey Pick received $2,034.35 for their grant, “Diversity Matters.” In the application, they wrote, “Our goal is to buy multicultural and diverse books that include characters and storylines with whom our students can connect. Our population has become more diverse, and we want books that reflect our students and their…

Six teachers from Jane Addams Elementary received Public School Proud Grants from the Sioux Falls Public Schools Education Foundation. Sheila Pike, Heidi Williams, Tanya Rausis, Eliza Leloux, Alexa Nelson, and Lindsey Gray received $1,443.47 for their grant, “S.O.A.R. Into Family Time.” They will purchase STEM materials, board games, snap circuits, and puzzles, and students will…

The Sioux Falls Public Schools Education Foundation awarded a Public School Proud Grant to Kelly Myrlie and Annie Selken at Whittier Middle School. The two teachers received $3,000 for their proposal, “Creativity is Just Intelligence Having Fun.” They will use the funds to create an art enrichment center in the classroom, benefitting 600 students. In…

Diana Soper received a $506.88 Public School Proud Grant for her idea, “Future Friday.” She started Future Friday four years ago when the principal asked staff members to wear higher education shirts on Fridays. Teachers took that opportunity to talk with the students about their future and what it might look like. Diana had t-shirts…

Jodi Stevenson from Discovery Elementary received a $2,009.85 Public School Proud Grant to purchase three Aero Garden farms. More than 130 fifth graders will use the garden kits in their science classes. The Aero Farm is a quick and easy set up that allows for 24 plants of any kind to be grown indoors without…

The Sioux Falls Public Schools Education Foundation awarded two Public School Proud Grants at John Harris Elementary. Conor Grevlos, a former student, attended the presentation and was able to award one of the grants to his former kindergarten teacher, Kerstin Schempp. She received $1,974 for her proposal, “Letters and Numbers Alive!” She will use funds…

Dr. Poornima D’Souza and Nicole Mutchler received a $1,660 Public School Proud Grant for their proposal, “Native American Values and Virtues.” In the application, they wrote, “This grant will serve K-5 classrooms, adult emergent learners, community members, and future educators. The project will teach six Native American values and virtues of love, gratitude, harmony, respect,…

Ann Just received $5,348.35 for her proposal, “All Kids RISE.” With the grant funds, Ann will purchase specialized trikes for 25 RISE students. In the application, Ann wrote, “Currently, we have Strider Bikes for kindergarten students. We do not have an adequate number of, or sizes of, trikes for our RISE students. This project would…

The Sioux Falls Public Schools Education Foundation awarded five Public School Proud Grants at Ben Reifel Middle School. Tracy Teerink received $2,970 to purchase Apple pencils that will be used with iPads. More than 1,000 students will benefit, and they will use the materials to design cartoon characters, recreate famous paintings in digital form, and…