Julie Eining at the Learning Lab received $3,600 for her project, “Portable Standers.”

With the grant funding, she will purchase three standers for physical therapists working with children. In the application, she wrote, “Time in a stander allows children to stand with support while promoting good body alignment; it also improves their respiratory and digestive systems. From an education standpoint, it will enhance a child’s ability to interact with their environment because their hands will be free to explore with toys and to play with their provider or family members. If a child currently needs this level of support, often the providers are behind them and thus are unable to help them with the activity or to see them face-to-face. Our current stander is 60 pounds and difficult for one person to transport; these would be much easier to use.”