CPSF awarded the following educational grants for the 2000-2001 school year.

Information Center ($7,500)

Request submitted by:
Christy Atchley, Doug Daniels, Susan Wier, and Becky Greer

Provided funds for a major upgrade of the library resource materials available on-site at Douglass High School. The new library provides students with access to much needed reading and research materials, which improves learning and builds information retrieval skills.

“It’s a lot easier now because before we actually had to go to the public library, and now we can use our own library to find stuff.” “Before I never came into the library because I just heard that it had old books, but I’ve read 6 books this year.”
Douglass High School Students

Orff Enriched Music Curriculum ($7,500)

Request submitted by:
Judith Brown, Jennifer Leamons, Mary Beth Ming, John Patterson, and Sondra Flaker

Provided funds to purchase a wide range of specially designed percussion instruments for use by K-5 elementary students across the entire school district. The elementary music curriculum makes music more meaningful to children by providing creative participation in playing melodic percussion and other percussion instruments.

“The use of instruments is very motivating to the students. They know what it is like to make music.”
Judith Brown
Music Teacher – Rock Bridge Elementary

Mathematics in Technology ($3,500)

Request submitted by:
Theresa Yeager, Rick Shanks, Pearl John, Pat Daugherty, and Don Bristow

The use of TI-83 graphing calculators provides students at the Columbia Area Career Center with expanded opportunities for mathematical instruction, integrate technological principles with mathematical analysis, and interface lab investigations with research and logbook documentation.

“Obtaining and analyzing analytical data are essential skills in preparing for possible careers in industry.”
Pearl John
Career Center Laser Instructor

All Star Readers ($3,500)

Request submitted by:
Beverly Borduin, Christina Owen, Lisa Schenker, Annie Bradley, Kim Phillips, Betty Randerson, Diane Audsley, Beth Cooper, and Philip Frye

Struggling readers at Grant School became “all-star” readers with the help of more than 50 community volunteers. The grant funds purchased books and materials used by children and volunteers in weekly literacy sessions.

“We used the funds just for books and materials. The volunteer labor was free. Teachers trained the volunteers and set up sessions. One literacy volunteer said that this was the most rewarding volunteer experience she ever had. The program was a tremendous success and will be expanded to help even more children in the future.”
Beverly Borduin
Teacher – Grant Elementary

Science Presentations in the 21st Century ($2,750)

Request submitted by:
Calene Cooper, Kory Kaufman, Annette Anderson, Sandy Brock, Brian Bowles, Lew Kinkeade, Theresa Glover, and John Jacobs

Provided funds for a Data Projector so students At West Junior High can professionally present the results of scientific projects, and can share results of in-class experiments as well as findings from out-side sources such as the Internet. Students are able to use digital pictures and interviews as part of presentations.

“The data projector allowed computer information from websites, computer programs and Power Point presentations of student projects to be presented in large group settings, without depending on the overbooked school computer lab. Students learned to give presentations in a technological and professional manner, and this permitted them to learn from each other. Students were enthusiastic about their projects using computers rather than science experiment boards and were better able to demonstrate and share their scientific findings with other classmates.”
Calene Cooper
Teacher – West Jr

Outdoor Classroom ($2,200)

Request submitted by:
Suzanne Lenz, Marcia Gafke, Gloria Spellman, and Debbie Wiggs

The outdoor classroom provides Midway Heights Elementary students real-life science experiences such as growing plants and observation of butterfly gardens and prairie, plant and aquatic habitats. Observations are recorded in writing, graphs and charts.

“We can talk about aquatic life in the classroom, and then the students can go outside and actually see an example. It will strengthen our curriculum. It has always been our dream to have an outdoor classroom at Midway.”
Marcia Gafke
Teacher – Midway Heights Elementary