Nancy Nerny, the board president of the Dayton Public Schools Foundation, presented the 2021-2022 grant award recipients at Tuesday’s board meeting. Since 2015, the foundation has awarded $93,350 to DPS. Grants are awarded to educators to fund innovative and creative projects that will be used to teach students.

Teacher Grant Recipients

Melinda S. Dickson, David H. Ponitz CTC
$500 grant
Project: Increasing Reading Comprehension in Spanish I-IV
Students will use a Spanish supplementary reader for silent independent reading, then write reflections and predictions about the story.

Krista Gerhardt, Cleveland Elementary
$500 grant
Project: Launch into STEM Learning
Applying communication, collaboration, and critical thinking skills, students will launch rockets constructed from supplied materials and apply scientific knowledge by controlling variables.

Sarah Thompson, David H. Ponitz CTC
$500 grant
Project: Flexible Seating for Flexible Minds
A diverse classroom environment will be built with stools, standing desks, and yoga balls to entice students with more comfort as they engage in their learning.

School/Program Grant Recipients

Victoria Palmieri, Horace Mann Elementary
$1,150 grant
Project: Inclusive Playground
A wheelchair swing platform will increase access for students with physical disabilities, giving them a physical and mental break from academics.

Shelly Murphy, Westwood Elementary
$2,000 grant
Project: Building a Diverse STEM Library for Westwood Scholars
Students will be provided with a diverse library of classroom books depicting African Americans in STEM field occupations.

Dream Grant Recipient

John Huston, Paul Laurence Dunbar High School
$2,500 grant
Project: Dunbar Outdoor Classroom
A raised bed vegetable garden and native prairie will be created as a vehicle to enhance math instruction and social-emotional learning and higher-order thinking.