Teacher Grants in Action

Each year the Foundation invites teachers across the Homewood City Schools system to apply for grants. We award fall and spring grants, recently in the range of $100,000 each year.

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Fall 2024 Grants

CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR FALL 2024 GRANT RECIPIENTS!

Edgewood Elementary

Fine Motor Task Boxes

Erica Halston  

For the special education resource room, these task boxes will be used during small group instruction to develop and strengthen fine motor and prevocational skills.

Silent PE Fun

Sally Young

Edgewood PE teachers will use silent disco equipment to deliver specialized instruction, helping students fall in love with movement and innovation. They will build the curriculum to go with the technology and will add to it each year.

Uke Can Play It!

Sadie Wall

This grant will provide a class set of ukuleles for the music program at Edgewood Elementary. These will enable students to learn a new string instrument and to connect to popular music.

Keva Creations

Angela Santiago and Celia Castle

A versatile building material, Keva planks will enhance creativity and the three-dimensional learning experience for all art students at Edgewood Elementary.

Versatiles Kits for Math and Reading Grade 4

Leanne Hall

VersaTiles offer students an interactive, hands-on, and engaging alternative way to practice math concepts at many levels.  This grant will provide a classroom set of these instructional tools.

STEM and Enrichment Centers 

Abigail Brock

This grant will provide STEM center materials, math games and enrichment activities for third grade students, with the goal of boosting problem-solving and creativity.

Lit Letters!: Pictograph Mnemonics

Devon Davis

This visual learning tool will be used in kindergarten and first grade classes to help students learn their letters and address confusion in flipping letters.

Hovering Around for Good (All three elementary and HHS)

Susan Hanson

STEM teachers and HHS physics students will work together to create an in-house Hovercraft Day for all three elementary schools. The grant covers supplies and training, and this collaborative project can be used for many years.

Hall-Kent Elementary

Enhancing Learning Through Task Boxes

Ashley Pendergraft

For the special education resource room, these task boxes will be used during small group instruction to develop and strengthen fine motor and prevocational skills.

Shades Cahaba Elementary

Podcast Equipment for Math Elementary Class

David Saunders

This grant provides podcasting equipment for fifth grade math students. Integrating podcasting into these classes will enable students to engage in critical thinking, problem solving and reflective learning.

Homewood Middle School

Building Futures: Promoting STEM through Lego Education Spike Sets

Erin Meacham

These Lego sets will allow students to bring their Legos to life with coding and mechanics. This resource will not only teach coding but will also build confidence and creative problem solving skills.

Mobility in Math – Ipad

Amanda Bates

Classroom iPads for each sixth grade math teacher will increase teacher mobility by allowing teachers to provide instruction from anywhere in the class room. These resources will also allow for more student collaboration with the use of the iPad for work display.

AmTryke for Ms. Moore and Ms. Hart Hallway Movement Breaks

Genie Christian

This grant will allow for the purchase of an AmTryke, a therapeutic tricycle. This specialized equipment will be available for students in special education classes throughout the day, providing essential movement breaks.

Stationary Recumbent Bike for Ms. Hart’s Classroom

Genie Christian

This equipment will be instrumental in improving the gross motor skills of special education students. The bike will also cater to the diverse physical needs of students, ensuring that all can benefit from this valuable resource.

Additional Band Instruments for Students

Ryan Murrell

This grant will supply the HMS band class with instruments for students who are not able to purchase their own and for the “Zoo Band,” a program that allows students to learn an additional instrument.

Laboratory Supplies 

Ikeia Blackston

New kitchen supplies will help FACS students learn to cook in a more efficient manner.

Homewood High School

Personalized Patriot

Kimberly Bridgewater

This grant provides a laser cutter and materials for the Transition Program to start an engraving business. Special education students will gain valuable vocational skills, and the community will benefit from engraved cups, plaques and more.

NASP-AF JROTC Archery equipment grant

Colonel Chris Moulton

This grant will bring Archery to the AF JROTC program. With this new equipment, HHS students will participate in the National Archery in the Schools Program (NASP).

Forensic Science Lab Bundle Kit

Tommy Lyas

This grant will provide lab materials from Carolina Biological Supply for this new course. The materials apply to several units within the curriculum.

Tim Casper Teaches Improv Comedy II Students

Amy Marchiano

This grant will fund two weeks of instruction by Tim Casper from the Faraway Theater for Improv Comedy II students, culminating in a showcase and individualized feedback.

Magic City Art Connection – Sculpture Project 2025

Carolyn Coker

Funding of an Artist in Residence and all necessary supplies will allow art students to participate in the 2025 Magic City Art Connection Sculpture Project/Competition at a higher level. The experience will further enhance their sculptural skills and creative expression.

Computer Science Python Programming with Robots

Rebecca Shields

This grant will provide two CodeBot robots for students to learn the foundations of Python Programming, Robotics, and Computational Thinking as they build projects by writing code and completing hands-on activities. .

Supporting Music Education

Nathan Carlson

Adding on to a Spring 2023 grant, this funding will cover seven additional guitars and bags for the “Introduction to Guitar” class, enabling the course to be fully resourced by Homewood High School.

Sound Technology for the Next Generation

Amy Marchino and Jason Kennah

The purchase of a MacBook and hub will allow the Theatre Department to use sound software and technology called QLab to produce high quality productions and teach the latest technology to its students.

Culinary, Event Planning, and Baking Lab and Lesson Enhancement

Beth Leon

Cooking lab and classroom materials will provide culinary and event planning students with as many hands on experiences as possible. State funding is limited for these classes, but this grant will allow students to learn by doing.

Enhancing Choral Excellence: Funding for New Instrumental Equipment in the Show Choir Classroom

Cody McDonald

The grant will enhance the daily learning and teaching environment for our performing arts students with a new electric piano and rolling cart, bass guitar amp, and drum cymbal pack. 

Navigate + Innovate-ASCA Online Conference

Emilie Sara Vines

The ninth grade counselor will participate in the 2025 American School Counseling Association Conference: Navigate + Integrate.

Collaboration, Hope, and Humanity: Collaboration and Mentoring Through Professional Development

Liz Shults and Ashley Vanderpool

These two teachers will attend the annual National Council for Teachers of English (NCTE) conference with the goal of increasing collaboration and encouraging other teachers to present at conferences.

Navigating New Teacher Horizons in Education at the Alabama Science Teachers Association Conference

Kelly Roth and Tommy Lyas

This grant will provide funding for two teachers to attend the Alabama Science Teachers Association (ASTA) conference, which offers many opportunities for science educators to collaborate and learn from each other.

2024 Alabama Counseling Association Annual Conference: Rise & Inspire

Elaine Meeks

The Alabama Counseling Association (ALCA) annual conference includes keynote speakers from across the country who speak to the trending needs in the field of counseling and mental health for all ages. This counselor will share information with colleagues to help HHS support students and families.

We Can With WIDA

Hannah Rodgers

EL educators from across the district will review materials from the WIDA annual conference and collaborate on best practices and innovative instructional approaches for supporting EL students at all levels.

Bolstering HHS Journalism through the National Convention

Julian Kersh

This grant will cover registration and travel expenses for this teacher to attend the Journalism Education Association’s national conference, covering new practices and lessons to be implemented in journalism classes.

California Dreamin’: Attending the National Association of Biology Teachers’ Conference (NABT) in Biology

Molly Knudsen

Three science teachers will attend this renowned national biology conference with the goals of enhancing experiences and outcomes in ninth grade biology and inspiring students to consider biology-based courses and careers.

Increasing Spanish Proficiency for teachers

Suzanne Jeffcoat

Several teachers will take a community Spanish class through Samford University of the Arts to increase basic Spanish communication in their classrooms.

Let’s Work!

Tiffany Garvin

This grant will provide updated supplies and equipment for the Life Skills Program and Special Education Department. Through school-based jobs, special education students have opportunities to learn skills that could be transferred to jobs after graduation.

Learning Should be seen in Color

Breanna McMichen

For teaching transition and post secondary skills to special education students, printing items in color as they would be seen on the job increases readiness to enter the world successfully. This grant provides materials to meet this need.

Safety First

Dr. Ganae Gaines

This grant will cover expenses for this assistant principal to attend the Alabama Association of Resource Officers Conference to further her education to provide the high school with adequate resources to ensure a proactive, problem solving approach to school crisis.