Long Beach Excellence in Education Foundation awards seven grants
Special to Long Beach Breeze
The Long Beach Excellence in Education Foundation recently announced the award of five educational grants to Long Beach School District staff. The Foundation awarded the grants, each valued at up to $500, for special projects for which applicants requested funding assistance.
This year’s grant recipients are Meredith Beal of Harper McCaughan Elementary; Hope Adcock of T.L. Reeves Elementary; Shawn Hicks of the CATS Center; and Traci Domingo and Anthony VanCourt, both of Long Beach Middle School.
This year, the foundation added two additional grant opportunities in the form of sponsoring educational field trips to TrainTastic™ Model Railroad Museum in Gulfport. Jessica McDaniel of W.J. Quarles Elementary and Bethany Scott of Harper McCaughan Elementary were awarded these grants.
Meredith Beal
Meredith Beal is a gifted education teacher at Harper McCaughan Elementary. Her project, “Bayou Bound: Students Exploring Coastal Life,” will offer her fourth-grade Discovery students the opportunity to travel to the USM Marine Education Center to participate in hands-on experiences on floating classrooms, waterfront classrooms and laboratories to learn about the Coast and the biosphere in which they live.
Hope Adcock
Hope Adcock is a third-grade teacher at T.L. Reeves Elementary School. Her project, “Caterpillars to Butterflies: A Garden’s Story of Growth,” will benefit all third-grade classes on her campus. This project aims to create a thriving butterfly garden that serves as both a sanctuary for caterpillars and a showcase for nature’s incredible transformation. Participants will have the opportunity to observe the growth stages of caterpillars, learning about their behavior, diet and role in the ecosystem. By growing a butterfly-friendly habitat, the project also promotes sustainable gardening practices and environmental stewardship, encouraging visitors to recreate similar habitats in their spaces to support biodiversity.
Shawn Hicks
Shawn Hicks is a teacher at the Center for Academic Training Services (CATS Center). His “Greenhouse Learning Project” will serve students in grades seven through twelve. Students will learn practical skills, scientific concepts and important life skills, including hands-on knowledge of plant biology, soil science, photosynthesis and water cycles, as well as engineering principles for designing and maintaining a controlled environment.
Traci Domingo
Traci Domingo of Long Beach Middle School will be launching a new chapter of the National Junior Art Honor Society (NJAHS) on the middle school campus. Her project, “NJAHS ‘Art Ninjas’ Official Chapter Launch” will provide seventh- and eighth-grade students with opportunities to grow as artists, leaders, entrepreneurs and community members. Students will gain entry to resources, scholarships and other opportunities sponsored by the National Art Education Association. The grant proceeds will be used to purchase art supplies and showcasing and display supplies that will assist in launching this new chapter properly.
Anthony Van Court
Anthony Van Court is a physical education instructor at Long Beach Middle School. His project, “Mobile Aid Station Safety Equipment,” will use grant proceeds to assist in the purchase of medical and safety equipment for their mobile aid station. This will benefit all seventh- and eighth-grade classes by providing rapid transportation of supplies and personnel to/from injuries occurred while participants are in physical education classes and away from the main campus area. Both physical education teachers, he and Ashley Harvey will use the equipment to benefit all classes and staff ensuring safety, health and well-being of all students during classes.
Jessica McDaniel
Jessica McDaniel is a kindergarten teacher at Quarles Elementary School. All Quarles kindergarten students will enjoy exploring the TrainTastic™ Model Railroad Museum and interacting with the train models, while exploring the large display of the Mississippi Gulf Coast, helping them make real world connections to their learning. The kindergarteners will hunt for safety signs and tie-in their The Polar Express book study.
Bethany Scott
Bethany Scott is a fourth-grade teacher at Harper McCaughan Elementary School. All fourth-grade students will enjoy a hands-on opportunity at the TrainTastic™ Model Railroad Museum to explore Mississippi’s transportation history, understand the role of trains in economic and cultural development, and connect literacy and social studies standards through real-world experiences.
The foundation received several grant applications this year and hopes to continue to expand the awards annually.
The Long Beach Excellence in Education Foundation administers funds for the charitable purpose of supporting the Long Beach School District, its teachers and students, by funding scholarships, grant recognition programs, and other such supplemental activities within the LBSD. Since its inception, the group has funded twenty teacher grants, and, by the close of this school year, will have awarded twenty $1,000 scholarships to Long Beach High School seniors. These and other programs are possible through the group’s fundraising activities and through tax-deductible donations.
For more information about the Long Beach Excellence in Education Foundation, visit www.lbexcellence.org or follow them on Facebook.
