Support

Ceramics Lab at Lawrence Central 

This grant will provide the ceramics lab with electric warming pads, which are flat, flexible sheets designed to slowly and evenly dry clay. These pads will enhance the creative process by allowing students to work with clay more efficiently, reducing drying time and preparing pieces for firing more quickly.

Number of Students Impacted: Current & Future Ceramics Students

Bilingual Learning and Indoor Play

This grant will equip students with materials to support bilingual learning and enrich indoor recess activities. By combining language development with play, this initiative creates a fun and engaging way for students to enhance their linguistic skills while enjoying meaningful recreation.

Number of Students Impacted: 28

Creative Art STEM Grant

This grant bridges the worlds of artistic expression and STEM exploration, providing students with hands-on materials that inspire creativity and innovation. By encouraging critical thinking, bold design, and free creation, the program nurtures the integration of artistic and technical skills, empowering students to imagine and build in unique and inspiring ways.

Number of students impacted: 200

Recorder for 3rd Graders:

Funding for recorders for each 3rd grader, sheet music, and science of sound/hearing books.

Number of students impacted: 90

Spanish-Language Summer Reading Books:

This project will fund Spanish-language books for our summer reading project. Our goal is to send all of our 6th grade students home with 7th-grade level reading material.

Number of students impacted: 50

LN Show Choir Production Support

Financial assistance for production expenses to support students with financial difficulties.

Number of students impacted: 100

3D Pens for Grades 1-3

Introduction to 3D printing through creative projects using 3D pens. Students in Grades 1-3 will use the 3D pens to design and create objects as a first exposer to 3D printing technology.

Number of students impacted: 390

Our classrooms have embraced 3D printing as a tool for creativity and innovation, but designing for 3D printing can be challenging, especially for younger students. To ensure inclusivity and accessibility for all grade levels, from kindergarten to 6th grade, this grant will fund 3D scanners. These scanners will enable students to transform real-world objects into printable designs, fostering engagement, creativity, and technological literacy.  By integrating 3D scanning, we aim to provide all students—regardless of their age or design skills—the opportunity to experience the excitement of turning their ideas into tangible creations. This initiative will inspire a love for technology, innovation, and problem-solving, empowering students to see themselves as makers and innovators.

Number of students impacted: 570

This grant will provide sweatshirts and t-shirts to the students in the IB program, helping to create visibility for the program and rewarding current students for their hard work. 

Number of students impacted: 35
 

This grant will purchase Little Spot book series, sensory/fidget items, STEM kits, class headphones, and expo markers to support SEL and STEM engagement. On top of emotional regulation, students will also be able to receive more STEM activity sets. From marble runs, building toys, and other activities, students can engage with their creativity, problem solving, and discovery with these kits. They can be used during indoor recess or during our Smart Starts at the beginning of our school day. Lastly, students will have a class set of headphones and expo markers. Our desks have whiteboard tops, and to encourage student discovery, they are able to use to expo markers/headphones to be more independent and foster student-led learning.

Number of students impacted: 45

First-Grade Transition Kits:

Activities and materials to help students transition into 1st grade smoothly.

Number of students impacted: 27

This project allows for a smooth run of our classroom. Majority of the students did not come with necessary supplies to last the entire school year, and this grant will help every single kid in the class to be successful and allow for learning to happen.

Number of students impacted: 24

In my special area class students utilize cameras and iPhones as tools to complete media tasks. I am still working with a few of the tripods from 12 years ago to hold some of our older cameras. As years have passed, students have begun to use their own phones when recording for projects in my class. The old tripods do not work with phones. I would like to purchase 5 gimbals for students to use when filming in my class. The sixth grade students have a filming unit during the second semester. These gimbals would help steady their shots for a more professional finished product.

Number of students impacted: 100
 

This grant will allow five, third grade classrooms to embark on a field trip to the Indianapolis Zoo. This experience will be a part of their Core Knowledge Language Arts curriculum in which students will study animals, habitats, and the classification of animals.

Number of students impacted: 118
 

This grant will provide IB and AP Lang students with testing care packs in May. Some of these students will have 10+ exams during the month—a little TLC and some snacks will go a long way in helping them.

Number of students impacted: 100

This grant aims to integrate science and literacy skills by connecting 6th grade students' study of life science to research, persuasion, and argumentative writing in the English Language Arts (ELA) curriculum. A selected nonfiction text on climate change will be used for independent reading and research, supplementing the ELA curriculum's third unit of study. The goal is to guide students in exploring real-world concepts, such as human impact on ecosystems, and broaden their understanding beyond everyday issues, aligning with the mission of preparing students for global citizenship beyond their college and career aspirations.

Number of students impacted: 125
 

This grant will allow Forest Glen to purchase two updated 3D printers and several packs of 3D pen filament to enhance our STEM program. Starting in 2nd grade, students use 3D pens to create hands-on projects, fostering creativity and spatial reasoning. By 3rd grade, students progress to designing projects for 3D printing, gaining experience with advanced tools and concepts. The new printers will support the innovative "Revolutionizing Resources" initiative by utilizing filament created from recycled materials, promoting sustainability while providing students with real-world applications of engineering and design. These resources will expand opportunities for all students to engage in cutting-edge STEM learning.

Number of students impacted: 600+

This grant will provide Forest Glen’s 6th grade students with new items for the “peace corner,” helping students to identify and work through their feelings independently. This grant will also simultaneously enhance Mrs. Ledford’s (and the other 6th grade teachers’) reading/reflection spaces with motivational posters, flexible seating, incentives and purchase resource challenges games for indoor recess use.

Number of students impacted: 92
 

This grant will allow us to repair the greenhouse and enhance the soil of the current gardens to plant a cut flower garden. The garden will be used for students to learn how to grow and care for plants. When the flowers come in the students and teachers will be able to come to the garden and make a small bouquet to give to classmates or staff to say thank you.

Number of students impacted: 100+
 

This grant will enhance our library, by expanding reading to the outdoor courtyard that is connected to the library.

Number of students impacted: All FG students

This grant will support Sensory Seating and creating a comfortable classroom for my students. It is my 1st year teaching so I am attempting to create a classroom the students want to come into. I have many students who need to fidget while they work. I also need classroom whiteboards and timers.

Number of students impacted: 30

This project is designed to inspire a lifelong love of reading by combining engaging literacy activities with a structured reward system. Students in our dual-language, Title 1 school will work towards individualized reading goals and earn rewards recognizing their achievements. This initiative will motivate readers, improve comprehension skills, and build a strong foundation for academic success—all necessary skills to pass IREAD-3.  Project Description:  Fostering Achievement and Motivation:Students will set personalized reading goals, such as completing a certain number of books, improving fluency, or mastering new vocabulary. They will track their progress using reading logs and participate in weekly "Reader Check-Ins" where they celebrate milestones and receive feedback. This approach will make reading progress visible and rewarding, motivating students to persevere.

Number of students impacted: 250
 

F.I.T for Life: Focus, Inspire, Thrive is an innovative physical education initiative at Lawrence Central High School designed to foster lifelong wellness among our students. By incorporating yoga, heart health education, cardio activities, and self-selected enjoyable exercises, this program provides students with the tools to maintain an active and balanced lifestyle. Yoga, in particular, plays a critical role in enhancing physical strength, flexibility, mindfulness, and stress management. To support this initiative, we are requesting $750 to purchase yoga mats for students to use during yoga sessions. These mats will not only facilitate comfort and safety during exercises but also ensure inclusivity, as every student will have the necessary equipment to fully participate in class activities. This aligns with our mission to Focus on student well-being, Inspire them to adopt healthy habits, and help them Thrive both physically and mentally. With over 500 students impacted every semester, this investment will have a far-reaching effect, promoting wellness practices that extend beyond the classroom and into their everyday lives.  Project Goals: Provide students with quality equipment to enhance their yoga practice and overall physical education experience. Create a supportive environment for physical and mental well-being. Encourage lifelong fitness habits through engaging and inclusive activities.

Number of students impacted: 500+
 

The F.I.T for Life: Focus, Inspire, Thrive initiative at Lawrence Central High School is committed to equipping students with lifelong fitness skills. As part of this mission, we aim to expand our physical education offerings to include swimming and lifeguarding classes. These courses will teach students critical water safety skills while promoting physical activity and building confidence in aquatic environments. To facilitate this expansion, we are requesting $600 to certify three Physical Education department staff members as Water Safety Instructors through the American Red Cross. This certification will empower our staff to provide high-quality instruction in swimming and lifeguarding, ensuring student safety and offering new fitness opportunities. With this certification, we can enhance our curriculum and give students access to vital life skills that will serve them well beyond high school, aligning with our goal to promote lifelong health and wellness. Project Goals: Certify three PE department staff members as Water Safety Instructors to enhance the curriculum. Offer swimming and lifeguarding courses as part of our physical education program. Provide students with critical water safety skills, fostering confidence and lifelong fitness habits.

Number of students impacted: 500+
 

The students in the Applied Program at Lawrence Central High School within the Exceptional Learners department take a course titled “Applied Careers Exploration”. To ensure the students have access to the necessary materials and tools to develop a range of job skills, I propose the purchase of essential equipment and supplies. Key supplies include a shredder, a vacuum cleaner, and a hole punch for organizing paperwork. Additionally, a clothes/towel folder will aid in teaching organization skills, while an alphabet organizer and plastic drawer organizers will assist students in learning sorting and organizational tasks, which are crucial in many workplace settings. I am also seeking to purchase a hands-on pre-vocational training program which includes training in the areas of Job Readiness, Clerical, Retail, Food Service and Grocery. The program includes both a text version and picture-supported version to support the diverse needs of my students. I would also like to purchase two digital cameras to document the students’ job skills to include pictures in their portfolios. Investing in these resources will foster skill development, enhance student engagement, and improve employability outcomes, preparing students for real-world challenges in their future careers.

Number of students impacted: 35
 

Students who may be sensory craving or seeking intense input are often referred to as sensory seekers – they are highly interested in movement, lights, colors, sounds, smells, and tastes that excites them. A sensory seeker is a child that has a high neurological threshold (or a very big sensory bucket that needs to be filled with sensory input). This child is under-responsive, which makes them want to seek out more sensory stimulation so that they can fill up their sensory bucket. For this child to acknowledge, register, or notice sensory input, they require much more frequent, intense, and longer-lasting input compared to someone with a typical neurological threshold. A child can be a seeker in any of the sensory systems (i.e., tactile, auditory, visual, proprioceptive, vestibular, or olfactory). The current project seeks to create and install a sensory wall (portion of a wall) that may be accessed by students. Requested materials will enable the creation of sensory panels that can be mounted side by side to cover a portion of a wall in a hallway or classroom. Additionally, panels can used individually to create a mobile sensory tool that can transition with a student throughout the building/classroom. Sensory walls are used in schools to provide a space for students to engage their senses through touch, sight, and sound, which can help them regulate their emotions, focus better in class, and manage sensory overload, particularly for children with special needs like autism or sensory processing disorders; essentially acting as a calming and stimulating area when needed to support learning and overall well-being. Sensory walls in schools can be used as part of a sensory break area. Importantly, they allow students with autism or sensory processing challenges to regulate their sensory input and return to class feeling more focused and calmer. Key benefits of sensory walls in schools: 

• Sensory regulation: Different textures, colors, and sounds on the wall can help children self-regulate by providing sensory input when they feel overwhelmed or anxious.  

• Improved focus: Engaging with a sensory wall can provide a brief break from academic tasks, allowing students to refocus and return to learning with better concentration.  

• Motor skill development: Manipulating various textures and objects on the sensory wall can help refine fine motor skills.  

• Social interaction: Sensory walls can encourage collaborative play and interaction between students as they explore the different elements together. 

Number of students impacted: 900+
 

Robots, coding and innovative thinking need to be connected to a child's education in 2025.  At Skiles Test, we want to help students get inspired to problem-solve, innovate and create solutions to various challenges. Through this grant proposal—STEM-in-Action: DASH Robot Accessories—we can provide new challenges and engaging activities with robots we already have. The three new accessories are:
 1. Sketch Kit 

2. Gripper Building Kit 

3.  Launcher 

The Sketch Kit is a robot accessory that enables kids to visualize the results of their code on a large canvas. The harness attaches the dry-erase markers (included) to the robot so that when the robot moves around over a piece of paper or whiteboard, the markers draw a line demarcating those moves. Sketch Kit helps kids express their creativity and exercise critical thinking and spatial reasoning skills as they draw geometric shapes, patterns, words, and more. The Gripper Building Kit is an easy-to-construct set of functioning arms that expand your robots’ capabilities. Students can build the mechanical arms for hands-on learning of gears, levers, and axles. They can master more robotics skills by simulating real-world object detection and manipulation using DASH robots’ sensors and motors through code or manual remote control. The Gripper arms will lift, carry, pull, pick up, and place a variety of lightweight objects for endless play and DIY challenges. The launcher is a fun accessory that transforms the Dash robot into a projectile-launching machine. Because it's powered by Dash robot, kids can learn how simple machines like a lever works and they will also learn about trajectories. Launcher for Dash robot comes with three projectiles and six stacking targets that can attach to LEGO®-compatible bricks to build intricate targets. You can also set up a hoop or use a cup and let Dash robot shoot baskets from a distance. These three new types of accessories will add new challenges that we can tackle with the DASH robots that we already have. These accessories will take our coding, problem-solving and solution-based outcomes to a new level.

Number of students impacted: 550

We have a large number of children that come in early; as early as 6:30am and they stay as late as 6pm that’s a long day for such small people.  We want them to get the most out of their day!  After looking through experiences we currently have for them we realized most of what we have are items from when our building first opened.  While all the children are engaged when they are here, but we've noticed most of our items need revamping or replaced.  Plus if they are children that started in our building with before and after care in preschool they would have had to interact with the same toys for the last three years.  We would love to get them new experiences to interact with which would also be used for not only this year but years to come. 

Number of students impacted: 350

This grant will purchase art supplies for my Interns to create their art and hone their skills during the year and culminate the project with an art show sometime in the Spring of 2025.  They would have the opportunity to display their art at the annual Project SEARCH Open House in November and at various times during the year when Community North employees are invited to share their talents with others in hospital.

Number of students impacted: 11

Playdough, Paint and More is multiple small experiences for all of the children to participate in within the building.  During my studio times the children always have access to paint, playdough, a light table (from a previous grant) and multiple manipulatives.  I would like to add to those experiences with items that we don't currently own to further enrich those areas.  

Number of students impacted: 350

The proposed third-grade indoor recess project aims to foster teamwork, problem-solving, and social skills by providing a diverse array of engaging games. The project will include decks of playing cards, Uno cards, Trouble games, Connect Four games, and Headbands games. These carefully selected games are designed to enhance cognitive development and social interaction among students, ensuring that recess is not just a break from academic work but an opportunity for holistic growth.

Number of students impacted: 100

In today's digital age, the classroom uses digital textbooks with multiple audio learning opportunities.  To provide an immersive and engaging experience for our Spanish students, we utilize online resources which require the use of headphones.  These headphones will enable students to explore a wealth of audio and video materials fostering improved listening, speaking, and comprehension skills.  They ensure equal access to quality language learning resources for all students.  They will encourage active participation and engagement in Spanish language learning.

Number of students impacted: 770

Motivational Movers fitness class did well in it's first year with the yoga mats we received from last year's grant. Last year's attendance: Most: 10 people. Average: 4.6 people per class. Total classes: 26. During year two, we'd like to expand our fitness to using dumbbells for strength training workouts. This will help the staff strengthen muscle, have good balance, and encourage good mobility for on and off the job. 

Number of staff impacted: All
 

I am the Elementary Teacher for the Diagnostic Day Treatment Program, housed at LECC.  This program is a self-contained special education classroom that educates students, from all over the district, when they are in a mental health crisis.  The goal of the short-term program is to help stabilize the student and provide them with new skills for when they return to their home school.  The grant I am writing is to provide them creative outlets and a variety of coping skills/strategies for them to practice and utilize while they are in our program.  We hope the students take these new outlets (exercise, arts, sensory, peer interaction/teamwork, etc.) with them back to their home school and are better equipped to manage their mental health. 

Number of students impacted: 10

Prom night is one of the most anticipated events of high school, for students. This is a time for students to come together and celebrate and create lasting memories through digital picture art of themselves in a full view magical theme photo. While dancing and socializing are the main highlights of prom, adding a self-service photo booth to the mix can take the experience to a whole new level of upscale fun and excitement for everyone. Prom photos are important because they capture memories of a special night that is a monumental memorable experience for high school students. Prom marks the end of the school year and is a celebration with friends and staff members. 

Number of students impacted: 600