Starkville Community Foundation honors local educators

Starkville Community Foundation, formerly known as S.O.A.R., is committed to supporting education at all levels in Oktibbeha County! Rita Pierson, an inspiring educator, used to say, “Every child deserves a champion, an adult who will never give up on them, who understands the power of connection, and insists that they become the best that they can be.” Starkville is lucky to have an army of teachers who feel this way about our kids!

This year, SCF invited all teachers from all the schools to apply for the Innovative Teacher Grants. Education Committee Chair, Suzanne Dressel, said, “We know that every teacher has an innovative idea they'd love to try in their classroom if they only had the funding.” Each application was read blind, without teacher or school names, and a rubric applied to ensure all applications were scored equitably. We are proud to announce the grant recipients for 2023- 2024:

Itaska Rosamond is the Media Specialist at Hendersonward-stewart. She is starting an afterschool Book Club for 3rd and 4 th graders that incorporates field trips with the books they are reading.

Wendy Walters teaches kindergarten at Starkville Academy. Volunteer Buddies match seniors with kindergarteners for monthly STEM projects to build self-esteem, friendship, and learning.

Owen Brown teaches U.S. History at Starkville High School. He brings History to life with Virtual Reality Technology and a learning platform that helps students experience history in 3D.

Brittany Duckworth is a Discovery teacher at SA and has so many ideas to use a 3D Printer and Tinkercad to help students create their own future in cutting edge technolog.

Amy Pate, Curriculum Technology Specialist, leads the Jacket Tech Team at SHS. These students will complete an online curriculum that trains them to repair Chromebooks. Upon completing the course, students will earn a technical certificate to give them a leg up on job opportunities after graduation.

Chase Nicholson is a History teacher, the head Varsity football coach, and will lead students in Vols Production into live streaming and video production with new equipment.

April Kyles, the Librarian at SHS will manage the storehouse that students will use to get the device parts needed while learning to repair all school issued devices.

Zachery Bettinger created a cross curricular course with students writing scripts in English and creating scenic backdrops in art and theatre. STEM students

will learn to operate highdefinition drones as they film these student created plays.

Don't they make you want to get back in the classroom?! Our fantastic schools are one thing that makes Starkville such a great place to live and raise children.

Education is the base of all economic development. Investing in our backyard is the easiest investment to make and it impacts the most people, starting with our children. Building relationships and keeping connected will have a positive impact on each one of us as these

students become the best they can be thanks to a teacher who believes in them. These Innovative Teachers each received a check for $1000 and will be honored in 2024 at the Greater Starkville Development Foundation Banquet.

Be sure to support and encourage the teachers in your life. If you are a teacher with an innovative idea for reaching and teaching children, you will have another chance to submit an application in January 2024 with our 100 Women Who Care grants. This wonderful group poured $76,000 into local programs that impact youth, housing, job readiness, and more. If would like be a supporter of the Innovative Teacher Grants, please join the Starkville Community Foundation, an affiliate of the CREATE Foundation. You can join and/or give on our website: starkvillecommunityfoundation.org. Your funds will go directly into our beloved community to ensure Starkville and Oktibbeha County is always the BEST place to live, work, play, raise kids, and retire.