The Cherokee County Educational Foundation on Friday, Feb. 13, 2015 surprised Cherokee County School District teachers and students with a total of $15,000 awarded through its second annual round of competitive IMPACT Grants.

The grants will fund projects ranging from a StoryCorps-inspired media center recording studio to archive a high school community’s oral histories to mobile gardening labs for first- and second-graders to learn about science (and to love vegetables) to equipping an elementary school with a 3D printer so students can see their engineering designs come to life!

Cherokee County Educational Foundation Board Secretary Amanda Arnold said the day of surprise “Prize Patrol”-style grant presentations with oversized checks, balloons, bouquets of flowers and cheering crowds of students is the “highlight of the year” for the Board.

“It’s so inspiring to read the grant applications and realize the creativity and dedication of the teachers in CCSD classrooms… and it’s incredibly fulfilling to make those visions become reality through these grants,” said Ms. Arnold, who represents Credit Union of Georgia on the Board.  “We appreciate every donation the Foundation has received, as it allows us to show schools, teachers and students how much the community cares about them.”

The grant application process was open to individual CCSD teachers, paraprofessionals and school staff; teams of CCSD teachers, paraprofessionals and school staff; CCSD administrators; or CCSD department heads.

Through public support, the Foundation offers IMPACT Grants of as much as $2,500 per winning proposal, and on Friday eight grants were awarded; a ninth grant to be awarded later this month will bring the total to $15,000… which is an increase from $10,000 awarded last school year.

A committee made up of Foundation Board members reviewed the applications and selected proposals they determined would best strengthen academics; demonstrate a creative and innovative approach to education; provide meaningful and engaging instruction for students; and have a long-term benefit.

The 2015 IMPACT Grants presented on Friday are:

• Avery ESBringing Movement to Math - $2,399.40, Teachers Tori Sinco and Ashley West
• Canton ES STEM AcademyFlash Force 3D Engineering - $1,425, Teachers Daniel Cornn, Emma Griffin and Judy Wright
• Johnston ESWalking Track -- $1,325, Principal Kathleen Chandler and teacher Julie Peppers
• Mill Creek MSPaper & Tape Festival -- $1,880, Teacher Becky Stodola
• River Ridge HSRiver Ridge Recording Studio - $1,900, Media Specialists Keara Rubin and Leslie O’Bryant
• Woodstock ESGardening with First and Second Graders - $802.98, Teacher Debby Pinion
• Oak Grove ES Fine Arts AcademyHomework Help -- $685, Teachers Kristin Guinther and Lisa Reidy
• Clark Creek ES STEM AcademySMArTE Space - $2,500, Media Specialist Madeline Hall

Copies of the winning grant proposals are available electronically from CCEF for anyone who wants to learn more about them.  As part of the process, winners will be required to submit a report sharing details about the success of their project funded by the grant.

Since 2013, the Foundation has awarded more than $45,000 in grants to CCSD schools, teachers and students.

The Foundation raises funds for these initiatives through sources including its annual “For the Love of Education” T-shirt sale, CCEF Golf Classic Tournament and the inaugural “Celebration of Education” Gala, which will be held on March 14.

Donations to CCEF may be made by mail to P.O. Box 4754, Canton, Ga. 30114.  For more information about the Foundation, visit the website at www.cherokeecountyeducationalfoundation.org, email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or call (770) 704-4213.

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[caption id="attachment_607" align="aligncenter" width="600"] AVERY ES: Avery Elementary School teachers Tori Sinco, left, and Ashley West, fourth from left, accept a $2,399.40 IMPACT Grant from the Cherokee County Educational Foundation for their ‘Bringing Movement to Math’ idea to combine math and fun physical activity across the two grades they teach – kindergarten and fifth. Celebrating with them are CCEF Board Members, from left to right, Fundraising Chairman Kevin Williams, Vice President Billy Hayes, Colleen Blackwell, Debbie Rabjohn and Rod Drake.


 
 
[caption id="attachment_609" align="aligncenter" width="600"] CLARK CREEK ES STEM ACADEMY: Clark Creek ES STEM Academy Media Specialist Madeline Hall, right, gets a congratulatory hug from Principal Dr. Jennifer Scrivner for winning a $2,500 CCEF IMPACT Grant to create a STEM and art-inspired lab in the media center.


 
 
[caption id="attachment_610" align="aligncenter" width="600"] JOHNSTON ES: Johnston Elementary School teacher Julie Peppers, second from left, accepts a $1,325 CCEF IMPACT Grant for the school’s planned walking track.


 
 
[caption id="attachment_612" align="aligncenter" width="600"] RIVER RIDGE HS: River Ridge HS Media Specialist Keara Rubin, third from left, hugs Ms. Rabjohn upon learning that she and colleague Leslie O’Bryant, second from left, won a $1,900 CCEF IMPACT Grant for their media center recording studio project.


 
 
[caption id="attachment_608" align="aligncenter" width="600"] CANTON ES STEM ACADEMY: Canton Elementary School STEM Academy teachers won a $1,425 CCEF IMPACT Grant for a Flash Force 3D Engineering project. Celebrating the donation are, from left to right, CCEF Board Member Rod Drake, teacher David Cornn, Board Members Colleen Blackwell, Debbie Rabjohn and Kevin Williams and teachers Judy Wright and Emma Griffin.


 
 
[caption id="attachment_613" align="aligncenter" width="600"] WOODSTOCK ES: Woodstock Elementary School teacher Debby Pinion, right, shows her delight upon winning a CCEF IMPACT Grant for her idea to create mobile gardening labs for first- and second-graders.


 
[caption id="attachment_611" align="aligncenter" width="600"] OAK GROVE ES FINE ARTS ACADEMY: Oak Grove Elementary School Fine Arts Academy teachers Kristin Guinther and Lisa Reidy hug upon learning they won a CCEF IMPACT Grant for their Homework Help program.


[caption id="attachment_606" align="aligncenter" width="600"] Mill Creek MS: From left to right, Cherokee County Educational Foundation Board Secretary Amanda Arnold and Board Member Colleen Blackwell applaud Mill Creek Middle School teacher Becky Stodola, as Board Member Debbie Rabjohn and students cheer her on for winning a $1,880 IMPACT Grant to expand her annual Paper & Tape Festival. The Foundation on Friday, Feb. 13, surprised teachers and schools throughout the Cherokee County School District with a total of $15,000 in grants for “bright ideas.”

The Cherokee County Educational Foundation announced today that it is accepting applications for its second annual round of IMPACT Grants to encourage and support innovative and creative ideas in teaching and learning in the Cherokee County School District.

Due to growing public support, the Foundation Board has allotted $15,000 for the second round of grant awards… an increase from $10,000 last school year.

The Foundation will fund IMPACT Grants of as much as $2,500 per winning proposal; the application is posted on the School District’s website at www.cherokee.k12.ga.us. Applications must be postmarked by Jan. 13, 2015; no exceptions to this deadline will be made. Grants will be presented to winning applicants on Feb. 13, 2015.

The first round of grants awarded in February included a variety of “bright ideas” ranging from a hot-air balloon festival showcasing miniature balloons made by students to a professional development workshop for high school teachers to share STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) knowledge with elementary school teachers in their Innovation Zone.

“The applications we received were all so impressive, and it was a delight to present the grants to the winners in front of their cheering students and colleagues,” Board President William “Billy” G. Hasty Jr. said. “We can’t wait to see what teachers and schools will come up with this year.”

Applications may be submitted by CCSD teachers, paraprofessionals and school staff; teams of CCSD teachers, paraprofessionals and school staff; CCSD administrators; or CCSD department heads.

A committee made up of Foundation Board members will review applications, which must meet the following criteria: strengthens academics; demonstrates a creative and innovative approach to education; provides meaningful and engaging instruction for students; is well thought-out with a long-term benefit; incorporates budget details; and, includes the official application completed in its entirety.

Applications require a narrative that outlines, among other information, how: the project will benefit a defined target population and strengthen education; the project relates to the school’s School Improvement Plan or the School District’s Five-Year Strategic Plan; the applicant will collaborate with the community; project expenditures and the sustainability of the project if applicable; and how outcomes of the project will be shared with colleagues and the community.

Grant recipients will be required to complete a grant evaluation report at the end of the grant cycle.

For more information about CCEF, see the Foundation website at www.cherokeecountyeducationalfoundation.org; email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or call (770) 704-4213 and leave a voicemail message.