United Way of South-Central Illinois

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Four local educators have been announced as the winners of this year’s United Way of South-Central Illinois’s Teacher Grants Program.

The program offers grants in the amount of $500 to applying educators seeking financial assistance for programs and classes within their districts.

The Teacher Grants will be awarded to each of the four winners at the Centralia Chamber of Commerce’s “Love Your Community” Annual Banquet, held Thursday, Feb. 13 at Kaskaskia College.

This year’s winners include Kenta Stacey of Central Middle School/Centralia Junior High School (CJHS); Laurie Miller of Centralia City Schools; Shannon Shipley of Centralia High School (CHS); and Stephanie Aarons-Dennison of the CHS Band.

Stacey said CJHS will utilize the grant for its inaugural Market Day Program, in which students design, create, and sell products to family and friends.

“The project aims to cultivate various skills, including collaboration, marketing, and communication, while providing a practical, hands-on learning experience,” said Stacey.

Miller said the grant would be used at Centralia City Schools to fill gaps in teachers’ needs and requests for their students’ education experience.

Miller noted those gaps could include, “…online or paper subscriptions to education programs, special items that could enhance lessons such as science kits or materials, sensory items, and interactive objects, or additional incentive items such as small trinkets and individualized rewards, to show students appreciation for their efforts.”

Shipley advised CHS would utilize the grant funds to assist Club 180, which supports students who wish to be successful but face obstacles that require support.

“We work on skills, catered specifically toward the students’ needs,” Shipley said of Club 180. “We provide lunch for them twice a month, bring in guest speakers, purchase supplies pertaining to the topic we are covering, and sometimes meet general needs.”

The CHS Band will put the grant toward providing new instruments for students, with Aarons-Dennison saying, “A grant will provide crucial funding to purchase new instruments for the band program, directly enhancing the musical education and performances opportunities for the students...This investment will also broaden the diversity of instruments available, allowing more students to take part in the program.”

Speaking on the Teacher Grant Program, Nat Shook of United Way said the organization was, “…thrilled to support the winning educators, feeling that each of their respective projects demonstrate a deep commitment to enhancing education, fostering creativity, and addressing the unique needs of students in our community.”