On October 24, 2023, the Topeka Public Schools Foundation "grant patrol" made its rounds, presenting big checks to grant awardees. The following grants were awarded during the 2023-2024 school year, 10 grants were funded, totaling $26,327.
TIDWELL EDUCATIONAL GRANT RECIPIENTS 2023-2024
French Middle School - Art in History: King Tutankhamun Tom Frieze
6th Graders at French Midle School will be studying Ancient Egypt. To cover specific learning targets and competencies, our focus will be on Ancient Egypt's government (pharoah's), religious beliefs, and accomplishments. Recreating King Tut's frieze, will give students hands on experience with items from the Ancient times, and creating art in history.
Highland Park High School - Highland Park Ceramics Program
The HPHS Ceramics Program relies on expensive commercially made pint sized jars of glaze. My plan is to revamp this area of the program by purchasing bags of raw materials to mix our own glazes. Buying raw materials is cheaper than commercial glazes but require a larger initial investment and gives us the ability to make larger batches (up to 5 gallons) as opposed to pint sized jars.
Jardine Elementary - Build It/Code It/Roll With It
The plan of action is to incorporate STEAM based projects to a larger number of subjects using a flexible platform.
Jardine Middle School - Community Book Tasting Initiative
Our plan is to recruit a group of 20-25 students and their families to engage in a one-month novel study. They will receive a "secret book" packet containing a family-friendly young adult novel and instructions for a project they will be asked to bring to our school-wide Book Tasting Night. Everyone in the school will be invited to taste books and good food!
Jardine Middle School - Renewable Energy
Students will learn several types of renewable energies (solar, wind and hydropower) by building models. These models will show and demonstrate to students energy alternatives to fossil fuels used today.
Shaner Early Learning Academy - Dramatic Play Theme Boxes
I want to purchase different items for our dramatic play station that Shaner students can use during their free choice time. I would like to be able to turn this station into a veterinarian's office, ice cream shop, pizza shop, garden, campsite and a farmer's market. Teachers will be able to choose a theme and add it to their classroom. Theme boxes will be rotated among Shaner classrooms.
Topeka High School - Topeka High School Art Community Partnerships
Our project will allow students the opportunity to experience the power of presenting artwork to the fullest extent! Choosing and preparing art for presentation is an important part of the art curriculum, and this grant will allow Topeka High School the opportunity to expand it's abilities and quality of presentation in the Topeka community and within Topeka High School, pushing students to learn a broader scope of the art world, and prepare them for future endeavors as artists, patrons, and community art members.
TPS Music Department - Instrumental Music Scholarships
The TPS Public Schools' Music Library maintains an instrument pool that provides musical instruments at a very low yearly cost. The pool remains self-sustaining due to the collection of rental fees. The scholarship program would allow us to provide instruments free of charge to 110 students, who would otherwise be unable to participate in the band or strings program in their school. Some families cannot afford the $30.00 fee.
TPS Music Department - TPS Summer Music Program
The Summer Music Program provides an opportunity for participation in band, strings and choir beyond the regular school year. The program will be held at Highland Park High School, June 1-June 26, 2022 from 0800 to 1100. The program musical instruction during the summer to enhance skills of band students in grades 5-8, strings students in grades 5-8 and choir students in grades 4-8, and high school students as peer mentors based on music teacher recommendation.