ALEXANDRIA

— A dragster flow tunnel, African puercussion, hanging out in nature.

Those are just three of many enrichment projects that will receive teacher grants. The

Alexandria Education Foundation

has awarded $43,140 in grants to fund 12 enrichment projects in the Alexandria Public Schools for implementation in the 2024-2025 school year.

The Education Foundation’s mission is to fund initiatives that ignite passion, unlock potential and foster engagement for all learners and staff within Alexandria Public Schools.

Annually, the Alexandria Education Foundation invites the district’s teachers to submit grant applications for projects and programs that will have a meaningful impact on students.

This year, there were 17 applications received with 12 of those either partially or fully funded.

Since 2009, AEF has awarded over $539,000 in grants to teachers in

Alexandria Public Schools

.

Funding for the AEF Teacher Grant Program is made possible by donor contributions to the Alexandria Education Foundation. Donations can be made online at alexeducationfoundation.org, or by mail to AEF, P.O. Box 308, Alexandria, MN 56308.

The projects that will be funded include the following:

Dragster Flow Tunnel
Teacher: Jon Hennen
School: Discovery Middle School
Students impacted: 180 students in grades 7-8
Amount funded: $2,495
Students will engage in hands-on learning by using a flow visualization tunnel provided to enhance the design and performance of their CO2 dragsters. The project aims to integrate principles of fluid dynamics and aerodynamics into the traditional CO2 dragster design process, providing students with a comprehensive understanding of the factors influencing drag, resistance and aerodynamic efficiency.

African Percussion
Teacher: Kayla Noble
School: Lincoln Elementary School
Students impacted: School-wide, approximately 490 students in K-5th grade
Amount funded: $7,250
African percussion instruments will be purchased. Students will experience various African drum types and drumming styles as well as enrich their understanding of rhythm and composition. African drumming is rich in community building traditions and provides students with innovative ensemble building and music making opportunities.

Build the Change
Teacher: Valerie Jahnke
School: Discovery Middle School
Students impacted: Eight students in grades 6-8
Amount funded: $500
The Lego Build the Change curriculum that will be purchased empowers DCD students in a transformative journey, fostering essential skills like teamwork and problem solving. Students use their creativity to solve real-world challenges with LEGO® bricks and other creative materials – and it is all achieved via Learning through Play.

Real time Data Collection Materials
Teacher: Rachel Bothun
School: Discovery Middle School
Students impacted: 330 students in grade 8
Amount funded: $2,221
This grant will purchase Vernier data collection probes to enhance the capabilities of students to collect and analyze real-time data in 8th grade Physical Science classes. The probes are physical measurement devices that directly connect with student Chromebook and use an extension to collect data that students can then analyze. This allows students to interact with the concepts they are learning about by collecting their own data in investigations that they can design and draw conclusions from.

Hanging Out in Nature

Teacher: Amy Revering
School: Miltona Science Magnet School
Students impacted: School-wide, approximately 145 students K-5th grade
Amount funded: $2,865
A “Hammock Forest” consisting of 28 double hammocks will be purchased. The hammock forest will lend itself not only to independent and partner reading opportunities but will also be a place for students to write and make observations, all while finding more focus in nature.

Musical Learning for Littles
Teacher: Rhonda Blaser
School: Voyager Elementary School
Students impacted: School-wide, approximately 450 students K-5th grade
Amount funded: $1,500
Barred instruments and activity balls that are suitable for young students will be purchased. Students will use instruments for exploration, melody making and creating. This will prepare young students for future use of Orff barred instruments. A ball can provide students with a visual sense of steady beat in an entertaining way.

Early Ed STEM Cart
Teacher: Tammara DeJesus
School: Early Education Center
Students impacted: 200 preschool students
Amount funded: $2,500
The Early Education Center will receive a STEM Cart to use in the Alexandria and Carlos location. A STEM cart will offer early exposure to science, technology, engineering and mathematics education and will nurture creative and critical thinking, help students process the continuously changing world around them and prepare them for the academic years ahead.

American Ninja Warrior Equipment
Teacher: Patti Hinrichs
School: All elementary schools
Students impacted: 1,660 elementary students K-5 district-wide
Amount funded: $8,210
Ninja Warrior equipment will be used at all the elementary levels within the Alexandria Public Schools. The equipment provides a new and unique opportunity for students to challenge themselves both mentally and physically and will also expand the variety of options students can explore regarding recreation and inspire healthy, active lifelong learning.

Hydroponic Grow Towers and Food Table
Teacher: Linnay Schweisthal
School: Alexandria Area High School
Students impacted: 100 students 9th-12th grade
Amount funded: $4,574
The agriculture classes at AAHS will receive hydroponic towers and a food table. Hydroponics are a way to grow food without soil and in different environments. Students will have the ability to learn about different ways food and plants can be grown and produced. With technology integrated into the hydroponic towers, it will give students a look at how technology can play a role in growing food and keeping plants healthy.

Harmony Bridge
Teacher: Nick Mason
School: Alexandria Area High School
Students impacted: 130 students 9th-12th grade
Amount funded: $2,500
Harmony Bridge is a musical initiative designed to help bridge the generational gap between teenage students and the senior living community using chamber music. The materials that will be purchased are designed to be an approachable intro to chamber music that students can use in student-led rehearsals and recitals, and then apply those skills at performances in senior living residencies.

Vertical Non-Permanent surfaces
Teacher: Katie Lagergren and Amanda Meyer
School: Alexandria Area High School
Students impacted: 1,000 students 9th-12th grade
Amount funded: $6,000
AAHS Mathematics classrooms will receive Vertical Non-Permanent surfaces to “build thinking classrooms.” This teaching strategy takes student’s mathematics learning from passive to active. When students are at vertical surfaces, they are more likely to take risks, be engaged with the thinking and form a strong conceptual understanding of the mathematics they are using.

Building Thinking Classrooms
Teacher: Megan Paulson and Jill Fuglestad
School: All elementary schools
Students impacted: 400 elementary students district-wide in grades 2-5
Amount funded: $2,525
“Thinking Classrooms” are created by using Vertical Non-permanent surfaces as part of a model of teaching that transforms the current system of “sit and get” to a more collaborative system which allows students to be the ones leading discussions, actively problem solving and collaboratively exploring concepts with small groups of peers. Whiteboard sets will be purchased, which will allow students to interact with the curriculum in a more engaging way.

Celeste Edenloff is the special projects editor and a reporter for the Alexandria Echo Press. She has lived in the Alexandria Lakes Area since 1997. She first worked for the Echo Press as a reporter from 1999 to 2011, and returned in 2016 to once again report on the community she calls home.