With financial support of several organizations, many teachers in Sampson County were able to have educational experiences beyond the classroom.
Sampson County Schools honored recipients during a Monday meeting. The sources of the funds came through several sources. One of the largest source of funding came through the Sampson County Love of Learning Grant program through the Simple Gifts Fund. This program provides financial assistance to educators for unique opportunities. Grants were up to $3,000.
Susan Warren, public relations and student services coordinator, said the district appreciates the assistance from the organization.
The Love of Learning recipients included Geoffrey Tart, Hobbton High School; Leasa Hodges and Lesley Allen, Midway Middle School; Anna Gillespie and Michelle Smoak, Sampson Early College High School.
The program’s $8,000 Summer Fellowship grants gives teachers opportunities to take trips for educational purposes. Recipients were Carol Raines, Midway Elementary School; Amy Leatherwood and Tanya Robinson-Freeman, Union Intermediate School; and David Locklear, Lakewood High School.
“It’s just a great opportunity for these teachers to enhance their classrooms and learn things through the summer to bring back to their students,” Warren said.
Love of Learning recently provided funding for groups of students from Midway Elementary and Salemburg Elementary to participate in the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences’ Using The Outdoors to Teach Experimental Science (UTOTES) program.
“We’re very proud that Simple Gifts has allowed them the opportunity to participate and fund this,” Warren said.
Margaret Turlington, coordinator of the Simple Gifts Funds, is looking forward to having the students engage in the project. For all of Simple Gifts programs, she added that it’s exciting to see teachers provide new experiences for the students and themselves.
“We’re all about experiences and having those two schools be selected from schools across the state is so exciting,” Turlington said. “We’re really pleased.”
Lacey Corbett of Union Elementary School earned a Pets in the Classroom grant,which provides financial support to teachers so they can have small animals in the classroom. Her choice was a guinea pig. It was established by the Pet Care Trust.
Michelle Smoak of Sampson Early College High School received a $5,000 grant from South River Electric Membership Corporation’s Operation Round Up. The voluntary program enables members to round up their electric to the next whole dollar. The extra cents go towards South River’s Community Assistance Corporation, a nonprofit organization.