Audra Heimer, an art teacher at Montgomery County High School, has received a $300 grant through WGU Missouri’s “Fund My Classroom” initiative. The funds will be used to purchase a tabletop pottery wheel and associated supplies for her high school art classroom. Heimer learned she was selected for the grant on May 11 when she was surprised with a check presentation at her school.

Heimer’s students love working with clay and are eager to learn different techniques. By adding a pottery wheel to her classroom, students will be able to learn the practice of wheel throwing and further develop their art skills. In addition to the pottery wheel, Heimer is also able to use the grant to obtain a variety of clay-sculpting accessories, including sculpting tools, stilts, slip trailing bottles and additional glazes.

The innovative classroom project is one of 44 across Missouri chosen by WGU Missouri to receive funding. The nonprofit, fully online university issued a call in early March for K-12 teachers across the state to nominate proposed classroom projects by April 14 for the opportunity to receive full or partial funding through its “Fund My Classroom” initiative.

Heimer’s proposal is one of nearly 200 nominations received statewide. Most grants were awarded during Teacher Appreciation Week, which ran from May 8-12.

“This is the fifth consecutive year we have been able to offer grant funding to deserving teachers across the state through our ‘Fund My Classroom’ initiative, and we were so moved by all the nominations we received,” said Jessica Denham, Regional Director of WGU Missouri. “While we aren’t able to support all the projects that were nominated, we are excited to award funding to dozens of teachers who have come up with unique and innovative ways to improve their classrooms in order to promote learning and provide an enriching experience for their students.”

Heimer also coaches the MCHS softball team and the Montgomery County Middle School girls basketball team.