The Montgomery County R-II School District had 15 teachers who were awarded mini grants for their projects that will help their children learn in the classroom. 

On Nov. 13, the recipients were recognized at the multipurpose room at Montgomery County Middle School before the R-II School Board meeting began. They were Jill Ashley (MCMS), Rebecca Caldwell (MCE), Lisa Chisholm (MCMS), Amanda Davis (JBE), Angel Davis (JBE), Lori Farrar (MCMS), Lacy Gambill (JBE), Ginia Gowin (MCMS), Tina Harms (MCE), Kateryna Henness (MCE), Bailey Mabry (JBE/MCE), Nash Miller (MCMS), Jeanette Ventimiglia (JBE), Madelyn Woods (MCMS) and Kristal Zerr (MCE). All of them will receive $250 each.

Eight of the teachers – Angel Davis, Amanda Davis, Harms, Chisholm, Farrar, Ashley, Zerr and Ventimiglia – were present at the meeting. Two of them – Ventimigila and Zerr – are preschool teachers that created projects which would help the students improve their learning before they go into kindergarten.

Zerr created the Preschool Playgroup project. The grant will help her buy some books, kits and activities. She will form some literacy groups and parenting-type classes.

“We have the youngest learners,” Zerr said. “Parents are excited about them learning in education and I wanted them to start off on the right foot.”

Last year, Zerr earned a grant for her outdoor education project in which she created an outdoor learning space with tables, chairs and other materials suitable for outdoor exploration and learning.

Ventimiglia won a grant for her project that is called My Feelings Matter, which allows students to learn about their feelings, how to identify their feelings and what they do with their feelings.

“I feel like if they start learning their emotions and feelings and identify them, that would help them as they go on to kindergarten,” Ventimiglia said.

Ventimiglia also earned a grant in 2024 after creating her Hands on Reading project, which featured manipulatives to support reading instruction such as magnetic letters and sound tiles.

Harms, a second-grade teacher, received a grant for her STEAM It Up in the Makerspace project, which provided and enhanced a makerspace in her classroom with an emphasis on activities that are related to science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics. It’s the ninth consecutive year she won a mini-grant.

During her presentation, she brought some magnetic building blocks she bought last year.

“They loved them so much that I need more,” Harms said. “So I’m getting more with the grant.”

Angel Davis, a librarian, won a grant for her Building Minds with KEVA project, which allows students to play with wooden building blocks.

“My kids don’t know it yet, but they’re super excited to use these,” she said.

Davis received her ninth grant. A year ago, she was awarded for her Building with STEAM project. The grant allowed her to purchase cardboard construction tools to enrich STEAM lessons and projects.

The other projects were Adapting Math and Reading Materials (Woods), Health Anatomy Models (Miller), Mat Man & Me (Caldwell), Flexible Seating (Amanda Davis), Unlocking Potential (Chisholm), Up Close (Farrar), Enhancing Classroom Learning with Interactive Tools (Henness), Standing Desk (Ashley), Piano Sheet Music (Mabry), Blacklight Art (Gowin) and Baby Doll Circle Time (Gambill).

The Kiwanis Mini Grant program is in its 18th year. The program is supported financially by many local civic clubs, including Montgomery City Kiwanis, Jonesburg Lions, Jonesburg Optimist, Jonesburg Lady Lioness, Montgomery City Lions and the Montgomery County Rotary Club.

There were 23 applications for the 14 available grants this year.