Materials

Thank you so much LPS Foundation!! Your generosity has allowed me to start an afterschool board game club at Sullivan Village Elementary. I used the grant money to purchase a variety of board games which are being enjoyed by the students in the Game On! Board Game Club. This club meets every Tuesday from 4:00-5:00. It is comprised of over fifty 3rd-5th grade students. (I actually had so many students who wanted to join that I had to divide the them into two different groups. One group is meeting now, and I will start meeting with the other group after Spring Break.) During the Game On! Club meetings, the students are taught how to play the games and then, spend the rest of the time playing, strategizing, and enjoying. There is a lot of noise, excitement and smiles. The students discuss different strategies, and I always encourage good sportsmanship. Participation in this club helps the students learn how to follow rules, take turns and deal with winning and losing. They develop an understanding of cause and effect and learn how to improve their critical thinking skills.

As a counselor, I wanted to start this club, because playing board games can improve mental wellness. Many elementary students suffer from stress and anxiety. Hopefully, their involvement in this club will lower their stress levels and allow them to relax as they make positive connections with the other students.

So far, from what I have observed, this club has been very successful. The students look forward to Tuesday afternoons. They can’t wait to learn new games. Several of the students have asked if we can meet every afternoon. I’m loving it!!! The Game on! Board Game Club is a success! Thank you!!

The school was also able to use the purchased board games during an evening board game night with parents. We had several families attend, and it was fabulous seeing them participate in the board game fun!

I was so blessed to purchase a variety of art supplies for my classroom. The supplies included, watercolor paint, paint brushes, cardstock, clay, tempera paint, wooden cutouts, acrylic paint markers, tissue paper, and more. My first grade classroom is filled with vibrant colors, imaginative creations, and eager young artists. The beautiful paintings and drawings created with these supplies showcase each student’s unique creativity. From finger painting to clay sculpting, these budding artists are encouraged to explore different mediums and techniques to express themselves. The classroom is a hub of excitement and inspiration as the children eagerly share their latest masterpieces with their peers and teachers. Through art, these young learners not only improve their fine motor skills but also develop important cognitive abilities such as problem-solving and critical thinking. The atmosphere in the classroom is buzzing with creativity and I can’t help but feel equally enthusiastic about the endless possibilities art brings into these young minds’ lives. This is only achieved due to the generosity of the LPS foundation. Thank you.

In pre-k, the best way of learning is through play and hands on learning. Having these different math centers have been very helpful for my students. These resources have helped my students stay engaged while practicing counting, sorting, and patterning. These resources have also helped my students work on their fine motor skills by having to use tools such as tongs or tweezers, or using their fingers to twist and manipulate the nuts and bolts. My students and I are so grateful to have these math manipulatives to play with and use to make learning their math skills more fun!

This grant has allowed our students an opportunity to immerse themselves in the diverse subject of art. They have been given a chance to express themselves in ways they were unable to before. For many of these students it has also been a first time experience getting to use various means of art.

Sitting in a chair doing work can get boring for second graders. The clipboards, dry erase boards and puzzles allow for students to be mobile around the classroom while still answering questions and being engaged in the lesson.

The resources that were purchased through this grant have become and amazing way of bridging the gap and removing obstacles that stand between ELL students, their families, and their educational environment. With the grant we were able to purchase multiple rapid translators for our school to use with students and staff. At the moment, the translator pens are being utilized to facilitate Reading comprehension for the students. The pen can be used to scan any given text and translate it into multiple languages. This allows the students to comprehend the material they are reading, which in turn, helps the teacher better assess their academic progress and meet them where they are. The handheld translator device is also being used by these students to provide effective, real-time communication with their teachers and peers. A perfect example that these devices are a huge success for our students is that I recently spoke to one of our students who has been using these devices since she arrived at Crosby, and she has made tremendous growth! She told me that she loved to use the translating pen to read books and texts in class because it translated everything into Spanish and she could do her work. She also stated that she liked the handheld device because it made it possible to communicate with her teacher. These devices have not only made her more confident and improved her work, but they have definitely helped tear down barriers and build success!