ELDO ELEMENTARY TEACHER RECEIVES GRANT FROM WGU MISSOURI

Jana Burley, a 2nd grade teacher at El Dorado Springs Elementary School in the El Dorado Springs R-2 School District, has received a $350 grant through WGU Missouri’s “Fund My Classroom” initiative. The funds will be used by Burley to expand her classroom library and instill a love of reading in her students. Burley learned she was selected for the grant on May 2 when she was surprised with a check presentation at her school.
Burley aims to get her second graders excited about reading each year, and she believes that by expanding access to the number and types of books available to them, she can accomplish this goal. The grant she received will be used to purchase between 50 and 60 nonfiction books that are subject matter-appropriate and are interesting to her students. Burley allots several minutes each day for her students to read, so expanding the library will allow more room for curiosity and excitement for reading.
The innovative classroom project is one of 50 across Missouri chosen by WGU Missouri to receive funding. The nonprofit, fully online university issued a call in March for K-12 teachers across the state to nominate proposed classroom projects by April 17 for the opportunity to receive full or partial funding through its “Fund My Classroom” initiative. Burley’s proposal is one of almost 200 nominations received statewide. Most grants were awarded during Teacher Appreciation Week, which ran from May 2-6.
“We received nominations for some amazing classroom projects, and we are happy to bring so many to life through this year’s ‘Fund My Classroom’ initiative,” said Dr. Terrance Hopson, Regional Director of WGU Missouri. “When it comes to expanding classroom curriculum and employing innovative techniques to engage and challenge students, teachers are often limited by costs. This initiative is an opportunity for WGU to give back to teachers, who go above and beyond to educate our students, by providing them with funding they can use to further enhance learning both in and out of the classroom.”
To learn more about the “Fund My Classroom” initiative and the work WGU Missouri is doing to help teachers advance their careers, visit missouri.wgu.edu.