OSEF Awards $33,450 to OSSD Teachers

OCEAN SPRINGS, Miss (OSSD) -- The Ocean Springs Education Foundation has funded 18 teacher grants with a total of $33,450 for the 2021-2022 school year. The Ocean Springs Education Foundation awarded 18 fully-funded teacher grants with a grand total of $33,450 being awarded to all eligible teachers who applied. Since 1993, OSEF has provided OSSD teachers with additional funding through the OSEF teacher grant program.

Award Winners:

Kristina Alfonso of OSUE - Mrs. Alfonso submitted an OSEF grant proposal for a project titled "U Matter U Shaped Table" which provides a u-shaped table to increase interaction in the classroom.

Michelle Allen of OSMS - Mrs. Allen submitted an OSEF grant proposal for a project titled "Old School Audio" which provides a record player, vinyl records, and a speaker to integrate music into her media center.

Colleen Barr & Susannah Gregg of OSHS - Mrs. Barr & Mrs. Gregg submitted an OSEF grant proposal for a project titled "One Team, One Heart, One Legacy - OS Unified Sports" which provides materials for students with disabilities who participate in the Sparkle Cheer Team & Unified Basketball Team.

Bryan Butler of OSHS - Mr. Butler submitted an OSEF grant proposal for a project titled "The Koi's are Back in Town" which incorporates koi fish into the aquaponics systems for the Aquaculture program at OSHS.

Ashley Chennault of OSUE - Ms. Chennault submitted an OSEF grant proposal for a project titled "In a Nutshell: Kits for Enhanced Science Labs" which provides hands-on science lab kits for her classroom.

Brooke Dykes & Laura Jenkins of OPES - Mrs. Dykes and Mrs. Jenkins submitted an OSEF grant proposal for a project titled "Reading Around the World with Track Tales" a healthy literacy initiative that provides large-format books to use in displays on the school walking track.

Susannah Gregg of OSHS - Mrs. Gregg submitted an OSEF grant proposal for a project titled "Take a Look, it's in a Book!" which creates a classroom reading center for students with disabilities.

Ashley Gregoire of OSHS - Mrs. Gregoire submitted an OSEF grant proposal for a project titled "Changing Perspectives" which provides DSLR cameras for photography classes at OSHS.

Rachel Henry of PPES - Mrs. Henry submitted an OSEF grant proposal for a project titled "Circles" which provides a social and life skills curriculum for students with autism.

Beth LaFrance of OPES - Mrs. LaFrance submitted an OSEF grant proposal for a project titled "Learn, Play, GROW!" which provides interactive and sensory play items for Pre-K4 classrooms.

Mary Lentz of PPES - Mrs. Lentz submitted an OSEF grant proposal for a project titled "Building up S.T.E.A.M." which provides hands-on resources to enhance science and math curriculum.

Leah Puzz of OSMS - Ms. Puzz submitted an OSEF grant proposal for a project titled "Twisted Fairy Tales & Fables" which provides an innovative writing unit for students.

Jeremy Robinson & Brooke Gibson of OSUE - Mr. Robinson & Mrs. Gibson submitted an OSEF grant proposal for a project titled "Sensory Spaces Make Happy Faces & Minds," which provides an in-classroom sensory escape area for students.

Kelly Robinson of OPES - Mrs. Robinson submitted an OSEF grant proposal for a project titled "Sensory Play Experiences Just Make Sense" which provides sensory-rich activities, challenges, and centers in her PreK-4 classroom.

Caitlin Stauter & Ashley Chennault of OSUE - Mrs. Stauter & Mrs. Chennault submitted an OSEF grant proposal for a project titled "Painting Our Way through Mississippi's Curriculum," a cross-curricular project in which students create a painting inspired by a famous Mississippian and display it in a school art exhibit.

Melissa Sundberg of OSUE - Mrs. Sundberg submitted an OSEF grant proposal for a project titled "Code & Go," which provides a coding robot mouse for interactive virtual travel.

Kayla Yarbrough & Michelle Allen of OSMS - Ms. Yarbrough and Mrs. Allen submitted an OSEF grant proposal for a project titled "Get Up & Go Garden," which creates a multipurpose garden featuring sensory integration therapy, flower/herb planters, and a zen garden.

Congratulations to all of the award winners, and a HUGE thank you to the Ocean Springs Education Foundation for funding these projects!

OSEF would like to ask for your support of their “Crawfish & Cornhole for Classrooms” fundraiser, on Friday, May 13th, at the Mary C. This event serves as the primary method for fundraising for the OSEF teacher grants each year. More information available soon.