Helping Local Educators Make A Difference

Beckley Area Foundation began this program in 1996 to offer a special grant opportunity for Raleigh County classroom teachers, Pre-K through 12th grade. It is designed to provide funding support for creative and innovative instructional projects. A committee comprised of current and retired educators, community volunteers and BAF board members review applications utilizing a 'blind methodology' in October. This methodology does not present the applicant's name or school during the review process. Mini-grants, up to $500, are awarded in November with checks being made payable to the educators' appropriate schools.   The application deadline    is 11:45 p.m. on September 17th.

How to apply:
1)    ​Go to our Grant Portal
2) If you are a new user, you will need to create an account. Previous grantees will use their previous login information.
3) At the top of your screen, click on Apply. Select the "Students First 2021-2022" application to begin.

COVID-19

• We request that each teacher provide details on how their project(s) will be completed if their students are required, or choose to work from home during the school year.
• PPE items will not be considered, unless it is part of an imaginative program.

Grant Application Details

• Maximum amount per request is $500.
• Educators may   submit only 2 separate requests    for funding.
• The application deadline    is 11:45 p.m. on September 17th.
• DO NOT INCLUDE ANY   school or teacher identifying information in any part of the application. (This includes mascots, Title I status, school annuals or newspapers, etc. Also, please make sure the school name does not appear on any uploaded documents.)
  • In fairness to all applications, the inclusion of such information will result in the request being eliminated.  
• Honorarium to persons employed by the school system are not eligible for mini-grant funds.
• Speakers’ fees will not be considered, unless it is part of an imaginative program.
• Party food and consumable items are not generally funded.
• The activity must directly involve and benefit students.
• A final report is due following completion of your project and is due no later than May 20, 2022. 
  • Failure to fulfill this requirement will result in exclusion from the next application cycle.​

Apply Now

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2020 - 2021 Students First Award Recipients:

Beckley-Stratton Middle School
Mona Floyd |First Hand Knowledge  & Learning From the Past
Anna Harmon | Read Naturally Live
Lisa Shrewsberry | No Cap
 
Bradley Elementary School
Kimberly Cormack |More Than Peach
Julie Midkiff | Celebrating Diversity and Multicultural Art Education for Young Learners & Piecing it Together
Allison Shriver | Page to Screen & Socially Distant Recess
Andrea Sullivan | Mindful Music in Motion & Our Musical Bodies 
Sarah Toney | Play With Me, Watch Me Learn
 
Coal City Elementary School
Margret Perdue | Turning STEAM into STREAM
 
Cranberry Prosperity Elementary School
Leann Chesley | Connect 4 Life & Under the Microscope
Angela Hughes | Math Maker's Manipulatives
Stacy Stump | Book it
 
Fairdale Elementary School
Heather Arbogast | Magnetic Engineering & Special Needs Special Tools
Tara Grubb |  Creative Art During Recess & The Future of Reading
Lindsay Hall-Acord | Fractions with Skittles & Take Home Math Kits
Jamie Hazelwood | Painting Science
Staci Stover | Twirling Through Education with Style

Ghent Elementary School
Danielle Callaway | Dynamic Digital Resources & Using Reflex to Become the Best
Lisa Hatcher | Be in the Know with Scholastic Magazines & Crunching Math Facts Like a T-rex with Reflex
Carolyn Lilly | We Need Math Reflexes
Stacie Lilly  | We Don't Need a Kleenex, We've Got Reflex

Hollywood Elementary School
Rebecca Chapman | Yoga in P.E.
Andrea Horn | Building Readers 1 Plank at a Time
Lisa Hunt | Math Family Fun

Liberty High School
Amanda Allen | Growing and Learning

Mabscott Elementary School
Leah Evans | Healthy Bodies/Healthy Minds
Hillary Lewis | ​Math Toolkits

Marsh Fork Elementary School
Kimberly Cantley | Mountaineer Musicians & Uk-e-safely
 
Park Middle School
Tammy Donahue | Discovering Phi & Robots and the Fibonacci Sequence
 
Ridgeview Elementary School
Taryn Ramsden | Hands-On Learning with my First Grade Osmonauts
Taylor Sexton | Motor (Skills) Tune-Up Tool Kits
 
Shady Spring Elementary School
Lindsay Bolen | Lively Literacy
 
Shady Spring High School
Tiffany Lucas | Exploring Masks Around the World & Suminagashi
 
Sophia Christian Academy
Teresa Bowman | West Virginia History Comes Alive
Wendy Howerton | West Virginia Proud
 
Stratton Elementary School
Sarah Hughes | Add it Up
 
Trap Hill Middle School
Hanna McIntyre | Coraline and Claymation
 
Victory Baptist Academy
Stacie Thomas | A Whole New World & Stick to the Subject... Magnets
 
Woodrow Wilson High School
Julie Agnor | Developing a Green Thumb
Julia Blankenship | Stretching for Safety and Social Distancing
Travis Doyle | ​Projecting Without Fomites & Puppets for Everybody

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