Springfield Rotary awards 21 special education teachers with grants

The Springfield Rotary Services to People with Disabilities has awarded 21 Grants-to-Teachers' awards to county special education teachers. Here, dozens of children throughout Clark County got to have some holiday fun and meet Santa during last year's annual Springfield Rotary Club's Christmas Party for Children with Disabilities. BILL LACKEY/STAFF

Credit: Bill Lackey

Credit: Bill Lackey

The Springfield Rotary Services to People with Disabilities has awarded 21 Grants-to-Teachers' awards to county special education teachers. Here, dozens of children throughout Clark County got to have some holiday fun and meet Santa during last year's annual Springfield Rotary Club's Christmas Party for Children with Disabilities. BILL LACKEY/STAFF

Twenty one city and county special education teachers were chosen as recipients of the 2021-22 Grants-To-Teachers’ award, the Springfield Rotary Club announced.

The grants, which are awarded through the Springfield Rotary Services to People with Disabilities Program, total over $6,000 and 155 local students with disabilities will be impacted by this project.

All 21 teachers who applied received grants. The teachers are from Springfield City, Clark-Shawnee, Greenon, Northeastern, Northwestern, Tecumseh local schools, and the Springfield-Clark Career Technology Center (CTC).

“The stipends are used during the current school year to enrich the students’ learning experience that their school or school district cannot provide,” the release stated.

Through this annual Grants-to-Teachers’ project, the Springfield Rotary provides resources, tools, therapeutic riding sessions and other field trips for student learning; supportive chairs and educational tools for classrooms; sensory and hands-on activities; math and literacy curriculum to engage students; music programs to reduce auditory hypersensitivity; and opportunities in the community to practice daily living skills.

The faculty receiving grants include:

Annika Lehman, New Carlisle Elementary

Beth Oder, Springfield-Clark CTC

Beth Szekacs, Clark-Shawnee High School

Brittany Drake-Hayes, Simon Kenton Elementary

Cathy McGraw, Greenon Elementary

Christa Sodders, Northridge Middle School

Emily Baker, Northwestern Jr./Sr. High School

Jeana Baucant Koon, Springfield-Clark CTC

Jennie Colvin, Springfield High School

Jeri Lynne Schmenk, Snyder Park Elementary

Kate Johnson, Possum Elementary

Katy Ferrell, Possum Middle School

Krista Cahoon, Northwestern Elementary

Laura Wright, Tecumseh High School

Laurie Maravetz, Hayward Middle School

Nicia Cook, Kenwood Elementary

Rachel Engle, Horace Mann Elementary

Raynee Shepherd, Tecumseh Middle School

Shonda Rittenhouse, Northeastern High School

Stephanie Foreman, Kenton Ridge High School

Tim Sullivan, Springfield High School

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