Smith-Cotton Junior High PTA Funds Two Mini Grants

Smith-Cotton Junior High special education teacher Carrie Martin and library media specialist Megan Sparks were surprised Thursday, Jan. 24, by members of the SCJH PTA, who awarded the pair with mini grant funds.

Martin received $781 for headphones with microphones. In her application, Martin wrote: "Th purpose of the headsets with microphones is to provide students who struggle to write (a way to) express themselves and have the opportunity to keep pace with peers. Giving students the opportunity to express themselves without struggling ... will allow students to partake in self-discovery, self-learning, and be creative while minimizing the frustration level."

Sparks applied for STEM circuitry/coding kits. In her application, Sparks wrote: "Not only will this keep students interested, it provides them with more opportunities to be creative in science and technology. These kits provide students with basic electronic and coding principles." Sparks's grant was for $234.25.

Presenting the funds were SCJH PTA members Cara Barth-Fagan, Elizabeth Estes, Jen Kinter and Robin Phillips.

PIC1: Smith-Cotton Junior High special education teacher Carrie Martin, second from left, receives a SCJH PTA mini grant from PTA members, from left, Robin Phillips, Jen Kinter, Cara Barth-Fagan and Elizabeth Estes.

PIC2: Smith-Cotton Junior High library media specialist Megan Sparks, center, receives a SCJH PTA mini grant from PTA members, from left, Jen Kinter, Robin Phillips, Elizabeth Estes and Cara Barth-Fagan.