Each year, Great Plains Communications is proud and honored for the chance to support our communities through our “Commitment to Our Schools” program. This year we were able to present five grants, totaling just under $20,000. We would like to take this time to again congratulate all of our 2019 grant recipients as well as our 2019 Outstanding Teacher of the Year.
Broken Bow Public Schools – $2,000 Grant
The grant will be used to support the development of a modern Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) lab. The lab includes a vinyl cutter, Makey-Makeys, circuit boards, a button maker, Dash and Dot robots, several agricultural related kits, and more. Funding from Great Plains Communications will be used to help obtain a 3D printer that will be available to all middle and high school students throughout the school day and will become a part of the curriculum for their newly formed STEM club.
Cody-Kilgore Elementary School – $4,500 Grant
The school plans to use the money to support the implementation of a mobile Chromebook lab for the lower elementary students. As a Google school, Cody-Kilgore students in grades 4-12 are 1:1 utilizing Chromebooks. The lab will help the younger students familiarize themselves with the devices and technology, better preparing them for advanced grade levels.
Creighton Community Public Schools – $5,000 Grant
The funds will be used to purchase technology equipment for the development of a Radio and Television studio. The studio will not only provide students with first-hand experience with radio and television technology, but it will also serve as a vehicle to deliver school news to the community.
Perkins County Elementary School – $2,500 Grant
The grant will be used to support the development of an Aquaponics Lab. Aquaponics is the combination of aquaculture (raising fish) and hydroponics (growing plants without soil) that grows fish and plants together in one combined system. Amanda Wood, Science Teacher at Perkins County Elementary shared her beliefs that children need to be exposed to the amazing areas of science at an early age to ignite their passion to seek and understand more of the world around them.
Riverside Public Schools – $5,000 Grant
The school is currently in the beginning stages of developing a STEM lab and plans to use the Great Plains Communications funds to purchase equipment such as a 3D printer and filaments, Dash and Dot robots and accessories. These devices will provide Riverside students with hands-on opportunities to create solutions to real-world problems and will provide an alternative to traditional learning protocols.
Along with the grant, Riverside Public Schools teacher, Julie Rankin was awarded the 2019 Outstanding Teacher of the Year accompanied by a check for $5,000. Throughout her career, which began in 1993, Rankin has shown tireless dedication as a teacher of multiple academic subjects for 5th and 6th-grade students for Spalding Public and Riverside Public Schools. When asked to describe the rewards she finds in teaching, Ms. Rankin answered, “One of the greatest rewards is teaching students to believe in themselves and the ability to persevere when things become difficult. Seeing the excitement on their faces when they finally understand a difficult concept or task is priceless to me. I absolutely love finding ways to teach a child new things.”
Help us in congratulation all of our grant winners, as well as Julie Rankin, our 2019 Outstanding Teacher of the Year!