Willow Springs Middle School teacher receives grant from WGU Missouri

Amber Lewis, a fifth grade science teacher at Willow Springs Middle School in the Willow Springs R-IV School District, has received a $300 grant through WGU Missouri’s “Fund My Classroom” initiative. The funds will be used to create a classroom library filled with diverse science books. Lewis learned she was selected for the grant in early May when WGU staff surprised her with a virtual check presentation. 

Students come to Lewis’s classroom with limited exposure to science, and she believes creating a diverse science classroom library could expose them to many topics of interest and help them become more familiar with many scientists. Students would also be able to learn how to comprehend nonfiction text. With the grant she received from WGU Missouri, she plans on adding books that cover a variety of scientific topics and will also include biographies of scientists who have made an impact. 

The innovative classroom project is one of 50 across Missouri chosen by WGU Missouri to receive funding. The nonprofit, fully online university issued a call in March for K-12 teachers across the state to nominate proposed classroom projects by April 17 for the opportunity to receive full or partial funding through its “Fund My Classroom” initiative. Lewis’s proposal is one of almost 200 nominations received statewide. Most grants were awarded during Teacher Appreciation Week, which ran from May 2-6. 

“We received nominations for some amazing classroom projects, and we are happy to bring so many to life through this year’s ‘Fund My Classroom’ initiative,” said Dr. Terrance Hopson, Regional Vice President of WGU Missouri. “When it comes to expanding classroom curriculum and employing innovative techniques to engage and challenge students, teachers are often limited by costs. This initiative is an opportunity for WGU to give back to teachers, who go above and beyond to educate our students, by providing them with funding they can use to further enhance learning both in and out of the classroom.” 

To learn more about the “Fund My Classroom” initiative and the work WGU Missouri is doing to help teachers advance their careers, visit missouri.wgu.edu.