Ottumwa, IA – The Ottumwa Legacy Foundation has announced the successful completion of its Classroom Champions grant program, providing $15,000 in funding to 30 deserving teachers across Wapello County for the 2022-2023 school year.
The program was created to address the reality that many teachers and associates use their own personal funds to enhance the student experience in their classrooms. The Foundation received an overwhelming response to the program, with requests for over $26,000 from teachers across Wapello County.
“We are thrilled to see the impact that the Classroom Champions grant program has made in Wapello County,” said Kelly Genners, CEO/President of the Ottumwa Legacy Foundation. “We are proud to be able to provide financial support to the teachers and students in Wapello County that translates directly in the classroom.”
The Classroom Champions grant program covered expenses in several categories, including STEM supplies and curriculum, literacy supplies and curriculum, business supplies and curriculum, music and fine arts, fine motor development materials, field trips, level III
classroom supplies, and curriculum, professional development, and a variety of other classroom needs.
One grant recipient, Hollie Brinkmeier, a teacher at Cardinal Elementary, expressed her gratitude for the program, saying “Thank you for the grant! It has helped our classroom so much to have the reading level books, so the students are aware of the characters and can follow the stories through the levels. I appreciate the Legacy Foundation thinking about teacher’s needs and helping my classroom out!”
Due to the program’s success, the Legacy Foundation plans to offer the Classroom Champions grant program again next year, with the grant application process opening in August 2023 for the 2023-2024 school year.
