Mini-grant winners announced

Kathy Mathis, a North Aiken Elementary School teacher, has been in the classroom for 30 years.

Her colleague, Benjamin Green, has been teaching for three years, the last two at North Aiken. What they have in common is their first-ever Savannah River Nuclear Solutions Teaching Mini-Grants.

Both will receive $500 for science-based projects. Dozens of teachers throughout the CSRA received grants of $500, $750 and $1,000 for their project proposals.

All the recipients will be honored at a reception at the North Augusta Municipal Center Thursday at 5:30 p.m.

Mathis' project will include some planting of plants as a way to enhance the teaching of science curriculum standards. After three decades, Mathis still loves her work.

"It never gets old," she said. "It only gets better."

Green titled his project "Students Radically eNgaged in Science!" - an amusing riff on grant sponsor SRNS.

His fifth-graders will get involved in projects related to life, earth and physical science - among them a classroom ecosystem. He, too, is grateful for the grant.

"Funds are hard to get these days," Green said. "We need to find every resource that we can."

SRNS is providing grants to 117 elementary and middle school teachers with 89 projects, all of them proposing projects in the areas of math, science and technology. The grants are funded by SRNS's Community Investment Program, which supports such community initiatives as education, health and welfare, civic and social activities, and culture and the arts.

"We are proud to reward educators who exhibit a strong passion for helping students better understand math, science and technology through innovative teaching methods," said Angela Martin, the Mini-Grant program coordinator.

Other winners

Area teachers who won $1,000 grants are as follows: Sonya Forker, Millbrook Elementary School; Bonnie McNeill, New Ellenton Middle School; Betty Smith, North Augusta Middle School; and the Chukker Creek Elementary School team of Caroline Clay, Sherlyn Chapman, Theresa Casey and Esther Blake.

The $750 grants went to Cynthia DeFillips, Aiken Elementary; Margaret Fussell, Aiken Middle; Debbie McCain, Merriwether Middle; the team of Adrianne Meyers, Chalise Herrera, Kayatria Jones and Kristin Wells, North Aiken Elementary; and the team of Denise Barnhart and Cheryl Curtis, Oakwood-Windsor Elementary.

The $500 winners are listed by schools:

* Aiken Elementary - Patsy Sheldon, Marianne Swearingen, Mary Ann Kasraii, Jordan Ridings, Meagan Schilling, Dawn Nuessle, Carla Kerrigan, Leslie Kirkland, Kimberly Mitchell, April Gattis, Debra Crowder, Erin Bradberry, Cristie Caldwell, Stephanie Camp, Lucinda Battisto, Amanda Auvenshine.

* Aiken Middle - Jennifer Coffey, Margaret Brown.

* Belvedere Elementary - Heather Shuler, Debbie Vaughn.

* Chukker Creek Elementary - Holly Palmer, Stephanie Curtis.

* Clearwater Elementary - Ann Wade.

* Gloverville Elementary - Jennifer Olsen, Kimberly Griffis, and the team of Janice Jackson, April Klugh and Roberta Burkhart.

* Hammond Hill Elementary - Nan Hall, Jan Boulineau, Christine Witt, and the team of Juliana Head and Tamara Butler.

* J.D. Lever Elementary - Jessica Wilkerson; Phyllis Jones; the team of Dell Benhardt, Whitten Chavis, Ryan Key and Lace McGlocklin; the team of Nancy Courtney, Angela Canepa, Julie Corbett, Margaret Green and Stacie Sidwell; and the team of Sarah Walton, April Leischner, Amy Swanson and Lisa Davis.

* Jefferson Elementary - Ellen Cotton.

* Kennedy Middle - Lyanne Haislip.

* Merriwether Middle - Rewa Milton.

* Millbrook Elementary - Karey Santos, Lisa Montgomery, Julie Coleman, Melanie Royster, Marie Hughes, Michael Terry, Marge Hamman, Jennifer Melton, Andrea Overcash, Michele Waters, David Brinkley, Laura Christenbury, Agnes Hobson.

* New Ellenton Middle - Mary Johnson, Alice Blair and the team of Debra Rood and Deborah Wallace.

* North Augusta Middle - Betty Ferguson.

* Oakwood-Windsor Elementary - The team of Toni Boltin, Shadie Barber, Julie Ferrara and Jesse Hall.

* Warrenville Elementary - Nancy Croft.

Contact Rob Novit at rnovit@aikenstandard.com.