Excellence in Education Grants Awarded
The McHenry County Retired Teachers Association is pleased to announce the winners of the 2022-23 Excellence in Education Awards. These monetary awards provide funds to support classroom projects that further enhance the educational goals of the students. This year the MCRTA was able to fund or partially fund ALL the submissions that it received. The winning projects:
Jake Hadden, organic chemistry instructor at Johnsburg High School, will receive funds to purchase 50 copies of The Martian by Andy Weir. This project will strengthen the collaboration between literature and science as many of the events in this novel parallel the concepts studied in organic chemistry, offering students insight into creative ways that new learning can be applied outside the classroom.
Amy Costello, 6-7 th grade literacy teacher at Harrison School in Wonder Lake, will receive money to buy a class set of the novel, Wonder by RJ Palacio. This book will provide students with the opportunity to read a book cover-to-cover with content that is accessible to them. This novel also incorporates many of the English Language Arts Common Core Standards for middle school students.
Kathleen Choi, K-4 music teacher at Algonquin Road School in Fox River Grove, will receive funds to purchase additional instruments to add to their Orff instrument collection which is an integral part of the K-4 music curriculum.
Aubrey Kuhns, Pre K-early childhood at Harrison School in Wonder Lake, will receive funds to support the creation of a sensory garden that will extend the students’ learning environment outside the classroom, allowing them to explore using their five senses while building and developing more of their fine and gross motor skills.
Rachelle Sikes, K-3 resource teacher at Harrison School in Wonder Lake, will receive money to provide each K-3 classroom with STEM kits. These kits include hands-on materials for early elementary learners that support science/math instruction, learning center activities, challenge projects, etc. This project will support the students in eight classrooms.
Jake Hadden, organic chemistry instructor at Johnsburg High School, will receive funds to purchase 50 copies of The Martian by Andy Weir. This project will strengthen the collaboration between literature and science as many of the events in this novel parallel the concepts studied in organic chemistry, offering students insight into creative ways that new learning can be applied outside the classroom.
Amy Costello, 6-7 th grade literacy teacher at Harrison School in Wonder Lake, will receive money to buy a class set of the novel, Wonder by RJ Palacio. This book will provide students with the opportunity to read a book cover-to-cover with content that is accessible to them. This novel also incorporates many of the English Language Arts Common Core Standards for middle school students.
Kathleen Choi, K-4 music teacher at Algonquin Road School in Fox River Grove, will receive funds to purchase additional instruments to add to their Orff instrument collection which is an integral part of the K-4 music curriculum.
Aubrey Kuhns, Pre K-early childhood at Harrison School in Wonder Lake, will receive funds to support the creation of a sensory garden that will extend the students’ learning environment outside the classroom, allowing them to explore using their five senses while building and developing more of their fine and gross motor skills.
Rachelle Sikes, K-3 resource teacher at Harrison School in Wonder Lake, will receive money to provide each K-3 classroom with STEM kits. These kits include hands-on materials for early elementary learners that support science/math instruction, learning center activities, challenge projects, etc. This project will support the students in eight classrooms.
The McHenry County Retired Teachers Association - M.C.R.T.A. is a local unit of the Illinois Retired Teachers Association.
The unit is a not-for-profit, non-partisan organization of retired teachers started in 1960.
Noon luncheon meetings are held 8 times a year at different sites in McHenry County. Meetings are informational and a great time to socialize.
The unit is a not-for-profit, non-partisan organization of retired teachers started in 1960.
Noon luncheon meetings are held 8 times a year at different sites in McHenry County. Meetings are informational and a great time to socialize.
