Funded projects offer students a chance to learn new skills, gain new experiences and be exposed to new ideas – everything from a Northside community concert, books to boost reading levels or read in braille, learn to steal fish or build robots.

Funding for these and other projects is among 20 grants totaling $34,156 announced Tuesday by the La Crosse Public Education Foundation.

“The grants awarded today are a testament to the creativity and commitment of the teachers and staff of the La Crosse School District. They will give students of all grade levels in the district access to exciting and engaging educational experiences,” said Dr. Tom Thompson, Chairman of the Board of La Crosse Public Education Foundation. “We are grateful for the generosity of the community that makes these projects possible. »

Gold Star grants are selected for funding based on creativity, ability to engage students, and total impact or reach of the project throughout the district. Here is a brief summary of the 20 grants.

‐ $5,000 to purchase differentiated, highly engaging, and culturally appropriate materials that align with the grade level curriculum to provide support for Northside Elementary students to achieve grade level achievement. Recipients: Sarah Bradle, Shelly Long, Kadie Koepke, Courtney Kirchner.

‐ $4,000 to purchase social-emotional materials for all 4K students to build critical coping skills in a developmentally appropriate way, through play. To: Michelle L. Powell. Made possible in part by the Duane and Carol Taebel Fund of the La Crosse Community Foundation.

‐ $3,500 to provide a community concert and dance at Northside Elementary/Coulee Montessori featuring popular artist Koo Koo Kangaroo. The event will support community building and appreciation of music and dance. Recipients: Amoreena Rathke, Nicki Pope, Julie Nelson.

‐ $3,000 to train middle school literacy specialists in the use and purchase of a digital classroom library inventory and appraisal system. Recipients: Jill Emerich, Kristy Holinka and Ruth Baardseth. Made possible in part by the Richard Swantz Fund.

‐ Brauer IB Adventure grant of $2,500 to send two teachers to an International Baccalaureate conference for training in leading the Northwoods community through the next stage of IB self-study and program reassessment. Recipients: Sara DePaolo, Rebecca Misch.

‐ $2,388 to provide students at Central High School with a fly fishing and fish habitat learning experience. Students will learn fly casting, fly tying and how to catch fish. Recipients: Brad Bryan, Scott Linssen. Made possible in part by the Tyser Power of Nature Fund

‐ $2,000 to purchase materials for the STEAM lab at Northside Elementary accessible to all grades. Recipients: Deb Sullivan.

‐ $1,867 to purchase robotic equipment for science students at Logan High School and La Crosse Roads to enhance their learning of electricity and basic circuits. Recipients: Scott Gruen, Eric Cummings, Mark Ziegler. Made possible in part by the La Crosse Community Foundation’s Dr. Gunnar and Mary Baldwin Gundersen Memorial Fund

‐ $1,614 for Central and Logan High School reading classes and Black Student Union students to visit the American Black Holocaust Museum in Milwaukee. The museum pays tribute to Dr. James Cameron, a native of La Crosse. Recipients: Katie Green, Kalista Richardson, Quartell Roberson.

‐ $1,100 to purchase Spanish readers to encourage language acquisition for students at Lincoln and Longfellow Middle School. Recipients: Jennifer Ciokiewicz, Ruth Bent.

‐ $1,100 for dancer Michael James to speak with students at Lincoln Middle about dance, racism and stereotyping and achieving his personal goals. Recipients: Jason Harden. Made possible in part by the Rachel Gundersen Endowment for the Arts & Humanities.

‐ $1,025 to purchase hands-on learning tools for use in Southern Bluffs Elementary Prairie’s outdoor learning classroom. Recipients: Stacy Raatz.

‐ $1,000 for all elementary music teachers to learn from Franklin Willis, Elementary Music Instructional Coach, how to incorporate authentic and culturally relevant musical repertoire into culturally relevant instruction. Recipients: Amanda Wolfgram. the McGavock Family Endowment for Music Education.

‐ $824 to purchase engraved phonetic pebbles and word building alphabet stones to develop word building skills using sustainable natural materials at Northside Elementary. Recipients: Lisa Hilker. Made possible in part by the Judy and Randy Eddy Sr. Fund

‐ $788 to purchase braille books for visually impaired elementary students across the district, providing options in addition to audiobooks and readme books. Recipients: Tina Welke. Made possible in part by the Judy and Dave Bouffleur Fund of the La Crosse Community Foundation.

‐ $555 to purchase sewing equipment and materials for La Crosse Polytechnic students to create a fashion piece that symbolizes identity and power to be displayed in an art gallery or at the Pride Center. Recipients: Bri Larcom.

‐ $550 for the purchase of swimming equipment for adapted physical education classes at Central and Logan high schools. The equipment will help students with therapy exercises, swimming skills, safety and general interactive play. Recipients: Jessa Ellenbecker, Katie Bakke, Lindsay Shay. Made possible in part by the Randy and Lynn Nelson Fund.

‐ $500 to purchase science-themed board games for biology students at Logan High School. Students will then design, produce and play their own strategy-based game. Addressee: Jill Abing.

‐ $480 to purchase an anthology of miscellaneous short stories, The Hero Next Door, for staff and students at Longfellow Middle to learn about what is happening in the world. Recipients: Lila Planavsky, Stephanie Greenwold

‐ $365 to purchase blank hardcover books that will be filled with a children’s story written in Spanish by Logan High School students and then sent to underdeveloped areas of Latin America to promote literacy. Recipients: Katie Beyer. Funded in part by the Tom and Judy Sleik Family Fund of La Crosse Community Foundation.

In addition to Gold Star grants, the LPEF provides other supports to La Crosse schools, including random acts of kindness to meet student needs in areas such as nutrition, hygiene, clothing, and transportation. . For more information, contact LPEF at 608.787.0226, or email Nell Saunders‐Scott at: [email protected]