Youth Advisory Council to award $3,800 in grants to teachers.

Youth Advisory Council to award $3,800 in grants to teachers.

PENTWATER – As students, teachers, and school administrators prepare for the back-to-school transition, the Community Foundation for Oceana County’s Youth Advisory Council is preparing to award $3,800 in teacher mini grants.

The Youth Advisory Council (YAC) brings high school students from throughout the county together to provide grants to programs that impact their peers. The YAC is made up of student representatives and adult advisors from five Oceana County schools and provides $30,000 per year in grant awards that impact youth issues. The Youth Advisory Council invites teachers to apply for mini-grants to help them out in the classroom. Whether it’s a new idea or that little extra you need to make your lesson plans great, you can brighten your classroom with a little help from our youth.

Based on educator feedback, the YAC now hosts one teacher grant round each year in August for awards up to $250. Oceana public and private school teachers can request grants for program enhancements, special projects, expansion of an existing curriculum unit, student awards, special events, professional development, artists in residence, and parent involvement. Grants are not awarded for basic, everyday supplies.

“We connect teachers with extra financial resources to implement or strengthen projects,” said Program Officer and YAC Advisor Danielle Siegel. “YAC members bring their own learning experiences to the deliberation table, and are extremely thoughtful in their reviews.”

Some foundation advised funds, such as the Mary Ann Peterson “Grandma Pete” Memorial and Mrs. Mullen’s Closet, also utilize the teacher mini grant program. The Grandma Pete Fund looks to support learning to read efforts at area elementary schools as Mary Ann was often quoted saying “if you can read, you can do anything!”

The brief teacher mini grant application is submitted online and is due by Aug. 30 each year. Grant awards are distributed in September. Find all the info, including the link to the application, at https://oceanafoundation.org/grants/teacher-mini-grants/.

Questions should be directed to Danielle Siegel at danielle@oceanafoundation.org or by calling the Community Foundation office at 231-869-3377.