Teachers receive $58k in grants

Mid-Del Public Schools Foundation presents Big Idea Grants

By Jeff Harrison
Midwest City Beacon

Local teachers received a special surprise after coming back from Thanksgiving break.

The Mid-Del Public Schools Foundation surprised several educators by awarding Big Idea Grants. They awarded a total of $58,712 to 44 teacher grants.

Members of the Foundation and school district leaders traveled from school to school to visit grant recipients.

Lindse Barks, executive director of the Foundation, said they awarded more money and more grants this year. She was pleased to see all of the secondary schools received grants.

“Every high school and middle school and Mid-Del Tech Center and the Career Academy were awarded a grant and that’s the first that I can remember having that,” she said. “I feel like our reach is growing.”

Barks said they’ve seen more grants for special education and fine arts.

Heather Pastrana, a special education teacher at Midwest City Middle School, received two grants. One will help students with special needs learn job and self-help skills, and another helps students with sensory needs.

“The plan is to help students when they get overwhelmed,” she said. “Everyone here has autism or some sort of intellectual disability and when it’s noisy or they get out of sorts, this will help them calm down.”

Dedra Strecker, a teacher at Mid-Del Technology Center, received a grant for the vocation lab that serves high school and adult special education students. They learn employment skills, daily living skills and functional skills. The grant is for additional curriculum.

“We want to help them bolster those skills to help them get meaningful and safe employment,” Strecker said.

For fine arts, Olivia Adams, a Carl Albert High School drama teacher, received a grant for workshop and Q & A sessions with professionals from Broadway touring shows. The program will be open to students throughout the district.

The Foundation raises funds through their golf tournament, banquet and individual contributions.

“We don’t always get to see the impact that donations have on our students and teachers, so this is a day of excitement, fun and joy,” Barks said.

Annette Nantois, a former Del City High School principal and Foundation member, said she was impressed with the variety of grants. She said she enjoys the joy of the grant day and seeing many familiar faces.

“I like seeing many of my former students, who are now in places of importance as principals and teachers,” she said. “I see a lot of people that I hired. And I’m really proud to see our Mid-Del students doing so well and serving back in the district.”