Orangeburg County School District: Teachers awarded mini-grants

Orangeburg County School District educators were awarded more than $10,500 in Innovative Teaching Mini Grants from Savannah River Nuclear Solutions, LLC.

The Innovative Teaching Mini-Grants Program, a competitive program, recognizes and celebrates innovative teaching methods by providing funds to enhance elementary, middle and high school curricula.

Public and private school educators in several counties were invited to submit a $500, $750 or $1000 mini-grant application.

In OCSD, 17 educators received a grant and will be celebrated on March 18 at Newberry Hall in Aiken.

OCSD teachers receiving grants, their project titles, schools and the amounts awarded are:

• Abhilash Deva Rajan, Develop Practical Abilities in Chemistry, Branchville High School, $500

• Kelly Hayden, Beta Club Robotics and Engineering, Branchville High School, $750

• Lacole Raysor, Cooking with S.T.E.A.M., Brookdale Elementary School, $500

• Delorise Childs, Technology in S.T.E.A.M., Brookdale Elementary School, $1,000

• Kavitha Rathinam, “X”ing Out the Gap, Carver Edisto Middle, $500

• Adrienne Wood, Operation Dracula: “I Want Your Blood,” Cope Area Career Center, $1,000

• Starlette Jean, R.A.P. Time with Mrs. Jean, Edisto Elementary School, $500

• Rajananthini Velummylum. Enhancing the Teaching and Learning of Mathematics, Edisto High School, $500

• Travis Ard, Classroom Plants: Multiple Benefits!, Edisto High School, $750

• Shauntae Archie, SEL at EPS, Edisto Primary School, $500

• Shannon Williams, An Exceptional Garden for Academic Scholars, Edisto Primary School, $500

• Tamu NiiLampti, Full STEAM Ahead: Bulldogs Robotics Team, Holly Hill Elementary School, $1,000

• Shevelle Bogle, “Our Hydroponic Garden” soil-less growth,

Holly Hill-Roberts Middle School, $500

• Rosy Chinnam, Tools For Student Success, Hunter-Kinard-Tyler High School, $500

• Joyce Smith, Relief in the Print, Lake Marion High School, $500

• Sandra Tarazona Ruiz, Making Spanish Fun, North Middle High School, $500

• Kendrea Hodges, Creating Well-Rounded Musicians/Piano Skills, Robert E. Howard Middle School, $500

“OCSD teachers responded to this opportunity with tremendous enthusiasm and were awarded a significant portion of the funds made available to our region, in support of special projects in their classrooms, across grade levels, or throughout their schools”, said Dr. Shawn D. Foster, OCSD superintendent. “I am proud of our educators, and I look forward to celebrating them on March 18.”