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Feeding Curiosity: Caring for Science, Caring for Life
Jennifer Huy
ID-117
School Name:Seacrest Country Day School - Lower School
To enhance elementary science education by providing students in grades 1–5 with ongoing, hands-on experiences observing and caring for a healthy classroom bearded dragon. Through daily interactions with a living organism, students will deepen their understanding of life science concepts while developing curiosity, responsibility, compassion, and respect for the natural world.
Serving as a vital cornerstone of our elementary science curriculum, our classroom bearded dragon provides students in grades 1–5 with daily opportunities for active observation and meaningful interaction with a living organism. Throughout the school year, students use this classroom ambassador to explore life science concepts such as habitats, animal characteristics, adaptations, life cycles, nutrition, and responsible animal care.
Students observe the bearded dragon's behaviors, discuss its nutritional and environmental needs, record scientific observations, compare adaptations to those of other animals, and make real-world connections to the life science concepts they are learning in class. These authentic experiences strengthen inquiry skills, encourage critical thinking, and help students better understand the importance of caring for living organisms.
Grant funding will be used exclusively to provide the nutritional needs of our classroom bearded dragon throughout the school year, including high-quality feeder insects, fresh vegetables and greens, calcium and vitamin supplements, and occasional enrichment treats that support its overall health and well-being. Maintaining a healthy classroom animal ensures students continue to benefit from this engaging, hands-on instructional resource every day.
Approximately 120 students in grades 1–5 will benefit from daily interactions with a healthy classroom animal. These experiences reinforce Florida science standards related to organisms, adaptations, ecosystems, and life processes while encouraging responsibility, compassion, and respect for living things.
Observing a living animal in the classroom transforms science from something students read about into something they experience firsthand. The bearded dragon serves as an engaging instructional resource that inspires inquiry, scientific observation, meaningful discussion, and memorable hands-on learning experiences that foster a lifelong appreciation for science and nature.
To maintain the health of our classroom bearded dragon over the school year, the requested grant funding of $475 will be used to supply all essential food and dietary supplements.
-Live feeder insects ($250): Includes dubia roaches, mealworms, and superworms to deliver a reliable source of protein necessary for growth and vitality.
-Fresh greens and vegetables ($150): Sustains a well-balanced diet through a daily selection of wholesome, nutrient-rich vegetables.
-Vitamin and calcium supplements ($25): Prevent nutritional deficiencies to secure healthy bone structure and promote total wellness.
-Special enrichment treats ($50): Features occasional hornworms and silkworms to add dietary diversity, boost hydration, and stimulate natural foraging behaviors.
Total Funding Requested: $475
Ensuring a reliable food supply keeps our classroom pet thriving as an active educational asset for roughly 120 students across grades 1–5. A healthy animal allows students to participate in hands-on life science exploration and direct observations, while instilling lifelong values of curiosity, empathy, duty, and respect for nature.
475
Live feeder insects (dubia roaches, mealworms, superworms)
250
Fresh vegetables and greens throughout the school year
150
Calcium and vitamin supplements
25
Occasional hornworms, silkworms, and enrichment treats
50
SEATING Yourself Up for Success
Stephanie Scalise
ID-118
This application has been fully funded
Thank you to everyone who supported this submission. Please consider directing your support to another open application.
The goal of this project is to create a more flexible and inclusive learning environment by providing floor rocker chairs for my classroom. Flexible seating gives students the opportunity to choose a workspace that best supports their individual learning needs, allowing them to stay engaged, focused, and comfortable during instruction. These chairs will especially benefit students who need movement or prefer sitting closer to the board while also promoting student choice, independence, and a positive classroom environment where all learners have the opportunity to succeed.
Students will use the floor rocker chairs during whole-group lessons, small-group instruction, independent work, and collaborative learning activities. They will have the opportunity to choose seating that best supports their focus and learning style, helping them remain engaged and actively participate in classroom instruction. By providing flexible seating options, students will build independence, make responsible choices, and learn in an environment that supports their individual needs while promoting comfort, collaboration, and academic success.
Providing flexible seating will increase student engagement, focus, and participation by allowing students to learn in an environment that best meets their individual needs. Floor rocker chairs offer a comfortable seating option for students who benefit from movement or prefer sitting closer to instruction, helping reduce distractions and improve attention. This project will support academic success while fostering independence, confidence, and a positive, inclusive classroom where every student has the opportunity to thrive.
To increase success in Geometry and raise the pass rate for the End-Of-Course exam (EOC).
To build confidence and persistence in critical thinking and problem-solving.
Setting an upbeat and positive tone in the classroom, starting at the very beginning of the year, will encourage students to take risks as they learn to "do math better".
Keeping encouragement consistently high throughout the year to build student confidence in their improving math skills and knowledge.
Students will have the opportunity to experience multi-lingual support, targeted differentiated strategies, hands-on manipulatives, and multimodal interactive instruction (with group work, and reading/writing/problem-solving strategies embedded in lessons).
Increased attendance in class.
More on-task behavior and students develop skills in critical thinking and problem solving.
Less off-task behaviors as evidenced by lower disciplinary interventions.
Improvement in formative and summative assessments throughout the year.
Increased pass rate on the EOC as a final high-stakes test.
These students in Geometry often struggle with the challenges of complex language and multi-step problems. Increasing motivation and positive energy to develop a can-do attitude is often a challenge. Motivational and organizational posters set the tone for making the best effort, striving to continue when the math feels hard. Many students in these classes have historically struggled to be successful. I plan to help change that mindset, and subsequently improve their test scores (and enjoyment of math). Providing basic student materials, such as pencils and paper, allows students to focus on learning. Classroom materials like tissues, Band-Aids, and sanitizing wipes help us all stay healthy and focused on learning.
The goal of this project is to help our kindergarten through second-grade students develop a love for literature by incorporating the Florida State Sunshine Books Junior Division into our classrooms. Every year, our school has the students vote on their favorite SSYRA Jr. book. Having a classroom set allows the students to read these books and prepare to choose their favorite one. This will help students meet reading standard or reading books at grade level and writing opinion pieces. It helps with the civics area of our social studies standards through a real world voting experience. It will also help support a positive school culture through buddy reading.
The students will read the different books either independently or with support through a Read Aloud or buddy reading with older students. Next, the students will choose their favorite book and write an opinion writing piece about their chosen book. Finally, this will also have cross curricular impacting our Social Studies learning experiences for the students. The official Collier County voting machines will be brought to our school to allow the students to experience the same voting process that adults experience on election day.
The benefits of this program are multiple. It helps students gain experience reading many different types of books and choosing a favorite. This helps them develop not only their skills as a reader but also a love for literature. Through this project students will experience voting using the same process we use as adults. This project will also help us create a positive school culture through buddy reading with older students.
This money will be spent to order 6 copies of each title, 2 for each classroom library in kindergarten through second grade.
1248.78
The Great Dinosaur Sleepover
113.94
Bored Panda
91.74
There's Something Odd About the Babysitter
91.02
Oh Deer
113.94
The Bakery Dragon
75.84
No More Gnomes
139.26
Don't Trust the Fish
63.36
Anonymoose
78.60
Box Tales: Grow Strawberries Grow!
101.82
Fairy Scout Friends: No Rain, No Rainbows
47.94
The Faraway Forest: Wally's Route
96.72
Katrina Hyena, Stand Up Comedian
113.70
Max, a Little Axolotl
54,54
Shipping
59.85
Tax
61.05
(Dolly) Parton Our Dust-We’re Working 9 to Thrive!
Evan Ziegler
ID-122
This application has been fully funded
Thank you to everyone who supported this submission. Please consider directing your support to another open application.
Students will be introduced to Dolly Parton, one of the most influential figures in American popular music. Building on a continuing series of annual musical pioneer studies, students will explore her contributions to country music, songwriting, business leadership, philanthropy and literacy advocacy.
Students will appreciate how her modest beginnings combined with determination, wit and self-reliance helped her to build a legacy that transcends the music she created. They will understand why she is known for navigating the male-dominated country music industry to launch her own label.
Students will also learn two of Dolly Parton’s songs using instruments she included on her recordings of “9 to 5” and “I Believe in You.” Additionally, Dolly Parton is known for using the banjo in many of her songs, so the students at Vineyards Elementary will learn to play the banjo and add this iconic Appalachian instrument to the featured pieces. The culminating session will have the students perform their choice of the two pieces in a “Battle of the Bands” competition.
As in the previous two years, this project not only deepens the students’ musical knowledge but also reinforces key concepts such as melody, harmony, rhythm, pitch, improvisation, and small ensemble performance. The improvisational segments are intended to encourage creativity, reduce the fear of mistakes, and boost self-esteem and confidence.
Aside from the musical benefits, the project will also enrich students’ literacy skills. Aligned with Vineyards Elementary’s school improvement goals (as measured by the FAST Assessment PM3), dedicated time will be allocated for independent and modeled reading centered on the books "Who Is Dolly Parton?" and "Dolly Parton Biography for Kids." This focus on improving literacy also aligns with Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library and how her commitment to literacy has helped provide millions of books to children around the world.
An added benefit to this project is demonstrating connections in a musical “family tree” that links influential artists across generations. Students will discover how many musicians can be traced back to our 2024-2025 featured artist, Buddy Holly. This connection is very strong between Dolly Parton and Buddy Holly. She serves as a musical ambassador for the Buddy Holly Educational Foundation and has publicly praised his songwriting.
To summarize the project activities, each student will learn to play both "9 to 5" and “I Believe in You” on five different instruments: the drum set, bass guitar, rhythm guitar, lead guitar and banjo. The lessons will include not only the repertoire but include activities that teach the psychomotor skills and background knowledge needed to play the respective instruments. Examples: how to hold drum sticks in a match position, identifying the physical layout of the drum set, proper technique for the strumming hand on the bass guitar, how to place the fretting hand on the lead/rhythm guitar to play a bar chord, and finger picking technique on the banjo. Additionally, the books, "Dolly Parton Biography for Kids" and "Who Is Dolly Parton?", will be used to encourage literacy skills through modeled reading, independent reading and/or round-robin style reading as a class. A breakdown of the lessons is listed below.
Lesson 1 – Overview of Country Music in America • Reading of “Who is Dolly Parton?”, Chapter 1- Who Is Dolly Parton.
Lesson 2 – Musical Vocabulary & Concepts • Introduce and define key terms such as melody, verse, chorus, harmony, chord, rhythm guitar, lead guitar, improvisation, etc. • Reading of “Who is Dolly Parton?”, Chapter 2-The Parton Family.
Lesson 3 – Drum Accompaniment and Discussion • Learning the components and playing techniques of the drum set. Adding simple rhythm patterns to the songs. •Reading of “Who is Dolly Parton?”, Chapter 3-Country Roots.
Lesson 4– Chord Construction of Primary Chords: I, IV, V • The respective chords in “9 to 5” are F#, B, C# (and G# the V/V chord in the Key of F#) and in “I Believe in You” has Eb, Ab, Bb. • Reading of “Who is Dolly Parton?”, Chapter 4-Radio Days.
Lesson 5 – Learning the Chord Progressions • The chord progression for “9 to 5” is verse: I, IV, I, V, I, IV, I-V, I and chorus: IV, IV, I, I, IV, IV, V/V, V. The chord progression for “I Believe in You” is verse and chorus: I, IV, I, V, I, IV, I, V-I. • Reading of “Who is Dolly Parton?”, Chapter 5-Nashville.
Lesson 6– Exploring the Major Pentatonic Scale • Introduction to the pentatonic scale as used in improvisation. • Reading of “Who is Dolly Parton?”, Chapter 6-A Star Is Born.
Lesson 7 – Improvisation Practice • Improvising over the “9 to 5” progression using the F# major pentatonic scale (F#, G#, A#, C#, D#).
Lesson 8 – Improvisation Practice • Improvising over the “I Believe in You” progression using the Eb major pentatonic scale (Eb, F, G, Bb, C).
Lesson 9 – Bass Guitar Technique • Learning the bass guitar arrangement for both songs. • Reading of “Who is Dolly Parton?”, Chapter 7-Bigger Dreams.
Lesson 10 – Banjo History, Technique & Practice • Learning primary chords and improvisation on the banjo. • Reading of “Who is Dolly Parton?”, Chapter 8-Hollywood Dolly.
Lesson 11 – Rhythm Guitar Fundamentals • Learning the primary chords on the rhythm guitar. • Reading of “Who is Dolly Parton?”, Chapter 9-Dollywood Dolly.
Lesson 12 – Lead Guitar Improvisation • Learning primary chords and improvisation on the guitar. • Reading of “Who is Dolly Parton?”, Chapter 10-Living Legend.
Lesson 13 – Student Performances • Culminating performances of both “9 to 5” and “I Believe in You” for the battle of the bands style performance. Students will be organized into groups of five with each student from the group assigned to one of the five instruments. • Reading of “Who is Dolly Parton?”, Chapter 11-Still Dreaming.
Listed below are the Florida State Standards for 5th Grade Music that will be addressed through the completion of the lessons:
CRITICAL THINKING and REFLECTION
• MU.5.C.1.1 – Discuss and apply listening strategies to support appreciation of musical works.
• MU.5.C.1.2 – Hypothesize and discuss, using correct music vocabulary, the composer’s intent for a given musical work.
• MU.5.C.1.3 – Identify, aurally, selected instruments of the band and orchestra.
• MU.5.C.2.1 – Define criteria, using correct music vocabulary, to critique one’s own and others’ performances.
• MU.5.C.2.2 – Describe changes, using correct music vocabulary, in one’s own and/or others’ performance over time.
• MU.5.C.3.1 – Develop criteria to evaluate an exemplary musical work from a specific period or genre.
SKILLS, TECHNIQUES, and PROCESSES
• MU.5.S.1.1 – Improvise rhythmic and melodic phrases to create simple variations on familiar melodies.
• MU.5.S.1.4 – Sing or play simple melodic patterns by ear with support from the teacher.
• MU.5.S.2.1 – Use expressive elements and knowledge of musical structure to aid in sequencing, memorization, and to internalize details of rehearsals and performance.
• MU.5.S.2.2 – Apply performance techniques to familiar music.
• MU.5.S.3.1 – Sing part songs in an appropriate range, using proper vocal technique and maintaining pitch.
• MU.5.S.3.2 – Play melodies and accompaniments using proper instrumental techniques on pitched and unpitched instruments.
ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE
• MU.5.O.1.1 – Analyze, using correct music vocabulary, the use of musical elements across various styles as a foundation for understanding the creative process.
HISTORICAL and GLOBAL CONNECTIONS
• MU.5.H.2.1 – Examine the contributions of musicians and composers from a specific historical period.
• MU.5.H.2.2 – Describe how technology has changed the way audiences experience music.
INNOVATION, TECHNOLOGY, and THE FUTURE
• MU.5.F.1.1 – Create a performance using visual, kinesthetic, digital, and/or acoustic means to manipulate musical elements.
• MU.5.F.2.1 – Describe jobs associated with various types of concert venues and performing arts centers.
• MU.5.F.2.2 – Explain why live performances are vital to an artist’s career and the success of performance venues.
This project offers students a rich learning experience that deepens their musical knowledge while reinforcing essential concepts such as melody, harmony, rhythm, pitch, improvisation, and small ensemble performance. By engaging in improvisational segments, students are encouraged to explore their creativity in a supportive environment that reduces the fear of making mistakes and fosters self-esteem and confidence. These opportunities for creative risk-taking help students become more expressive and resilient performers.
Beyond musical growth, the project also supports the development of literacy skills, as students engage with musical terminology, follow written instructions, and reflect on their learning through written activities. Working in small ensembles promotes collaboration, active listening, and accountability, helping students build interpersonal skills and a sense of community within the classroom.
At least 90% of participating students will successfully perform their assigned part on one of the five instruments during the audition/elimination rounds of the “Battle of the Bands” portion of the project, demonstrating a level of proficiency on their instrument. This will narrow the field of finalist bands to one band per each 5th grade homeroom class. Based on previous years’ data, the only students who do not participate are those absent from school on the audition days.
Assessment will be primarily based on visual observations of student performances, allowing the teacher to evaluate musical technique, engagement, and progress over time. Teacher-created worksheets will reinforce key concepts and provide opportunities for students to demonstrate understanding in written form. Active participation will also be a critical component of assessment, ensuring that students are consistently involved, contributing to group work, and taking initiative in their musical development.
Every item in this budget is non-consumable and has been selected for its long-term reusability as part of the project. The equipment and resources will not only enable students to explore the history of country music in America, but will also provide practical experience with instruments and accessories that mirror the success and determination of Dolly Parton. A more detailed explanation is as follows:
This year’s culminating music project at Vineyards Elementary will be our 2nd annual “Battle of the Bands” with performances featuring two of Dolly Parton’s songs--the workplace anthem “9 to 5” and the children’s song “I Believe in You” which is based on the book, The Little Engine That Could. The following items will not only add to the culminating event but also improve the quality of instruction for the students.
The two banjos will give students a hands on connection to one of America’s most important and uniquely homegrown instruments. The banjo’s roots stretch from West African traditions to Appalachian folk music, making it a powerful tool for teaching cultural history, migration, and musical innovation. By allowing students to explore the banjo directly, they can better understand how the instrument shaped early American sound and later became a defining feature of country and bluegrass music. This purchase also supports our study of Dolly Parton, whose artistry and storytelling frequently highlight the banjo’s bright, driving energy.
To supplement the banjo instruction, some essential accessories are needed to fully utilize these instruments. Slides and fingerpicks will allow students to explore traditional playing techniques found in Appalachian, bluegrass, and country music, helping them understand how sound, texture, and style evolved across regions and generations. The 5th string capos (as well as the regular capos for the guitars) will provide the ability to quickly change keys between pieces. And the acoustic instrument amplifiers will ensure that students can perform the banjos confidently in group settings without their sound becoming obscured by the other electrically amplified instruments in the ensemble.
The acoustic bass guitars will improve instruction and increase student success when learning the bass guitar parts. Currently Vineyards Elementary only has 2 bass guitars to use when teaching groups of 28-30 students at a time. The purchase of these instruments will greatly improve the ability for students to practice bass guitar technique before transferring their knowledge to the playing of the electric bass guitars.
The addition of the two Dolly Parton biographies will be integrated into the lessons to accompany the literacy portion of the grant. The book, "Who is Dolly Parton?", will be utilized to give students an opportunity to read aloud and/or independently to improve retention and comprehension while being exposed to the musical and philanthropic contributions of Dolly Parton. The teacher will read the book, "Dolly Parton Biography for Kids", to give another point of view of her contributions and to learn/discuss events and contributions from Dolly Parton that are not included in the previously listed student book.
By providing funds for this grant, the 5th grade students at Vineyards Elementary will gain much more than the ability to play instruments not traditionally taught in elementary school. They will have the opportunity to learn about a musician who remains active in the public eye rather than studying only historical figures. They will understand the often-overlooked contributions of women in the evolution of popular music in America. And students will gain insight into the connections of the banjo as it applies to American history and the development of country/popular music in the United States. Finally, the “Battle of the Bands” will provide students a fun and engaging way to collaborate with their peers, boost self-esteem and encourage musicianship in a way that will be memorable long after they have left Vineyards Elementary.
This project combines music education, literacy development, cultural history and student performance into a single interdisciplinary experience that will continue benefiting future classes through the long-term use of purchased instruments and instructional resources.
1981.99
Maquito 18 Pcs Capos for Guitar qty. 2 @ $19.49
38.98
Augshy Guitar Slides, 8pcs Thumb & Finger Picks
16.95
AKLOT Full-Sized Banjo 38’’ qty. 2 @ $169.99
339.98
Strum Hollow 5th String Banjo Capo qty. 2 @ $14.95
29.90
Dolly Parton Biography For Kids
13.99
Who Is Dolly Parton? 30 @ $6.26
187.80
Best Choice Products Acoustic Electric Bass Guitar qty. 13 @ $69.99
Every child deserves the opportunity to learn in a way that sparks curiosity, builds confidence, and celebrates their unique strengths. The goal of this project is to transform everyday lessons into meaningful, hands-on learning experiences by creating engaging, personalized instructional materials that inspire students to take an active role in their education.
A Cricut Joy will allow me to design durable, reusable learning tools, interactive center activities, visual supports, classroom displays, and individualized resources that meet the diverse needs of all learners. From reading and math manipulatives to science projects, goal trackers, and student recognition, these materials will foster creativity, increase engagement, and make learning more accessible and memorable.
By investing in resources that can be used year after year across multiple subject areas, this project will create a classroom where students feel empowered, motivated, and excited to learn, helping every child grow academically, socially, and creatively while cultivating a lifelong love of learning.
Students will engage in hands-on, interactive learning experiences using teacher-created materials designed specifically to meet their individual learning needs. The Cricut Joy will be used to create durable learning manipulatives, literacy and math center activities, vocabulary and phonics games, visual supports, science and social studies resources, and personalized materials that encourage active participation and collaboration.
Students will use these resources during whole-group instruction, small-group intervention, independent practice, and learning centers. Personalized goal trackers and recognition displays will celebrate student growth, encourage perseverance, and foster a positive classroom community. Visual supports and individualized materials will provide additional scaffolding for students who benefit from differentiated instruction, helping every learner build confidence and independence.
Because the materials are reusable and adaptable, students will have ongoing access to engaging learning experiences throughout the school year. This project will transform everyday lessons into creative, meaningful opportunities where students learn by doing, explore concepts with confidence, and take ownership of their academic growth.
This project will increase student engagement by providing hands-on, interactive learning experiences that support a variety of learning styles. Students will benefit from personalized, reusable instructional materials that strengthen academic skills, encourage creativity, and promote independence. The Cricut Joy will also allow classroom resources to be used year after year, maximizing the impact of the grant while creating a positive, engaging learning environment where every student has the opportunity to succeed.
Funding will be used to purchase a Cricut Joy and essential supplies, including Smart Vinyl, transfer tape, labels, and cardstock. These materials will allow me to create durable, reusable instructional resources, hands-on learning activities, visual supports, and personalized classroom materials that enhance student engagement across all subject areas. This investment will provide long-term value by producing high-quality educational resources that can be used year after year, benefiting current and future students.
The Physical Education and Health department at Seacrest Country Day School is committed to the education of the whole child, fostering academic, social-emotional, and physical growth. This project aims to enhance our physical education curriculum by acquiring essential equipment that supports developmentally appropriate activities for students from Preschool through 5th Grade. By providing opportunities for skill-based games and fitness challenges, we strive to build gross motor skills, promote physical health, and instill a lifelong appreciation for wellness, teamwork, and healthy activity.
The equipment purchased via this grant will be used by the Seacrest Lower School students (Preschool through 5th Grade) during their twice weekly P.E. classes. The equipment will support the physical education curriculum plans and developmentally appropriate P.E. goals for each grade level.
The Physical Education Enhancement Project aims to support the education of the whole child by enhancing the physical education curriculum with developmentally appropriate equipment. Key benefits include: Physical Development, Health and Wellness, Social-Emotional Growth, and Cognitive Skill Building.
The requested funding is essential for the acquisition of new, developmentally appropriate equipment that serves as the foundation for our expanded Physical Education curriculum. These resources are critical to supporting our student physical health initiatives, ensuring that every child from Preschool through 5th Grade has access to the tools necessary for building gross motor skills and fostering a lifelong commitment to wellness. While the procurement will be managed through vendors such as School Specialty as a tax-exempt purchase, the primary purpose of these funds is to directly enable the enhanced educational and health outcomes outlined in this proposal.
1530.00
Pool noodles (bulk pack)
60.00
Activity Mats - polyspots with movements
70.00
Foam Dice Set
25.00
Rainbow Bucket Set
50.00
Food/Nutrition Basket Set
160.00
Hopscotch Carpet
60.00
Soft and Safe Sensory Balls (3)
60.00
Soft and Safe Sensory Comet Balls (2)
100.00
Beginners Archery Set (4)
280.00
extra archery arrows (4)
40.00
Ball Storage Cart
200.00
Ball storage bags
50.00
Bowling placement mat
375.00
Launching Into Physics: Engineering Solutions to Newton's Laws
To demonstrate understanding of the principles of balanced and unbalanced forces, Law of Universal Gravitation, and Newton’s Law of Motion through a cooperative and problem-solving project in which eighth grade students will design, build, and launch a water rocket.
During semester two the 8th science students at Corkscrew Middle School will participate in this inquiry based project in which they will work in cooperative groups of 2 to 4 designing, revising, building, and testing a water rocket.
Through this inquiry-based initiative, students will demonstrate their mastery of Florida’s Physical Science Standards—specifically focusing on Big Idea 13: Forces and Changes in Motion. This project shifts the curriculum from abstract textbook modeling to an interactive, experiential framework, culminating in a unique opportunity to expand the learning environment outdoors. By designing, prototyping, and constructing their own operational launch vehicles, students will shift from passive observers to active stakeholders, significantly increasing their intrinsic motivation and personal investment in their own scientific discovery. Furthermore, students will connect physical forces to observable outcomes by measuring the structural success of their rockets using precise flight tracking. By timing and recording the exact duration of airtime from immediate takeoff to final landing, student teams will gather raw data to analyze the balance of thrust, gravity, and drag forces acting on their rockets.
The requested funding will be used to establish a reusable, high-safety classroom rocketry laboratory kit for the 8th-grade science department at Corkscrew Middle School.
While students will provide the primary structural bodies of the rockets using upcycled 2-liter soda bottles, funding is required to procure specialized engineering equipment that cannot be fabricated in a standard classroom. These items will allow students to safely pressurize their vehicles, precisely manipulate experimental variables, and gather accurate data to analyze forces and changes in motion.
Because the core launch infrastructure is highly durable, this grant represents a long-term investment. The equipment purchased will be preserved and reused to benefit multiple classes of 8th-grade science students for several consecutive school years.
Funds will be used for the following rocketry laboratory kit:
1. Commercial Water Rocket Launchers- 3
2. Heavy-Duty Bicycle Floor Pumps with Integrated Pressure Gauges- 5
3. Handheld Digital Stopwatches- 60
4. AltiTrack Altitude Tracker 3
5. Heavy-Duty Construction Materials Kit-Duct Tape, heavy card stock, foam sheets, hot glue
6. Rocket Parachutes
1800.00
AquaPort II Water Rocket Launcher
825.00
Estes - 2232 AltiTrack Altitude Tracker
71.88
XUXU 3 Pack Duct Tape Heavy Duty Waterproof, Strong Adhesive Silver Duct Tape Bulk for Indoor Outdoor Repairs Tear by Hand, 60 Yards x 2 Inch Total
29.97
20 Pack White Foam Board 12" x 16.5", 3/16" Thickness Foam Core Baking Board for Projects, A3 Polystyrene Mat Board Poster Foam Board Sheets for Art Crafts, Presentation, Wedding, School Projects
119.94
10 Pack Mini Hot Glue Gun with 50 Glue Sticks, 5 Colors Mini Hot Glue Gun Set, Small Hot Glue Gun Kit with Storage Box for Crafts & School
The goal of this project is to create a safe, welcoming environment where students can connect with peers in their grade level during lunch and recess. Through structured opportunities to socialize and engage in cooperative games, students will build positive relationships, strengthen their communication and social skills, and increase their confidence. By providing a supportive space for meaningful peer interaction, this project will help foster a sense of belonging, improve student well-being, and encourage positive school connections.
During lunch and recess, students will be invited to participate in a weekly program called Lunch Bunch. Each grade level will have the opportunity to participate throughout the school year. During this 40-minute session, students will enjoy lunch in a safe and welcoming environment where they can socialize with friends and peers from different classrooms.
After eating, students will have the opportunity to choose from a variety of games and activities designed to encourage teamwork, communication, and positive social interactions. Through these structured yet enjoyable experiences, students will build new friendships, strengthen existing relationships, and develop important social and communication skills. The program aims to increase students' confidence, foster a sense of belonging, and create meaningful connections among peers, ultimately supporting their social-emotional well-being and success in school.
The Lunch Bunch program will provide students with a safe and supportive environment to connect with peers, build new friendships, and strengthen existing relationships. Through cooperative games and positive social interactions, students will develop important communication, teamwork, and problem-solving skills while increasing their self-confidence and sense of belonging. The program also supports students' social-emotional well-being by encouraging positive peer connections and helping students feel more engaged and connected to their school community.
Funding will be used to purchase age-appropriate board games, card games, team-building activities, and other interactive materials for the Lunch Bunch program. These resources will provide students with engaging opportunities to socialize, collaborate, and build positive relationships with their peers during lunch and recess.
203
Giant UNO
22
Giant Checkers
15
Tic-Tac- Toe
18
Giant Jenga
40
Giant Sorry
55
Giant Taco Cat Goat Cheese Pizza
12
Tetra Board Game
15
200 Kids Conversation Cards
30
Would You Rather? Family Card Game
18
"Practice Makes Perfect with Blooket"
Jennifer Torkelson
ID-128
This application has been fully funded
Thank you to everyone who supported this submission. Please consider directing your support to another open application.
The purpose of my project is for my all three of my fourth grade Math students to practice and review skills in the Blooket program to achieve mastery in Mathematics and beyond. The program will be used to review various math skills and standards. This program will allow me to create questions so that all of my students will be able to meet our standards. This grant is needed because Blooket is a type of review game that will help students to master the content taught throughout the school year. It is so engaging, that my students will be excited about reviewing, even the most complex topics taught because it uses various game modes to help students learn key concepts taught and review them throughout the entire school year in an engaging way.
My Math students will practice and review skills by playing an online game called Blooket. They will master their academic skills by using various games to master standards that students are actively learning. My students will answer instructional questions created by me that focus on skills and standards that need more practice. It will also build confidence in my students as they practice and master their multiplication and division facts, in a fast and fun manner. It is a great tool for students to review content and prepare for assessments. The program will allow me to be able to monitor each of my student's progress. Blooket is a fantastic program for the classroom because it is so engaging and fun, that the students cannot wait to use it and master topics they have been taught.
The benefit of my grant if it is funded is that my students will be able to have more practice in mastering information in mathematics and all other subjects, It will empower my students to perform better on classroom tasks and assessments. Blooket is also a great tool for me to be able to quickly and efficiently
monitor all of my students progress. It would also allow me to monitor daily, weekly, and monthly reports to check each of my students' progress. As a result, I will be able to better plan ways to reteach topics as needed in a fun and engaging way. This program would also empower all of my students to learn more and gain confidence in using their fact fluency because they love learning through the use of games.
This grant is for an online subscription to Blooket for 12 months for my fourth grade Math classes of 70 students total. All of my students will be able to log into their review sessions and to practice their math facts in a fast, fun and engaging way.
59.88
One Year Subscription to Blooket
59.88
Kevin Walls
Science You Can Hold
Kate Wildonger
ID-129
This application has been fully funded
Thank you to everyone who supported this submission. Please consider directing your support to another open application.
The goal of this project is to provide fourth-grade students with authentic, hands-on science experiences by using resin-preserved insects, arachnids, amphibians, reptiles, and other animal specimens. Students will safely observe, compare, classify, and investigate real organisms while developing scientific observation skills, asking questions, and making evidence-based conclusions. These specimens will support Florida’s fourth-grade science standards and increase student engagement through inquiry-based learning.
Students will use the resin specimens throughout the school year during whole-group lessons, small-group investigations, and science centers. They will:
* Observe and record physical characteristics using scientific tools and journals.
* Compare and classify organisms based on observable traits.
* Investigate structures and adaptations that help organisms survive in their environments.
* Learn about life cycles, habitats, ecosystems, food webs, and biodiversity.
* Practice scientific observation, questioning, and evidence collection.
* Participate in inquiry labs where students make predictions, test ideas, and communicate scientific findings.
* Use the specimens during review activities and collaborative STEM challenges.
Because the specimens are safely preserved in clear resin, students can closely examine real organisms that would otherwise be difficult or impossible to bring into the classroom.
This project will provide engaging, hands-on learning opportunities that increase curiosity and scientific thinking. Many students have never had the opportunity to closely examine real specimens. Resin-preserved organisms allow repeated observation without damage or safety concerns.
Students will benefit by:
* Increasing engagement through authentic science experiences.
* Developing observation and critical thinking skills.
* Building a deeper understanding of life science concepts.
* Supporting diverse learning styles through tactile and visual learning.
* Encouraging curiosity and inquiry.
* Creating memorable learning experiences that foster a lifelong interest in science.
The specimens will be used with approximately 70 fourth-grade students each day across multiple class rotations and can continue to benefit students for many years, making this a long-term investment in science education
Funding will be used to purchase a classroom collection of high-quality resin-preserved animal and insect specimens. The collection will include a variety of insects, arachnids, amphibians, reptiles, marine organisms, and other preserved specimens that align with elementary life science standards. These durable materials require little maintenance, are safe for repeated student handling, and can be reused for many years. The requested materials will become a permanent part of the classroom science collection and will support instruction across multiple units throughout the school year.
145
Resin animals/insects
145
Kevin Walls
Growing Innovation: A Student-Designed Biophilic Living Wall for Research, Wellness, and Environmental Learning
The goal of this project is to design, construct, and maintain a student-created Biophilic Living Wall in our school's main hallway (purple cross-curricular intersection wall) that will serve as both a "living" educational research laboratory and a permanent learning resource for our campus. The wall will be designed and maintained by AP Research students while supporting interdisciplinary learning in English Language Arts, AP Research, Environmental Science, Engineering, and Psychology.
This living wall will become an authentic hands-on research environment where AP Research students will investigate real-world questions regarding environmental design, student wellness, sustainability, and innovative solutions for urban and industrial spaces. This wall will be experienced, studied, and enjoyed by our entire student body and faculty/staff (+2,000 people). It will also foster future AP and personal student research projects.
Students will engage in the recursive research process where authentic, inquiry-based research experiences combine environmental stewardship, engineering design, scientific investigation, and communication skills while also improving the physical learning environment of our school.
A group of AP Research students, led by head Barron Collier High School student researcher Megan B. (originator of this idea during her AP Seminar year as she now moves into her AP Research year this 2026-2027 school year), will engage in every phase of the project:
a. researching living wall designs;
b. comparing construction methods;
c. selecting appropriate plant species;
d. designing irrigation systems;
e. monitoring maintenance needs;
f. collecting environmental data;
g. surveying student perceptions;
h. analyzing research findings;
i. presenting evidence-based conclusions.
The completed wall will become a permanent instructional resource that future students across multiple disciplines can continue to study and improve.
Project Timeline: October–April
October- Research & Planning
Students will:
a. Research biophilic design and living wall systems;
b. Read current peer-reviewed literature;
c. Develop individual AP Research questions;
d. Meet with local horticultural professionals and/or university experts (FGCU/FSW/Naples Botanical Gardens, etc.);
e. Evaluate different wall construction methods;
f. Select appropriate indoor plants;
g. Design preliminary layouts;
h. Administer baseline student perception surveys;
i. Collect baseline hallway environmental data (temperature, humidity, air quality);
Student products: Literature review; research proposals; initial engineering sketches; baseline survey data
November- Design & Construction Planning
Students will:
a. Finalize engineering designs;
b. Determine irrigation needs;
c. Create maintenance schedules;
d. Order materials;
e. Assign research teams;
Student products: Final blueprint; materials inventory; maintenance handbook; research protocols and student roles.
December- Installation and Implementation (putting the "petal to the metal"...a little pun here...I couldn't resist)
Students will:
a. Assemble the modular wall;
b. Install waterproof backing;
c. Install irrigation;
d. Plant vegetation;
e. Install environmental sensors.
f. Create educational signage.
g. Launch QR codes linking fellow classmates and school visitors to research.
Student Products: Completed Living Wall; installation documentation; initial survey data (ongoing)
January- Maintenance and Data Collection Phase I
Students begin weekly monitoring.
Data collected may include:
Environmental-temperature; humidity; CO₂; VOC levels; soil moisture; plant growth
Human Factors- Student stress perception surveys; hallway atmosphere surveys; student engagement. Students also begin documenting maintenance requirements.
February – Data Collection Phase II
Students continue weekly monitoring while refining maintenance procedures.
Possible experimental investigations include: Which plant species grow best? Which irrigation schedule is most effective? Does hallway traffic affect plant health? Which design features require improvement?
Students begin preliminary statistical analysis.
March – Data Analysis
Students compile all collected data.
Activities include: Statistical analysis; graphing trends; comparing baseline vs. current data; drafting research papers; creating conference-style posters; designing presentations
Students can also investigate whether exposure to the wall influences creativity through classroom problem-solving activities.
April – Presentation & Reflection
Students present findings to:
a. School administration
b. District leadership
c. Community partners and local organizations
d. Parents
Students submit:
AP Research papers to AP College Board
Presentations
Future research proposals
Students are expected to demonstrate measurable growth in:
a. research methodology
b. scientific literacy
c. critical thinking
d. collaboration
e. communication
f. environmental awareness
g. engineering design
h. leadership
i. problem solving
j. creativity
Student success will be measured through:
a. completed AP Research projects submitted to the AP College Board
b. research presentations
c. student surveys
d. environmental monitoring data
e. maintenance records
f. air quality measurements
g. creativity assessments
h. hallway perception surveys
i. student reflections
j. teacher observations
Evidence of Impact will include:
a. published research papers through AP College Board (and possibly student research publications/journals)
b. AP Research presentations
c. statistical analyses
d. before-and-after survey comparisons
e. environmental data
f. photographs documenting growth
g. engineering design notebooks (AP Research students)
h. maintenance logs
i. student portfolios
j. community presentations
The living wall transitions into a permanent instructional resource for future student researchers.
Biophilic design, the practice of incorporating natural systems into built environments, has become an increasingly important area of study in architecture, engineering, healthcare, mental health, education, and urban planning. However, few secondary students have opportunities to investigate these concepts through authentic research.
This project addresses several educational needs:
a. authentic student-led research experiences;
b. interdisciplinary STEM and humanities collaboration;
c. environmental literacy;
d. sustainability education;
e. mental wellness awareness;
f. engineering design thinking;
g. scientific communication;
h. community engagement;
i. teamwork;
j. and of course my favorite as an English teacher...RESEARCH and real-world application of that research!
Learning Goals, Academic Standards, and Outcomes: This project supports numerous academic standards across disciplines.
a. English Language Arts- Students will:
i. conduct sustained research
ii. evaluate credible sources
iii. synthesize complex information
iv. write technical reports
v. communicate research findings
v. present evidence-based arguments
AP Research- Students will:
i. identify research gaps
ii. develop original research questions
iii. design mixed-method studies
iv. collect qualitative and quantitative data
v. perform statistical analysis
vi. defend conclusions supported by evidence
Science- Students will investigate:
i. photosynthesis
ii. plant physiology
iii. indoor ecosystems
iv. environmental monitoring
v. air quality
v. sustainability
Engineering & Technology- Students will design and evaluate:
i. irrigation systems
ii. modular construction methods
iii. maintenance procedures
iv. material durability
v. cost efficiency
Mathematics- Students will analyze:
i. survey data
ii. environmental measurements
iii. statistical significance
iv. longitudinal data trends
Connection to School and CCPS District Priorities- This project strongly supports district priorities emphasizing:
i. authentic student learning
ii. project-based learning
iii. STEM integration
iv. college and career readiness
v. environmental responsibility
vi. student wellness
vii. innovation
viii. collaborative learning
ix. community partnerships
Students are expected to demonstrate measurable growth in:
a. research methodology
b. scientific literacy
c. critical thinking
d. collaboration
e. communication
f. environmental awareness
g. engineering design
h. leadership
i. problem solving
j. creativity
Student success will be measured through:
a. completed AP Research projects submitted to the AP College Board (May)
b. research presentations (April-May)
c. student surveys (January-May)
d. environmental monitoring data (January-May)
e. maintenance records (January- May)
f. air quality measurements (January-May)
g. creativity assessments
h. hallway perception surveys (May data finalized)
i. student reflections (ongoing)
j. teacher observations (ongoing)
Evidence of Impact will include:
a. published research papers through AP College Board (and possibly student research publications/journals)
b. AP Research presentations
c. statistical analyses
d. before-and-after survey comparisons
e. environmental data
f. photographs documenting growth
g. engineering design notebooks (AP Research students)
h. maintenance logs
i. student portfolios
j. community presentations
Because data will be collected over multiple years, future students will build upon previous findings, creating a continually expanding body of original research.
The wall will become a permanent campus feature, and as such, future students will continue using it for research, creating a sustainable instructional resource rather than a one-time classroom project.
The wall may also become a showcase for community partnerships with local universities such as FSW and FGCU, horticultural organizations (we've already created a partnership with the Naples Botanical Gardens through Let's Grow!), environmental agencies, and industry professionals.
This proposal funds a living laboratory as a permanent campus resource that integrates environmental science, engineering, psychology, English language arts, and research methodology. By empowering students to design, build, maintain, and study the wall over multiple years, the project cultivates critical thinking, collaboration, and evidence-based problem solving while contributing original research on how biophilic design can enhance school environments and inspire solutions for future urban and industrial spaces.
The requested funding of up to $1,750 will provide the essential materials needed to establish our BCHS student-designed Biophilic Living Wall that serves as both a permanent campus enhancement and an interdisciplinary research laboratory. Funds will be used to purchase a modular living wall system, waterproof mounting materials, an automated irrigation system, a water reservoir, indoor plants, lightweight growing medium, LED grow lights, environmental monitoring equipment, maintenance supplies, and student safety materials. Additionally, funding will support the purchase of air quality monitoring equipment and environmental sensors that allow AP Research students to collect authentic quantitative data on temperature, humidity, indoor air quality, and plant health throughout the school year. Each item will provide students with the tools needed to design, construct, maintain, and evaluate the living wall while conducting meaningful scientific research.
This investment will directly support student learning by creating a permanent, hands-on learning environment where students apply research methodology, engineering design, environmental science, data analysis, and technical communication to solve real-world problems. Initially, the project will directly benefit approximately 30 students enrolled in AP Research while cross-curricularly enhancing the educational experience of every student, teacher, staff member, and visitor who passes through the BCHS purple hallway. Because the living wall will remain on campus for years to come, the requested funding represents a sustainable investment that will continue to provide authentic research opportunities, promote environmental stewardship, support student wellness, and inspire future cohorts of learners to investigate innovative solutions for healthier schools and more sustainable urban environments.
1750
Modular Living Wall Panels (10-12 panel system that will act as the main structure for vertical garden)
500
Waterproof PVC Backing Board & Mounting Hardware (Protects school wall and secures installation)
The goal of this project is to create an organized, engaging, and student-centered science and social studies classroom that encourages curiosity, independence, and collaboration. Funding will provide flexible learning materials, instructional resources, and classroom organization systems that help students access materials independently while fostering an inviting environment where they are excited to learn.
Students will use the improved classroom environment daily during science and social studies instruction. Organized learning materials will allow students to independently access classroom resources, participate in hands-on investigations, collaborate with peers, and explore nonfiction texts and learning centers. Flexible seating and an inviting classroom atmosphere will encourage student discussion, inquiry, and engagement while supporting a positive learning community.
An organized and welcoming classroom allows students to focus on learning instead of managing clutter or searching for materials. Flexible seating and comfortable learning spaces support collaboration, small-group instruction, and independent work. Improved organization promotes student responsibility, while science equipment and instructional displays encourage inquiry, observation, and exploration. Together, these improvements will increase student engagement, independence, and enthusiasm for learning science and social studies.
Funding will support the creation of a highly organized, engaging, and student-centered science and social studies classroom where students can explore, collaborate, and learn in a welcoming environment. The requested materials will improve classroom organization, enhance instructional spaces, provide hands-on learning opportunities, and create an environment that encourages curiosity, independence, and academic success. By investing in both instructional resources and the learning environment, this project will positively impact every student who enters the classroom throughout the school year.
To prepare Engineering Academy students for success in college and the workforce by developing professional behaviors, recognizing academic achievement, and strengthening students' confidence during work-based learning experiences. Students who earn industry certifications will receive Engineering Academy professional attire and career readiness materials to represent Lely High School during internships, competitions, business partnerships, and community events.
Students will participate in career readiness workshops, certification preparation, mock interviews, networking activities, guest speaker sessions, and job shadow experiences. Students earning industry certifications will receive embroidered Engineering Academy polos and professional portfolios to wear during advisory committee meetings, career fairs, engineering competitions, and work-based learning experiences. The project reinforces professionalism while celebrating student achievement.
Students will develop professional workplace skills, strengthen communication and networking abilities, increase motivation to earn industry certifications, and represent the Engineering Academy with pride. The project will strengthen relationships between students and local business partners while preparing students for internships and future employment.
50 embroidered Engineering Academy polos
Professional portfolios
Name badges
Resume folders
Shipping
To enhance engineering instruction through hands-on design challenges that allow students to apply the Engineering Design Process while solving authentic engineering problems.
Students will complete a series of engineering design challenges focused on structural engineering, mechanical systems, renewable energy, manufacturing, and transportation. Working in collaborative teams, students will research, design, prototype, test, evaluate, and redesign engineering solutions using industry practices.
Students develop critical thinking, teamwork, creativity, problem-solving, and technical communication skills while applying math and science concepts in authentic engineering scenarios.
Funds will purchase:
Engineering building materials
Measurement tools
Fasteners
Acrylic
PVC
Cardboard engineering kits
Foam board
Adhesives
Prototyping supplies
The overall goal of this project is to increase student motivation, engagement, and achievement in reading by celebrating students who meet their quarterly i-Ready reading goals through interactive, sports-themed recognition events. The project will support our schoolwide theme, “One Team + One Goal = Success,” by helping students see reading growth as a team effort connected to practice, perseverance, and goal setting.
This project addresses the need to strengthen student ownership of reading progress. While students regularly complete i-Ready lessons and participate in classroom reading instruction, many elementary students need continued encouragement, visible goal tracking, and meaningful incentives to stay engaged over time. Quarterly celebrations will provide students with a positive reason to monitor their progress, complete lessons with effort, and work toward personal reading growth.
This project directly connects to school and district priorities by supporting reading achievement, student engagement, progress monitoring, and data-driven instruction. By aligning celebrations with i-Ready goals, students will understand that consistent practice contributes to academic success. The project also promotes a positive school culture where students are recognized for effort, growth, and achievement.
Quarter 1: i-Ready Goal Bowl
Students celebrate meeting their first-quarter i-Ready goals through football-themed stations such as Touchdown Toss, Field Goal Flick, MVP Photo Booth, and Team Huddle Reflections. This kickoff celebration helps students start the year strong and understand that every reader plays an important role on the team.
Quarter 2: i-Ready All-Star Shootout
Students participate in basketball-themed activities such as Slam Dunk Goals, Assist Challenges, All-Star Autograph Wall, and a Halftime Celebration. This event celebrates students who remain consistent with i-Ready practice and continue working toward reading growth.
Quarter 3: i-Ready Soccer Goal Challenge
Students participate in a soccer-themed celebration focused on reaching goals, teamwork, and perseverance. Interactive stations may include Goal Kick Challenge, Dribble to Success Relay, Reading Goalkeeper, Team Huddle Reflections, and MVP Photo Booth. Students will celebrate the reading goals they have met while reflecting on the strategies that helped them improve. This event reinforces the idea that reading success comes from practice, focus, and working together as one team.
Quarter 4: i-Ready Reading Swim Meet
Students participate in a swimming-themed end-of-year celebration recognizing yearlong reading growth and goal achievement. Interactive stations may include Swim to Success Relay, Splash Into Reading Goals, Sprinkler Reading Lane Challenge, Gold Medal Growth Ceremony, and Championship Photo Booth. This celebration highlights students who met their i-Ready goals, showed reading stretch growth, and finished the year strong. The swim meet theme connects to endurance, stamina, and the idea that students have worked hard all year to reach the finish line.
This quarterly celebration structure supports the schoolwide theme, “One Team + One Goal = Success,” by helping students see i-Ready reading growth as a team effort. Each event gives students a fun, interactive opportunity to celebrate progress while reinforcing the importance of consistent reading practice, effort, and perseverance.
Funding will be used to purchase materials and supplies needed to support quarterly i-Ready sports-themed reading celebrations for the entire school. Requested items may include sports-themed decorations, certificates, medals, brag tags, banners, photo booth props, small student incentives, activity station supplies, and materials for schoolwide goal tracking displays.
Each requested item will directly support student learning and the project goals by helping create a motivating, visible, and engaging system for recognizing reading progress. Sports-themed materials will reinforce the schoolwide theme, “One Team + One Goal = Success,” and help students connect reading achievement to teamwork, practice, and perseverance.
Celebration materials will be used throughout the school year for quarterly events. These items will help create interactive learning-based celebrations where students are recognized for meeting i-Ready goals and showing growth as readers.
1308.78
1 - Litopak 500 pack of .75 oz disposable condiment cups
13.99
20 - 48 oz Juices and 200 freeze pops for Sports Cafe
To enhance student professionalism, safety, and academy identity by providing official Engineering Academy trucker hats for students participating in engineering projects, work-based learning experiences, outdoor STEM activities, engineering competitions, field studies, and community outreach events. The initiative will help students develop a strong professional identity while representing the Engineering Academy with pride.
Students enrolled in the Engineering Academy will receive a professionally embroidered trucker hat featuring the Academy logo. The hats will be worn during engineering design competitions, robotics events, construction site visits, outdoor engineering projects, career fairs, advisory committee activities, STEM outreach programs, community service events, and field experiences.
Engineering often extends beyond the classroom into outdoor environments where sun protection and professional appearance are important. The hats will provide practical protection while reinforcing teamwork, professionalism, and academy pride.
Students will also learn about personal protective equipment (PPE), workplace expectations, and the importance of maintaining a professional image when working with industry partners and community members.
The Engineering Academy Professional Trucker Hat Initiative will:
Promote professionalism during engineering and work-based learning activities.
Provide sun protection during outdoor engineering labs and field experiences.
Foster teamwork and a shared academy identity.
Increase student pride and engagement in academy events.
Strengthen the Engineering Academy's visibility within the school and community.
Help students confidently represent Lely High School while interacting with business and industry professionals.
Ensure all students have consistent academy attire regardless of financial circumstances.
Students will gain a greater understanding of workplace professionalism while developing confidence in representing themselves and their academy in real-world engineering settings.
Assessment of Success
Success will be measured through:
Student participation in academy-sponsored activities.
Increased involvement in engineering competitions and outreach events.
Student surveys measuring academy pride and engagement.
Teacher observations of professionalism and teamwork.
Feedback from industry partners and advisory committee members.
Documentation of academy participation through photographs and event attendance.
Grant funds will purchase embroidered Engineering Academy trucker hats for students enrolled in the Engineering Academy. The hats will serve as official academy attire during instructional activities, engineering competitions, work-based learning experiences, outdoor laboratories, field trips, STEM outreach events, and business partnership activities.
Providing consistent academy apparel promotes professionalism, student recognition, safety during outdoor activities, and a stronger sense of belonging within the Engineering Academy.
This project equips my 8th grade physical science classroom with measurement instruments — digital scales, overflow cans, density block sets, and salinity refractometers — to support a phenomenon-based unit in which students investigate why mangrove propagules float, disperse, and establish themselves in Southwest Florida's brackish estuaries. Students will collect real water samples, measure density and salinity directly, and use that data to construct evidence-based explanations (CER) for a phenomenon that exists in their own ecosystem. In short, this project ensures students have the tools they need to connect their classroom density instruction to our local coastal environment guaranteeing an opportunity to make abstract physical science concepts concrete and personal.
This project directly supports the following standards:
• SC.8.P.8.3 — Explore and describe the densities of various materials through measurement of their masses and volumes
• SC.8.P.8.4 — Classify and compare substances based on characteristic physical properties (density, solubility, and others), understanding that these properties are independent of sample size
• SC.8.P.8.9: Distinguish among mixtures (including solutions) and pure substances.
Students will move beyond calculating density from given numbers measuring mass and volume, testing displacement, comparing salinity across water samples, and using that evidence to explain a real environmental phenomenon (propagule float/orientation) through the Claim-Evidence-Reasoning framework central to CCPS’s instructional model.
This project supports Collier County Public Schools' emphasis on hands-on, standards-aligned STEM instruction and phenomenon-based learning, and reflects the district's broader push toward authentic, place-based science that connects classroom content to our local environment.
a) How will students actively participate?
Students will work in small groups (3–4 students) rotating through hands-on stations, each equipped with a digital scale, overflow can, and density block set to independently measure mass, volume, and density, then compare their results across groups. In a parallel investigation, students will test real water samples — from local canals, the Gordon River, or Gulf-adjacent sites — using handheld salinity refractometers and hydrometers, recording salinity and density data side by side. Students will use this data to predict and then test how mangrove propagules float, orient, and behave in solutions of varying salinity, building toward a written Claim-Evidence-Reasoning explanation of the phenomenon. Every student handles the instruments directly — no group waits on a single shared setup or watches a demonstration from the back of the room.
b) How will this project meet the needs of your students, classroom, and/or school?
A full station set removes the current bottleneck of shared, limited equipment, allowing every group to run independent trials instead of rotating through a single instrument. This matters most for our English Language Learners: repeatable, hands-on measurement tasks paired with vocabulary scaffolding (Spanish cognates, Haitian Creole supports) give ELL students multiple concrete entry points into abstract concepts like density and specific gravity, rather than relying on language-heavy explanation alone. The project also strengthens equity of access to inquiry-based science across my whole class, since every student — not just those closest to the demo table — gets to generate their own data.
c) Teaching strategies or instructional activities:
This unit follows the 5E instructional model (Engage, Explore, Explain, Elaborate, Evaluate), structured through Station Rotation (Catlin Tucker) so groups cycle through instrument-based investigations at their own pace. Students build toward a CER (Claim-Evidence-Reasoning) written explanation of the mangrove propagule phenomenon, supported by sentence frames and ELL vocabulary scaffolds. Specific activities include:
Engage: Observing real mangrove propagules, generating initial questions
Explore: Station-based density and salinity data collection using the new instruments
Explain: Small-group data comparison and vocabulary-supported explanation building
Elaborate: Extending findings to predict propagule behavior in untested salinity conditions
Evaluate: CER writeup assessed against SC.8.P.8.3 and SC.8.P.8.4 criteria
d) How will student participation connect to classroom instruction?
This project is not a standalone activity — it's the hands-on core of my existing density and physical properties unit, directly preceding and reinforcing standards-based instruction on SC.8.P.8.3 and SC.8.P.8.4. The data students collect at these stations feeds directly into their CER writing, which is the same assessment structure I use across all major units this year, so students are practicing a skill they'll reuse repeatedly, not a one-off technique. The coastal/mangrove context also connects forward to earth systems and life science content review later in the year, giving students a concrete touchstone to return to when abstract concepts resurface.
a) Specific improvements expected:
Students will show measurable growth in their ability to independently collect, record, and interpret quantitative data (mass, volume, density, salinity) rather than relying on teacher-led demonstrations. I expect improved mastery of SC.8.P.8.3 and SC.8.P.8.4, specifically in accurately calculating density and correctly classifying substances by physical properties. I also expect stronger CER (Claim-Evidence-Reasoning) writing, since students will be reasoning from data they personally generated rather than data provided to them — this tends to produce more specific, more confident evidence statements. For ELL students in particular, I expect improved content vocabulary retention (density, salinity, displacement, buoyancy) since the hands-on, repeatable station format reinforces new vocabulary through direct physical experience rather than text alone.
b) How success will be measured:
Success will be measured through:
Pre/post comparison of student performance on density- and physical-properties-based FSSA-style assessment items aligned to SC.8.P.8.3/SC.8.P.8.4
Scoring of student CER writeups using a consistent rubric, comparing this unit's scores to CER writeups from earlier units taught with more limited equipment
Station rotation completion and engagement data — whether all groups are completing independent trials in the allotted time, versus previous bottlenecks with shared equipment
Informal observation of ELL student participation and vocabulary use during station work, since these students are often least visible in whole-class discussion but most active in hands-on small-group settings
c) Evidence, observations, student work, or assessments demonstrating impact:
Completed student data tables from each station (mass, volume, density, salinity readings)
Written CER explanations of mangrove propagule float/orientation behavior, scored against a rubric aligned to SC.8.P.8.3/SC.8.P.8.4
Pre- and post-unit assessment scores on density/physical properties items
Each item was selected to remove a specific instructional bottleneck and directly enable the learning goals described in Parts I–III:
Digital pocket scales (8): Give every station group its own precision mass measurement tool, allowing all students to independently collect data rather than sharing a single scale — directly supporting SC.8.P.8.3's requirement that students measure mass and volume themselves.
Overflow cans (8): Enable accurate volume measurement of irregular objects (including mangrove propagules), which is essential for calculating density of non-uniform materials — a step that's impossible to do accurately without displacement equipment.
Density block sets (8): Provide a controlled, repeatable set of materials so every group can test the same variables (same-mass/different-volume, same-volume/different-mass), building the conceptual foundation in SC.8.P.8.4 that density is a property independent of sample size.
Salinity refractometers (16) and hydrometers (16): Let students test real, self-collected water samples and directly connect the abstract concept of density to the concrete, local phenomenon of mangrove propagule float behavior — the anchor phenomenon for the whole unit.
TDS/conductivity meters (4): Add a second, complementary measure of water quality, letting students cross-check and compare instruments — reinforcing measurement precision and data reliability as a science practice.
Calibrated reference mass sets (2): Allow students to verify their own scale's accuracy before trusting their data, turning "using the tool" into "evaluating the tool" — a higher-order science practice that strengthens their CER reasoning about data quality.
Dish tubs, salt, and propagule potting mix: Provide the physical materials needed to actually run the water-based investigations and extend into a growing/observation component tied to the unit.
Every item is reusable across multiple years and multiple units (forces, matter, earth systems), so this isn't single-use consumable spending — it's durable instrumentation that expands hands-on capacity classroom-wide, not just for this one project.
1593.00
8 Digital Pocket Scale, 500g x 0.1g
383.00
8 Overflow Can (aluminum, 5"H x 4" diam)
137.00
8 Density Cube Set (10-piece: steel, aluminum, copper, brass, acrylic, nylon, PVC, oak, pine, poplar)
The goal of this project is to improve speech intelligibility for preschool and kindergarten students with phonological speech disorders through the use of a highly evidence-based intervention program. By implementing the Cycles Approach with specialized materials and professional training, students will develop more accurate speech sound patterns, increasing their ability to communicate effectively with teachers, peers, and family members.
Students with highly unintelligible speech will participate in individualized and small-group speech therapy sessions using the Cycles Approach, a research-supported intervention specifically designed for children with severe phonological disorders. Therapy will incorporate engaging visual target cards and structured activities to systematically target speech sound patterns while promoting carryover into everyday communication.
This project will provide students with access to an evidence-based intervention that has been shown to significantly improve speech intelligibility during the critical early years of language development. Because the materials are durable and reusable, they will benefit numerous preschool and kindergarten students for many years, creating a lasting impact on communication skills and academic success.
Funding will be used to purchase the Complete Cycles Bundle from Bjorem Speech ($256.50), which includes the comprehensive target card stimulus kit needed to implement the Cycles Approach with fidelity. An additional $15.00 is requested to cover estimated sales tax and shipping costs. The total funding request is $271.50. These durable, reusable materials will support multiple preschool and kindergarten students with phonological speech disorders each year, providing long-term benefits for speech intelligibility and overall communication success.
271.50
Bjorem Cycles Cards Complete Kit
256.50
Tax and Shipping
15.00
Basking in Books: A Sunshine State Reading Adventure
The Sunshine State books are selected by committees of Florida media specialists through the Florida Association for Media in Education. The committees review numerous books and select titles based on literary quality, student interest, genre variety, and opportunities to introduce students to different experiences and perspectives.
The goal of this project is to motivate students to read more frequently and encourage them to explore a wide variety of books, genres, authors, characters, and perspectives. Through increased access to engaging, high-quality literature, students will strengthen their reading stamina, vocabulary, comprehension, critical thinking, and literary analysis skills.
This project addresses the need for consistent access to high-interest books that provide an appropriate level of challenge for advanced fifth-grade readers. Popular Sunshine State titles are often checked out or unavailable through school and public libraries, which can prevent students from maintaining their reading momentum and reaching their individual goals.
Students in my two advanced fifth-grade ELA classes will be encouraged to read all 15 books on the 2026–2027 Sunshine State Young Readers Award grades 3–5 list. Because these students are advanced readers, those who complete the grades 3–5 list will continue their reading journey by selecting books from the grades 6–8 Sunshine State list.
The project aligns with grade-level ELA standards involving independent reading, vocabulary development, comprehension, theme, character development, point of view, text structure, and the use of textual evidence. It also supports broader school and district priorities related to literacy growth, differentiated instruction, student ownership, and the development of lifelong readers.
Students will participate in a yearlong Sunshine State reading program supported by individual goals, progress tracking, classroom discussions, and incentives. At the beginning of the project, students will be introduced to the books through book talks, author information, classroom displays, peer recommendations, and book previews.
Students will track their own reading data throughout the school year. They will record the books they begin and complete, monitor their progress toward their individual goals, and use that information to make decisions about their next reading steps.
Student growth and progress will also be displayed on an interactive classroom bulletin board. Students will update the board as they complete books and reach reading milestones. This visual display will help students celebrate their growth, encourage one another, and remain motivated throughout the year.
The combination of individual data tracking and the interactive bulletin board adds a creative and student-centered component to the project. Students will be able to see both their personal progress and the collective growth of the classroom reading community.
Students will first work toward reading the 15 titles on the grades 3–5 Sunshine State list. Students who complete that list will then be encouraged to continue reading titles from the grades 6–8 list, providing an appropriate extension for advanced fifth-grade readers.
Throughout the year, students will participate in independent reading, teacher conferences, partner discussions, comprehension activities, and book recommendation projects. They will analyze themes, characters, plot development, vocabulary, point of view, and authors’ choices while making connections across multiple texts.
Teaching strategies will include differentiated independent reading, student goal-setting, and individual reading conferences. The books will connect directly to classroom instruction by giving students authentic opportunities to apply the reading skills and strategies taught during ELA lessons. Rather than practicing these skills only through short passages, students will apply them while reading complete, engaging works of literature.
Students will receive recognition and small incentives as they reach their monthly reading goals and progress through the Sunshine State book lists. Because the books, data-tracking system, and bulletin board can be reused each year, the project has the potential to become a sustainable part of the advanced ELA program and can be replicated with future groups of students.
This project will benefit approximately 46 students (in my two advanced fifth-grade ELA classes) during the 2026–2027 school year. It will provide equitable and convenient access to popular Sunshine State books that are often checked out or unavailable through school and public libraries.
Having these books readily available in the classroom will motivate students to read more often and help build a positive classroom culture in which reading is exciting, social, and celebrated. The variety of genres, authors, topics, characters, and perspectives will allow students to select books that match their interests while also encouraging them to try books they may not typically choose.
Tracking their own reading data will help students take greater ownership of their learning, set meaningful goals, monitor their progress, and recognize their growth as readers. The interactive bulletin board will provide a visible celebration of student achievement while creating positive encouragement among classmates.
Students will strengthen their reading stamina, fluency, vocabulary, comprehension, critical thinking, and literary analysis skills. Advanced readers will also have access to more challenging grades 6–8 titles after completing the traditional grades 3–5 list, allowing them to continue progressing rather than reaching the end of the challenge.
Expected outcomes include an increase in the number and variety of books students read, improved ability to sustain independent reading, stronger comprehension and literary-analysis skills, improved vocabulary, and greater confidence and independence when selecting and discussing books.
Grant funding will be used to purchase two copies of each book on the 2026–2027 Sunshine State Young Readers Award grades 3–5 and grades 6–8 lists.
The requested materials include:
• Two copies of each of the 15 grades 3–5 titles
• Two copies of each of the selected grades 6–8 titles
Two copies of each title are requested so students in both advanced ELA classes can borrow books consistently, read alongside classmates, participate in partner or small-group discussions, and move between titles without lengthy waiting periods.
The purpose of the funding is to create a classroom collection that supports independent reading, differentiated instruction, reading conferences, comprehension activities, book discussions, and the yearlong Sunshine State reading incentive program. These reusable books will remain in the classroom library and continue supporting future groups of students.
457.42
The Bug Bandits: The Museum Is Her Home. Her Mission Is to Save It.
19.98
Curveball
38.78
Forever Ripley
19.98
Growing Home
19.98
The House at the Edge of Magic
17.98
J vs. K
13.82
The Last Resort
17.98
The Lion of Lark-Hayes Manor
17.98
Misfit Mansion
31.98
Punycorn: A Graphic Novel
31.98
Queen of the Sea (Cruise Life #1)
11.16
Reasons to Look at the Night Sky
35.98
The Sherlock Society
19.98
Swimming with Spies
37.98
Wrath of the Rain God (Legendarios)
15.98
The Trouble with Heroes
21.98
The Tenth Mistake of Hank Hooperman
17.98
The Last Dragon on Mars (The Dragonships Series)
19.98
Secrets of the Broken House
15.98
The Last Dragon on Mars (The Dragonships Series)
29.98
Debra Johnson
Ice Pops for Calm: A Nugget Ice Machine for Sensory Regulation
The goal is to increase student access to learning by providing a consistent sensory‑regulation tool—nugget ice (“ice pops”)—that helps students calm their bodies, reduce anxiety, and remain engaged in instruction throughout the school day.
Our students will use nugget ice (“ice pops”) as a calming sensory tool woven into their daily routines. During transitions, academic work, and moments of emotional difficulty, students can request an ice pop to receive oral‑motor input that helps regulate their bodies. Staff will guide students in using ice pops appropriately as part of their individualized sensory plans and behavior supports. This routine will help students reduce anxiety, increase time on task, and participate more fully in lessons. The ice machine will ensure students have consistent access to a regulation strategy that helps them stay in class, communicate their needs, and build independence.
The benefits of using a consistent sensory tool that supports emotional regulation and daily learning include the following. The Nugget ice (“ice pops”) provides a calming oral‑motor input that helps students reduce anxiety, manage frustration, and remain in the classroom during challenging moments. With this tool, students will experience fewer behavioral disruptions, improved focus during lessons, and more successful transitions throughout the day. These benefits directly support academic growth, social‑emotional development, and progress toward IEP goals. The ice machine will create a calmer, more predictable learning environment where students feel safe, supported, and ready to learn.
The funding will be used to purchase a countertop nugget ice machine, along with any necessary water filtration and cleaning supplies, to provide a consistent sensory‑regulation tool for students with diverse cognitive abilities. Nugget ice (“ice pops”) offers calming oral‑motor input that helps students reduce anxiety, manage frustration, and remain engaged in instruction.
Currently, our classroom relies on store‑bought ice pops or small ice trays that take too long to freeze, leaving students without consistent access to a tool that significantly improves emotional regulation and learning readiness. The nugget ice machine will ensure students have reliable, daily access to ice pops as part of their individualized sensory plans.
This investment directly supports learning by increasing time on task, improving transitions, reducing behavioral disruptions, and helping students stay in the classroom during challenging moments. The machine is a durable, long‑term resource that will benefit current and future students for years to come.
The goal is to help students stay as organized as possible, so they can remain focused on learning.
These seat sacks allow the students to have a place to store everyday supplies that they use in a convenient location close by. They can store supplies, books, and other educational materials that they use on a daily basis.
These seat sacks will help alleviate clutter on students' tables, while keeping students' daily essentials close by. This set would allow every student to have one to use. They also come with name holders so that each student can label theirs. They can be washed and reused each year.
These seat sacks are bought on Amazon and the total cost with tax is $55.11 for a total of 24. They can be reused each year.
55.11
24 PCS Chair Pockets for Classrooms,19.5"x16.5" Seat Sacks for Classroom Chairs K-2,Classroom,School, and Home Seating Storage
55.11
Kevin Walls
Student Success Through STEM
Jacqueline Jardin
ID-152
This application has been fully funded
Thank you to everyone who supported this submission. Please consider directing your support to another open application.
The goal is for students to have access to STEM blocks within the classroom. The blocks will be of different varieties and sizes. The idea is to have enough so all students can participate and explore based on their ideas and interests.
The students will be given time throughout the week to explore and build with STEM blocks. They will work together to explore and complete challenges.
Allowing students the time to explore with STEM blocks of different kinds will provide major benefits for the students such as improving their spatial skills, boosting problem-solving, and supporting social growth. Students count, measure, notice patterns, and test ideas. They work together with their peers, use their imagination, along with building their fine motor skills.
The NEOACT 600 PCS Building Blocks STEM / Interlocking Solid Plastic Toys total cost is $23.99 and comes with a storage container.
The 200PCS Magnetic Cubes total cost is $52.99.
The Brain Flakes 500 Piece Set total cost is $19.99 and comes with a storage container.
The Apluses 54 PCS Magnetic Blocks set cost is $26.99 and comes with a storage container.
The LEGO Classic Large Creative Brick Box Building Set total cost is $33.50 and comes with a storage container.
All together the total cost is $157.46, and all can be purchased on Amazon.
157.46
NEOACT 600 PCS Building Blocks STEM Toys, Interlocking Solid Plastic Toys | Safe Material Creativity Educational Toys Sets for Preschool Kids Boys and Girls Aged 3+
23.99
200PCS Magnetic Blocks, Magnetic Building Cube Toys for Kids, STEM Montessori Stacking, Sensory Education Toys for Toddlers Building World Set, Christmas Birthday Gifts for Kids Age 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
52.99
Brain Flakes 500 Piece Set, Ages 3+, Interlocking Plastic Disc Toy for Creative Building, Educational STEM Learning, Construction Block Play for Kids, Teens, Adults, Boys, and Girls
19.99
Apluses 54 PCS Magnetic Blocks, Magnetic Building Blocks for Kids 3+, Montessori Toys, Magnet Cubes, Preschool STEM Educational Sensory Magnet Toys for Kids
26.99
LEGO Classic Large Creative Brick Box 10698 Building Set, Toy Storage Solution for Home or Classrooms, Interactive Building Toy for Kid
33.50
Kevin Walls
Safe Snack Time
Jacqueline Jardin
ID-153
This application has been fully funded
Thank you to everyone who supported this submission. Please consider directing your support to another open application.
The goal is to have a Life Vac Portable Suction Rescue Device readily available in the classroom in the case of a choking incident that can be used on a child or an adult.
The Life Vac Portable Suction Rescue Device Kit will be kept in the classroom in a place that will be readily available to be used in the case of a choking incident. It comes with a storage container so that it will stay clean and sanitary.
Students have a daily snack in the classroom. Having a Life Vac Portable Suction Rescue Device Kit readily available to use in the case of a choking emergency is priceless. It is something that we hope will never happen, however if it was to happen would be a valuable tool to save a life.
The Life Vac Portable Suction Rescue Device Kit comes with a portable airway suction device, one adult mask, one pediatric mask, instructions for use, and a storage bag. It can be purchased on Amazon and the total cost with tax is $84.79
84.79
LifeVac Blue Travel Kit - Portable Suction Rescue Device, First Aid Kit for Kids and Adults, Portable Airway Suction Device for Children and Adults
