Area businesses, individuals can support local teachers through Shelbyville Central Education Foundation

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Local businesses and individuals can donate to the Shelbyville Central Schools Education Foundation to help teachers fulfill wish lists for their classrooms.

The foundation recently delivered 10 grants to Shelbyville Central Schools teachers totaling $4,500. The grants were timed with the beginning of the 2023-2024 school year.

A second grant cycle will award grants again in January to coincide with the start of the second semester.

“It allows teachers the opportunity to get in and really extend the education beyond the book,” said Andrew Snow, the assistant principal at Coulston Elementary School in Shelbyville and the current director of the education foundation. “It allows the kids to get more hands on with their learning. It is one thing to talk about it. It is another thing to then do it. If you can allow kids to do it after you talk about it, it really sinks in with the kids and goes a long way.”

Some of the items that will be purchased through the most recent grant cycle include two STEM kits, miniature plastic food items for use by a speech instructor, sets of books for Spanish classes, an Oculus set for a high school class to take virtual field trips, racing tires for the high school’s go-kart team, and rechargeable batteries.

“(The grants) were created to fund projects that can’t be funded through the school corporation,” said Snow. “Just stuff that the buildings can’t necessarily fund and the corporation can’t necessarily fund that goes to help the teachers create a more meaningful experience for the students.”

The SCS Education Foundation, created in 2016, is primarily funded through the sale of the school system’s used iPads at the end of each school semester.

In addition to delivering grants to teachers, the foundation also assists with the annual Hall of Fame induction at Shelbyville High School, the Cultural Fair for the school corporation, the Halloween Trail at the Ecology Lab, and the Christmas lights display.

The foundation is partnered with the Blue River Community Foundation to help administer the grants.

Snow expects to host a Painting for Education event again in 2023. The inaugural 2022 event went well and sponsors will be needed for this year’s fundraiser.

“We are looking for businesses to donate,” said Snow. “The website has posted what is available if someone wants to donate to the website. You can donate generally or have a specific item to donate. If you want to fund a specific grant, that is great.”

For more information on the SCS Education Foundation, go to the school corporation’s website at scs.shelby.org and click on “District” menu to find the link to the foundation site.

Or, contact Snow at aasnow@shelbycs.org or call 317-398-3185, extension 4008.

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