Two Ridgewood Middle School Teachers Receive Grants from WGU Missouri

Two teachers at Ridgewood Middle School in Arnold were recently awarded grants through WGU Missouri's “Fund My Classroom” initiative. Trista Sargent, a special education teacher, received a $600 grant that will be used to create a comprehensive life skills center for her students. Crista Bahr, a sixth-grade social studies teacher, received a $125 grant that will enable her students to participate in a “pen pal” program. Both Sargent and Bahr learned they were selected for the grants on May 11 when they were surprised with check presentations at their school.

The comprehensive life skills center Sargent is creating with the $600 grant she received will focus on teaching daily living skills to special education students. This includes hygiene routines, cleaning, organizing and cooking. With the help of the grant, Sargent's students will have the resources and tools necessary to learn these crucial skills that will help them gain independence and improve their quality of life. The life skills center will provide a safe and supportive environment for students to learn and model these skills to the best of their abilities, setting them up for success, both in and outside of the classroom.

Bahr will use the $125 grant she received to continue a “pen pal” program she started, providing her students with the opportunity to connect with peers from diverse cultures and societies worldwide. The funding will allow her classroom to obtain necessary resources to send postcards to their pen pals, enhancing the students' learning experiences by giving them a window into the wider world and promoting cultural awareness and empathy. Through this program, students will learn about different lifestyles, traditions and customs, broadening their horizons and expanding their global knowledge.

The innovative classroom projects were among 43 across Missouri chosen by WGU Missouri to receive funding. The nonprofit, fully online university issued a call in early March for K-12 teachers across the state to nominate proposed classroom projects by April 14 for the opportunity to receive full or partial funding through its “Fund My Classroom” initiative. Nearly 200 nominations were received statewide. Most grants were awarded during Teacher Appreciation Week, which ran from May 8-12.

“This is the fifth consecutive year we have been able to offer grant funding to deserving teachers across the state through our ‘Fund My Classroom’ initiative, and we were so moved by all the nominations we received,” said Jessica Denham, Regional Director of WGU Missouri. “While we aren’t able to support all the projects that were nominated, we are excited to award funding to dozens of teachers who have come up with unique and innovative ways to improve their classrooms in order to promote learning and provide an enriching experience for their students.”

To learn more about the “Fund My Classroom” initiative and the work WGU Missouri is doing to help teachers advance their careers, visit missouri.wgu.edu. About WGU Missouri

WGU Missouri is a competency-based, online university created to expand access to higher education for Missouri residents. The university offers more than 80 undergraduate and graduate degree programs in the fields of business, K-12 teacher education, information technology, and health professions, including nursing. WGU Missouri faculty members serve as mentors, working one-on-one with students, offering guidance, support, and individualized instruction.

Established in 2013 through a partnership with nationally recognized Western Governors University, WGU Missouri is open to all qualified Missouri residents. The university is nonprofit and self-sustaining on flat-rate tuition of about $7,600 per year for most programs.

Degrees are granted under the accreditation of Western Governors University, which is accredited through the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU). Nursing College programs are accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE*), and the Health Informatics program is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Health Informatics and Information Management Education (CAHIIM).

More information is available at missouri.wgu.edu or by calling 855.948.8493.

*Western Governors University offers nursing programs that are accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (One Dupont Circle, NW, Suite 5380, Washington DC 20036, 202-877-6791).