Ladue School District Teacher Receives Grant from WGU Missouri

Natalie Dicker, a second-grade teacher at Old Bonhomme Elementary School in Olivette – part of the Ladue School District – has received a $250 grant through WGU Missouri’s “Fund My Classroom” initiative. The grant will be used to fill her classroom with a variety of hands-on STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) activities that will enhance student learning. Dicker learned she was selected to receive the grant in early May when WGU staff surprised her with a virtual check presentation.

The $250 grant awarded to Dicker will be used to purchase a variety of hands-on activities to create STEM bins in her classroom. The STEM bins will be filled with a variety of building activities, including LEGOs, magnetic tiles, interlocking plastic discs and building blocks. These items will foster creativity among Dicker’s students, while enhancing their imagination skills and furthering student engagement. She plans to incorporate the activities into her classroom’s morning routine so her students can start the day on a positive note, with opportunities for hands-on learning and positive social interactions with their peers.

The innovative classroom project was among 50 across Missouri chosen by WGU Missouri to receive funding. The nonprofit, fully online university issued a call in March for K-12 teachers across the state to nominate proposed classroom projects by April 17 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 2-6.

“We received nominations for some amazing classroom projects, and we are happy to bring so many to life through this year’s ‘Fund My Classroom’ initiative,” said Dr. Terrance Hopson, Regional Director of WGU Missouri. “When it comes to expanding classroom curriculum and employing innovative techniques to engage and challenge students, teachers are often limited by costs. This initiative is an opportunity for WGU to give back to teachers, who go above and beyond to educate our students, by providing them with funding they can use to further enhance learning both in and out of the classroom.”

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 60 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).