Education
Lehi teachers awarded grants at Show Up for Teachers conference
Megan Wallgren | Lehi Free Press
Educators from Lehi-area schools got an early boost for their school-year plans when they were surprised with classroom grants at the Show Up for Teachers Conference on July 9, hosted by First Lady Abby Cox at the Mountain America Expo Center in Sandy.
Forty educators across the state were awarded a $1,000 grant through the Mountain America Foundation to support innovative classroom projects and create meaningful learning opportunities for students. Recipients were selected from a competitive pool of applicants based on the strength of their project ideas, planned use of grant funding, and potential impact on student learning.
“Each year, we’re inspired by the creativity and dedication Utah educators bring to their classrooms,” said Sharlene Wells, chief public affairs officer at Mountain America. “These grants help turn great ideas into reality, providing teachers with resources to create engaging learning experiences for their students. We’re proud to continue supporting the educators who make such a lasting difference in their communities.”
Lehi recipients included Autumn Dixon, Snow Springs Elementary; Delany Bigler, Fox Hollow Elementary; and Fredia Shumway, Liberty Hills Elementary.
“I am incredibly honored and grateful to receive this grant. As teachers, we are always looking for ways to create meaningful learning experiences for our students, and this opportunity allows me to do just that,” said Shumway. “I’m thankful to Show Up for Teachers and Mountain America for investing in teachers and in the future of our students.”
Shumway will be using the grant money to create hands-on literacy learning experiences for her first-grade students. “My classroom is built on the Science of Reading with explicit phonics instruction, and this grant will allow me to add another layer by bringing books to life through interactive literacy centers, storytelling, collaborative projects, and creative learning experiences,” she said. “My goal is not only to teach children how to read but to help them develop a genuine love of reading that will stay with them long after they leave first grade. I truly believe that when children fall in love with books, they become lifelong learners.”
