Special
Catholic school grant winners announced By Janet Marcel All Catholic school teachers in the Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux were given an opportunity to compete for mini-grants as part of the diocesan Educators Conference program. In a ceremony that took place at this year’s Conference, which is sponsored annually by the Catholic Schools Office, five grants of $500 each were awarded to teachers to fund the winning grants as follows. “3rd Grade STEM Centers,” written by Lea Esteve of St. Genevieve Catholic School in Thibodaux, will be used to purchase kits to provide third grade students the opportunity to complete STEM activities, help children think like scientists and engineers, and work collaboratively to problem solve. Students will explore flight, friction, airflow, bridge building, flash floods, and more by designing and building different items. “Light Up Reading Instruction,” written by Chastity Pitre of St. Francis de Sales Cathedral School in Houma, will be used to purchase Get Your
Lauren Boudreaux
Caroline Bourgeois
Christie Foret
Neon Read On kits that will help students attack complex text with ease and provide them the opportunity to become hands-on critical thinkers. “Imagine, Build, Repeat,” written by Meghan Braud, Caroline Bourgeois and Leah Jones of St. Joseph Catholic Elementary School in Thibodaux, will be used to purchase building materials for Pre-K students that will assist with their individual and group learning, using their engineering skills through the process of trial and error. “Coding 101,” written by Christie Foret of St. Mary’s Nativity School in Raceland, will provide students with a hands-on opportunity to learn about computer coding using Edison Robots. Using iPads, students will plan, design and write a program for the robot to
Meghan Braud
Leah Jones
Lea Esteve
Chastity Pitre
perform a simple task. This project, which will incorporate science, math and technology, is expected to impact over 200 children. “The Nurture of Nature,” written by Lauren Boudreaux of Central Catholic School in Morgan City, will be used to purchase outdoor play equipment, such as a seesaw, a water table, and a Climb-N-Crawl caterpillar for prekindergarten students. The use of the equipment will help young learners with creative expression and gross motor development while allowing them to spend time outdoors. Funding of these grants was made possible by First American Bank and Trust, Pedestal Bank, United Community Bank, Synergy Bank, and Morgan City Bank and Trust. BC
The Office wishes to thank these sponsors of the 2020 Teacher Grant awards. 36 • Bayou Catholic • Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux • March 2020
