PAGE Educator Grants: Up to $100,000 Awarded Annually

Educators are experts at helping students excel. At PAGE, we’re experts at helping members excel in the classroom and beyond.

The PAGE Educator Grant program awards up to $100,000 annually in cumulative funds to members throughout the state. As a new PAGE member, you’re now eligible to apply!

Many of the innovative supplies and resources to enhance an educator’s effectiveness with students and help propel them to new heights of confidence and achievement are often beyond financial reach. In response, PAGE created a program designed to provide recipients with funds to support goals for students as well as further their individual goals as a Georgia educator.

“PAGE consistently listens to members and their needs,” says PAGE Executive Director Craig Harper. “When there is an ability to meet those needs in a meaningful way, PAGE does its best to follow through. PAGE Educator Grants help members in the classroom and with professional pursuits while also serving as a thank you for the incredible work PAGE members do every day.”

This year, applications are open Sunday, Oct. 6 through Sunday, Oct. 20. Each school year, the Educator Grant program will follow a fall semester application timeline. We encourage you to apply. On the following pages, you’ll see how a few previous winners have utilized their awards.

Fast Facts

• Up to $100,000 in cumulative funds awarded each school year

• Funds issued as reimbursement grants of up to $500 per recipient

• This year’s applications are open through Sunday, Oct. 20

• Learn more about the program at www.pageinc.org/ grants

Lauren Cramer, Carroll County

“I used my PAGE Educator Grant to purchase a set of lab coats for my students to use when they perform labs and experiments in class. Their faces lit up and some of the other teachers said that since we have had the lab coats, they have never seen students more excited to come to science class. It has really enhanced the learning experience and paved the road for more success in my classroom. It has made them see that what they are doing is important.”

Christopher Andrews, Richmond County

“The PAGE Educator Grant tremendously aided our band students as they performed at the large group performance evaluation this year. We were able to buy the supplies we needed like reeds, valve oil, tambourines, drumsticks and more. Our school had been participating in these evaluations for decades, but we had never earned a superior rating until these past two years. It was the first time in Hephzibah High School history that we received a superior rating and having these items really helped. The kids were thankful. It allowed us to get better quality supplies for them, so they were very excited.”

Malena Bisanti, Fulton County

“We used our PAGE Educator Grant to buy nine foot peddlers for students to Read & Ride in the school media center. The peddlers give students the opportunity to be active while reading, which will help increase physical activity and decrease stress. A lot of kids need to be active during the school day and the peddlers allow them to be active while still learning. One of my third grade students said, ‘You can work out your legs while you work out your brain!’”

Casey Elias, Jasper County

“As a Future Farmers of America advisor, we do different contests throughout the year. I used my PAGE Educator Grant to buy study materials to help with career development events. Having it all packaged together saves us a lot of time. Now, our kids don’t have to make their own flashcards, which took more time than it would to actually study. Now they can spend more time learning the material and less time researching it.”

Loren Frick, Georgia School for the Deaf

“My students are deaf and hard of hearing and use American Sign Language. While making math videos, instead of turning around to write on the board, I purchased a clear glass board along with an easel stand to remove two obstacles: (1) I can write in front of me, and sign at the same time. (2) When using sign language for directional signs such as ‘move the decimal the left’, the viewpoint of the presenter and the viewer are opposite. When editing, I use the mirror format to flip the video and make the signing viewpoint correct for the viewer as well as the math work legible in the video!”

Vilencia Leslie, Burke County

“My speech/language therapy materials that were purchased through the PAGE Educator Grant will be used to further enhance each student’s ability in meeting his/her communication goals and objectives. An SLP’s IEP companion book was also purchased that will allow me to explore and establish other goals and objectives addressed. It is my hope that these materials will be applicable to the student’s specific communication disorder. I also plan to use these materials to enrich school administrators’, teachers’, and parents’ knowledge in understanding ways to elicit the targeted communication responses. This opportunity will assist the students’ ability in maintaining and/or carrying over the concepts/skills addressed in meeting their communication needs. Thank you, PAGE, for awarding me this opportunity to purchase these materials.”

Ben Pitchford, Colquitt County

“The items purchased with the PAGE Grant are directly benefitting students who are struggling with social-emotional needs. We have created calm-down kits to use with students in Pre-K through 1st grade who need emotional support. The kits include tactile devices and weighted stuffed animals that help students better regulate their emotions. Our students are able to personalize their calm down kits so that the kits include the items that work best for each, student.”

Ashley Wicker, Ware County

“I used my PAGE Educator Grant to purchase a digital microscope that hooks up to our Promethean board. In order for students to know what they are looking at, they need to be able to see the microorganisms and that’s hard with a traditional microscope. With this one, they can use it individually or they can hook it up to the board so that everyone can see.”

Chad Sorrells, Stephens County

“Students love doing labs. Seeing chemical and physical changes helps students realize what is going on and the chemical reactions that are taking place. I used my PAGE Educator Grant to purchase chemicals for hands-on experiments. The grant allowed us to do more of these types of experiments.”

Inga Cashon, Tattnall County

“With the wonderful support of the PAGE Educator Grant, I was able to purchase a set of Keva Planks — wooden blocks that can be used to design structural engineering projects and to solve STEM (Science Technology Engineering and Math) activities. Students are able to build marble coasters, structures, and complete design challenges that can be differentiated based on grade and learning level. The Keva Planks can be used in all 6th through 8th grade STEM classes at North Tattnall Middle School and are reusable as well!”

Melissa Wood, Henry County

“The PAGE Educator Grant was very helpful with our paired unit on glaze chemistry – so much so that we are continuing with the study for the next school year. We went from having 12 colors to having 120 – a broad range of glazes and colors we can use – for very little money. Students learned that mixing just a little bit of clear or white would get them what they wanted. Rather than having to buy a pint of a new color, they can just make whatever color they want.” n