Groves Elementary School Life Skills Teacher Jennifer Fecowycz had a simple request for her classroom, a vacuum cleaner.

The request wasn’t for lack of a cleaning crew; instead it’s to help her students gain basic skills needed in life.

“I teach life skills so I teach practical skills so the students learn to be as independent as possible, they learn to clean the kitchen, house cleaning and more,” Fecowycz said.

Fecowycz was one of eight grant recipients from the Port Neches-Groves Education Foundation on Wednesday.

Members of the Foundation traveled to four district schools to surprise the recipients with their grants.

When grant applications are submitted all identifying information is redacted so as not to be partial. In Fecowycz’s application, she explained the goal of the life skills program is to promote independence in each of the students to the highest degree attainable.

“In addition to academic studies, the life skills students are exposed to functional skills and practical living skills as well,” she said. “Household duties are part of our daily routine, giving each student a chance to gain exposure to and practice basic skills that foster independence in the home, and later on, in the workplace, if possible.”

Cindy Downs, second grade teacher at Van Buren Elementary School, was the recipient of a grant totaling $411 to purchase B-Calm Units.

The units, she said, help students who have trouble concentrating. They include a headphone with MP3 player that plays calming music to block out other sounds.

“Children with ADD, ADHD and Autism have trouble in the classroom with different types of stress factors,” Downs said in her application. “These can include noise, lights, smells or other stimuli. The B-Calm system has been reported to calm students through listening to sedation soundtracks on an MP3 player. Some of these tracks include the sound of rain, the ocean and the forest.”

Ridgewood Elementary School Principal Julie Gauthier wasn’t on hand to accept her grant but school counselor Linda Greer stepped in. Gauthier was awarded $320 grant for a SPERO-STEM, or science, technology engineering and math, robot.

“The rationale is to provide students a “Maker Space” type atmosphere in our campus computer lab to work with a robot called SPHERO. The students and teachers work together on coding and having the SPHERO complete tasks that they accept,” Gauthier said in her grant application. “It is vital to capitalize on student’s early interest and experiences and engage in the practices of science and math. Providing this type of learning for our students will help them discover more about investigating questions and collaboration.”

Foundation member Peggy Harrison said it is a wonderful experience being able to award grants.

“ With limitations in funding for education, grant opportunities become more important for teachers and school districts as a whole,” Harrison said. “It is exciting to know we have teachers who seek out opportunities to create greater learning experiences for the students of PN-GISD.  Our teachers know the education they provide is so important for our children’s future and the Educational Foundation is honored to assist teachers in their endeavor.”

Other grant awardees included:

• Ashley Webb, third grade, Woodcrest Elementary School, $487, math manipulatives, Margie Barnes Memorial Grant.
• Fae Sandifer, principal, Woodcrest Elementary School, $489, Bouncy Bands for chairs.
• Maria Sims, first grade, Woodcrest Elementary School, $500, OSMO Genius Kits, gaming accessory for iPad.
• Amber Bell, first grade, Woodcrest Elementary School, $486, Leveled Reading Books, Trudy Holder Memorial Grant.
• Ashley Perkins, first grade, Woodcrest Elementary School, $499, Library of Leveled Reading Books, April Begnaud Memorial Grant.

Mary Meaux: 721-2429

Twitter: @MaryMeayxPANews