CLASSROOM GRANTS
18th Annual Classroom Grants Awarded
Eleven area teachers were each awarded a $100 grant from Mohave Electric for the annual 2013 Classroom Grants Program. The program provides funding for supplies, materials, equipment or other essential items that support special projects for expanded classroom learning opportunities.
The topics selected for the grants ranged from building miniature steam engine boats to discovering the secrets of owl pellets. Projects included Walking Across America, Living Painting, Morse Code, Discovery Density and Solar Cooking.
The 2013 Classroom Grant recipients are: Jessica Villamor and Shannon Mitcham – Mohave Valley Elementary; Katherine Pavatt – Fox Creek Junior High; Molly Nottingham – Fort Mohave Elementary; Michael Oakleaf – Sunrise Elementary; Trina Demers, Mark Carlson and Tiffany Higgins – Mohave Accelerated Learning Center (MALC); and Lucinda Price and Robin Stepanek – Mohave High School. Robert Yee from River Valley High School won an honorable mention for his annual Solar Cooking project.
Mark Carlson, physical science teacher at MALC said, “Thank you Mohave Electric Cooperative. Your classroom grant allowed MALC’s AIMS Prep class to learn the principles of work and energy with a hands-on building project: their own working steamboats.” Carlson said the students made the working boats from recycled materials and simple technology that was used for the typical of turn-of-the-century toy boats. A birthday candle was used for an external combustion heat source that turned water into steam inside an aluminum can engine which was forced through a drinking straw. “The students learned the theories and the practical workings of steam engines, especially when things did not work quite right,” said Carlson. After building the boats, students raced in their custom made boat race track.
Robert Yee, a 2010 and 2011 grant recipient, used his grants for his Math Club students to explore solar cooking. The first year, they built four solar ovens, cooked 100 hot dogs, 6 pounds of chili and 6 pounds of nacho cheese feeding over 100 students and staff a delicious lunch. Yee said, “It was a great success and we could not have done it without Mohave Electric’s help.” He said students and teachers were surprised to see such a variety of food and were impressed with the quality of food that was produced. This year they are expanding their project to include macaroni and cheese and cookies.
The Classroom Grant Program is a part of Mohave Electric’s commitment to community and has awarded thousands of dollars to teachers in Mohave’s service area since 1996.
Photo caption: Mohave Electric Cooperative Board Directors Joe Anderson (far left) and Gordon “Jim” Ennes, right acknowledge the 2013 Classroom Grant Winners. Winners from left to right are Katherine Pavatt, Tiffany Higgins, Shannon Mitcham, Jessica Villamor, Molly Nottingham, Mark Carlson and Lucinda Price.
Classroom Grants will be available again next year.
Please check the website for updates in spring 2014.
