With the end of the academic year just around the corner, there’s plenty to celebrate—including the successful roll-out of approximately $8,000 in mini-grants to local education programs and teachers in Dent County by the Dent County Public Schools Foundation. With a maximum of $500 per mini-grant, teachers were able to get assistance from DCPSF for purchasing a variety of small-scale projects, programs, or supplies. Lynne Engle, DCPSF board member, describing that some projects the foundation were able to assist with included trips at Northwood R-IV and Salem R-80 to the Holocaust Museum in St. Louis, a school-wide garden project at Dent-Phelps R-III known as the Bobcat Garden Project, and the purchase of educational software known as Starfall at Northwood R-IV.
The Dent County Public Schools Foundation (DCPSF) is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization. Since its formation, the foundation was called the “Salem Public Schools Foundation”, but, with its growth, board members approved the rebranding of the foundation to better represent the schools in the area to Dent County Public Schools Foundation. The goals of DCPSF are to raise funds to promote excellence in the school system, provide enhanced opportunities for students to reach their potential, create a bridge that brings community and schools together, and provide mini-grants for classrooms to promote academic learning and excellence.
Over the course of the academic year of 2024-25, DCPSF has successfully rolled out the mini-grant program—providing grants to plenty of classrooms in kindergarten through high school throughout Dent County, assisting teachers with non-budgeted items. Engle described that the application process is simple and easy, and that that teachers were given flexible guidelines—as long as it enhances student learning, it’s likely to be awarded.
Engle described some highlights of the year included the Bobcat Garden Project, organized by Amanda Crocker at Dent-Phelps R-III, which allowed students to participate in creating a schoolwide garden. Other highlights included giving students at Northwood R-IV in Sammi Combs’ class and students at Salem High School in Eric Myers’ class the chance to visit the Holocaust Museum in St. Louis. With the grant, DCPSF was able to assist classes with the cost of transportation, tickets, and some refreshments while on their trips.
“The grant allowing us to visit the Holocaust Museum in Saint Louis helped bring to life the effects of the Holocaust for the students, since we read the memoir Night this year which detailed the life of a 15-year-old during the Holocaust. The tour guides stayed with the students and provided valuable information to the students. There were many interactive displays that allowed students to immersify themselves into the history,” detailed Myers. “All the students were respectful of the history and content of the experience and most participated in the interactive displays, enthusiastically. They agreed that it added to their knowledge and experience of the Holocaust.”
The maximum amount that teachers are able to request is $500, limited to one application per academic year. But some teachers requested much less than that, including Lauren Prugh at Northwood R-IV who only requested $70 to help cover the cost of a software program called Starfall for her classroom, which teaches children reading skills through games and phonics.
“Starfall has been a valuable addition to our kindergarten computer time. This age-appropriate program reinforces the skills students are learning in the classroom through engaging and interactive activities. Our students look forward to using it each day and view it as both fun and educational,” detailed Prugh on the program. “We are sincerely grateful to the Dent County Public Schools Foundation for providing access to all that Starfall has to offer and for supporting our students’ learning in such a meaningful way.”
Meanwhile, other teachers submitted applications for technology, including Rob Wofford of Salem High School, who requested $500 for the purchase of an iPad Air for his Literary Arts Club.
“Literary Arts Club has greatly benefited from the iPad Air bought with the mini-grant from [Dent County] Public Schools Foundation. The technology allows students to see themselves perform their pieces and document their writing,” described Wofford. “Students are very excited to obtain videos from their public performances and view each other's work.”
Wofford shared that Salem High School student Marshall White said, "The iPad provides a great way to record experiences and is a gateway for future students to see what we do.”
Kristina Jackson, Northwood R-IV school counselor, was able to utilize a mini-grant to purchase a cohesive SEL program.
“As a school counselor, having a developmentally aligned resource that I can utilize with all K–8 students during counseling and advisory periods is essential,” said Jackson. “This resource provides a consistent framework that allows students to build upon shared language and social-emotional skills year after year, supporting growth in self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, relationship-building, and responsible decision-making. I am sincerely grateful to the Dent County Public Schools Foundation for their generous support in helping make a lasting impact on our students' personal and academic development.”
Amanda White, Northwood R-IV, was able to utilize a mini-grant to purchase STEM activities for her second grade classroom.
“Thanks to the generous support of the Dent County Public Schools Foundation, we’ve been able to engage students in a variety of exciting and educational STEM activities,” described White. “Using the supplies provided, students have created s’mores ovens, made their own bouncy balls, explored chemical reactions through homemade lava lamps, and expressed their creativity with tissue bleed art. These hands-on experiences have sparked curiosity, encouraged problem-solving, and made learning truly fun.”
Meanwhile, Engle further shared that the DCPSF will be continuing a partnership with the Dragonfly Wings Foundation, run by Lisa and Wes Hester, which will be providing $10,000 annually to the foundation. Mini-grants will be continued to be offered to teachers throughout the Dent County area in the coming academic year.
Donations can also be made in-person at Town & Country Bank with Dent County Public Schools Foundation specified as the recipient. Donations, made online and at the bank, can also be specified as directly for certain districts, and those funds will not be used for anything other than aiding that district, if one desires. Donors can also designate donations for the school, program, or projects of their choice.
