Press Release
West Virginia Department of Education Awards More Than $73,000 in Stem Grants
CHARLESTON, W.VA. – The West Virginia Department of Education (WVDE) has awarded STEM-minded Educator Grants to 86 West Virginia educators across the state. The purpose of the program is to fund student-centered STEM projects designed to engage them in interdisciplinary STEM learning.
The STEM-minded Educator Grant Program will award up to $1,000 for materials or technology that can be used in the classroom in the student’s home.
“West Virginia students must be prepared to be productive citizens in a world driven by a STEM-focused marketplace, and this grant opportunity provides educators with the support needed to challenge and motivate students with an innovative approach,” said State Superintendent of Schools W. Clayton Burch. “We want to equip students, families and school personnel with the tools necessary to become active learners.”
Recipients of the 2021 STEM-minded Educator Grants include:
| Sara Martin | Bunker Hill Elementary School | Berkeley County |
| Herbert Clark | Hedgesville Middle School | Berkeley County |
| Melissa Gantt | Martinsburg North Middle School | Berkeley County |
| Christine Sherman | Mountain Ridge Intermediate School | Berkeley County |
| Katrina Dennison | Frametown Elementary School | Braxton County |
| Alicia McPherson | Braxton County Middle School | Braxton County |
| Anita Lambert | Braxton County Middle School | Braxton County |
| Amy L. Ludewig | Brooke Middle School | Brooke County |
| Sara Barraclough | Spring Hill Elementary School | Cabell County |
| Meghan Salter | Martha Elementary School | Cabell County |
| Alex Keiffer | Clay County Middle School | Clay County |
| Deanna Critchley | Meadow Bridge Elementary School | Fayette County |
| Cliff Sullivan | Fayetteville PK-8 School | Fayette County |
| Jessica James | New River Intermediate School | Fayette County |
| Gail Skillern | Lewisburg Elementary School | Greenbrier County |
| Jacob Henry | West Virginia Schools for the Deaf and the Blind | Hampshire County |
| Anna Mae Fout | West Virginia Schools for the Deaf and the Blind | Hampshire County |
| Barbara Ray | Augusta Elementary School | Hampshire County |
| Sydney Tennant | Nutter Fort Primary School | Harrison County |
| Colleen Driscoll | North View Elementary School | Harrison County |
| Taya L. Trent | Johnson Elementary School | Harrison County |
| Deanna Cunningham | Kenna Elementary School | Jackson County |
| Tammy McLoud | Page Jackson Elementary School | Jefferson County |
| Kathy Jo T. Blue | TA Lowery Elementary School | Jefferson County |
| Kandi Kaiser | Blue Ridge Primary School | Jefferson County |
| Jennifer Prusha (Hill) | Ranson Elementary School | Jefferson County |
| Petra Hester | TA Lowery | Jefferson County |
| Ali Moody | South Jefferson Elementary School | Jefferson County |
| Tia Nugent | North Jefferson Elementary School | Jefferson County |
| Kristen Vieweg | Weberwood Elementary School | Kanawha County |
| Donna Wood | South Charleston High School | Kanawha County |
| Carrie Todd | Elk Elementary Center | Kanawha County |
| Lauren N. Groseclose | West Side Middle School | Kanawha County |
| Teresa Jackson | Elk Elementary Center | Kanawha County |
| Amy Loftis | Andrews Heights Elementary School | Kanawha County |
| Rebecca Merritt | East Fairmont High School | Marion County |
| Margie Suder | Marion County School’s STEAM Learning Lab | Marion County |
| Shannon Young | Washington Lands Elementary School | Marshall County |
| Jason B. Birch | Sherrard Middle School | Marshall County |
| Greg Oliver | Sherrard Middle School | Marshall County |
| Diana Aston | Cameron Middle/High School | Marshall County |
| Jenna Battista | Cameron Elementary School | Marshall County |
| Ashley Fecat | Washington Lands Elementary School | Marshall County |
| Barbara Jill Wilson | Washington Lands Elementary School | Marshall County |
| Justin Jones | Sherrard Middle School | Marshall County |
| Jacque Richardson and Shayla Blackshire | New Haven Elementary School | Mason County |
| Tara Wright | Kimball Elementary School | McDowell County |
| Emily Hicks | Kimball Elementary School | McDowell County |
| Stephanie Cook | Kimball Elementary School | McDowell County |
| Evonne Davidson | Kimball Elementary School | McDowell County |
| Stephanie Jeffery | Kimball Elementary School | McDowell County |
| Christy L. Hunt | Bradshaw Elementary School | McDowell County |
| Amy Rickman | Mountain Valley Elementary School | Mercer County |
| Leeann Taylor and Ashley Weatherly | Melrose Elementary School | Mercer County |
| Edie Ann Bennett | Melrose Elementary School | Mercer County |
| Katie Carter | Oakvale Elementary School | Mercer County |
| Racine Stefancic | Oakvale Elementary School | Mercer County |
| Julie Sions | Mineral County Technical Center | Mineral County |
| Sarah Malone | Frankfort Middle School | Mineral County |
| Heather Brun | Mylan Park Elementary School | Monongalia County |
| Christina Dennis | Brookhaven Elementary School | Monongalia County |
| Amy Joyce | Mylan Park Elementary School | Monongalia County |
| Christina Pizatella | Mylan Park Elementary School | Monongalia County |
| Nellie Cottle | Peterstown Elementary School | Monroe County |
| Becky Crabtree | James Monroe High School | Monroe County |
| Megan Bennett | Paw Paw High School | Morgan County |
| Adam K. Keeling | Paw Paw Elementary School | Morgan County |
| John Sheranko | Berkeley Springs High School | Morgan County |
| Regina Pollard | Ritchie Elementary School | Ohio County |
| Sandra Wiseman | Woodsdale Elementary School | Ohio County |
| Chloe Bland | Pocahontas County High School | Pocahontas County |
| Justin Dilley | Pocahontas County High School | Pocahotnas County |
| Christina Davis | West Teays Elementary School | Putnam County |
| Suzanne Smith | Hurricane Town Elementary School | Putnam County |
| Angela D. Abbott | George Washington Middle School | Putnam County |
| Chastity Miller | Buffalo Elementary School | Putnam County |
| Jeneva Crum | Hometown Elementary School | Putnam County |
| Megan Ray | Ridgeview Elementary School | Raleigh County |
| Elizabeth McDaniel | Shady Spring Middle School | Raleigh County |
| Cheyanne Toney | Stratton Elementary School | Raleigh County |
| Rebecca Chapman | Hollywood Elementary School | Raleigh County |
| Lori Franks | Tyler Consolidated High School | Tyler County |
| Erin Brooks | East Lynn Elementary School | Wayne County |
| Lacey Cale | Emerson Elementary School | Wood County |
| Edna Ruth Patrick | Madison Elementary School | Wood County |
| Rachael Bailey | Mullens Elementary School | Wyoming County |
To learn more about STEM-focused grant opportunities, visit https://wvde.us/stemmindedwv/.
For more information, contact Christy Day at the West Virginia Department of Education Office of Communications at (304) 558-2699 or christy.day@k12.wv.us.