Back in January, I submitted an application for the Teachers and Technology Grant sponsored by CenturyLink. The grant is awarded to teachers who design innovative STEM classroom projects. If you aren't familiar with STEM, it stands for science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. Well, right before the end of the school year, the generous people at CenturyLink came to Thiriot and presented me with a $5,000 check!!!  It was one of those huge checks - so exciting!

The $5,000 grant received by the school is part of $750,000 awarded by the CenturyLink Clarke M. Williams Foundation across 34 states this year, funding 180 classroom projects. Thiriot's application was selected from over 1,300 submissions. We were the only elementary school in Nevada to be awarded this grant. Yay for us!

So, what's the grant proposal? It's called, "Imagineering a New Land for Disneyland." The project is designed for 3rd, 4th, and 5th grade Gifted and Talented students to research rides and attractions at Disneyland. Then, teams of students will design new lands for Disneyland, including a new ride that incorporates something from a retired ride that is no longer operating, an attraction as a tribute to Walt Disney, a restaurant, a retail store with merchandise, food carts, and costumes for the employees to wear. 

Thanks to the CenturyLink Clarke M. Williams Foundation, the Thiriot GATE students will be getting 20 Chromebooks, wireless mice, a color printer, and extra ink cartridges. That's not all. I'm also purchasing a digital camera with wi-fi so students can photograph and document their work. A wi-fi camera will make it easier to upload photos to our class website as the Disneyland projects progress and new lands for Disneyland come to life.

THANK YOU, CENTURYLINK!