Eastern Illinois Partnership Supports Early Career Teachers

The Eastern Illinois University Rural Schools Initiative has teamed up with the Southeastern Illinois Community Foundation to launch a New Teacher Mini-Grant Program to support innovative classroom programs. Inaugural grants were awarded to the following first-year teachers:

• Tiffany Gibson, Cumberland High School
• Madison Goodwin, Sandburg Elementary, Charleston
• Alicia Henning, Lovington Grade School
• Devanne Lawson, Sandburg Elementary, Charleston
• Holly Pitts, Lovington Grade School

These grants are awarded through a fund that was established at the Community Foundation, which resulted in part by matching grant program provided by the Rural Schools Collaborative, Grand Victoria Foundation, and Galesburg Community Foundation. This effort was part of RSC's Catalyst Fund Program.

This is an excellent example of the kind of philanthropic collaboration that must occur in our rural regions! Congratulations to the grant recipients!