2025 Grants in Place Celebration of Learning
The Celebration of Learning spotlights 19 rural teachers who transformed their curriculum with community-focused Place-Based Education projects this past school year.
On Friday, June 6th Rural Schools Collaborative, in partnership with Teton Science Schools, hosted the annual virtual Celebration of Learning, a capstone event following a year of Place-Based Education projects initiated by teachers from RSC’s Regional Hubs. These projects were supported by grants of up to $2,500 provided to each Grants in Place Fellow.
This year, 19 Grants in Place Fellows from RSC’s Regional Hubs were selected to participate in the program throughout the 2024-2025 school year. After being awarded the grants, they began both working on implementing their projects, and met quarterly to share progress updates, exchange ideas, and build community. In each project, which included nearly all grade levels and class subjects, the teachers went above and beyond to connect their students with their local community, instilling pride in place and creating lasting impact across the country.
With the school year wrapping up, the teachers convened to share both
with each other and many within the RSC community the journey that their projects had led them on. In successive short presentations, they shared pictures and videos, unexpected benefits and challenges, and ultimately pride and satisfaction in the ways in which their projects uplifted learning and their students. Facilitated by Leslie Cook, the lead of RSC’s Northern Rockies Regional Hub and Head of Professional Learning at Teton Science Schools, the presentations highlighted the power of place and how designing context-specific lessons can engage students and peak their interest on a higher level.
Examples of projects included a book vending machine to foster a love for literacy, geocaching for outdoor learning and culture exploration, historical town walking tours, and so much more. To watch the full recording, and learn about each inspiring project, view the 2025 Celebration of Learning below.
Thank you to all of the Fellows for their participation and for sharing about their Place-Based Education projects - congratulations on the impacts and connections you all fostered!
You can learn more about each of the 2024 - 2025 Grants in Place Fellows here and learn more about past projects and Grants in Place recipients here.
We'd also like to extend a warm thank you to our 2024-2025 Grants in Place Selection Committee:
Our 2024-25 Grants in Place Fellows Selection Committee is composed of outstanding rural advocates and representatives from RSC's Regional Hubs across the US. Our thanks is extended to Leslie Cook (Wyoming); Dave Dallas (Oregon); Lori Goodson (Kansas); Melissa Harris (Georgia); Tammy La Prad (Illinois); Ann Schulte (Northern California) for their commitment to Place-Based Education and rural schools & communities.
Since 2015 Rural Schools Collaborative and its partners have awarded more than $700,000 to rural classroom teachers in support of innovative place-based projects. We invite you to check out our roster of Grants in Place projects:
Living History in Eastern North Carolina: How Washington County High Schoolers are Uncovering Their Past
August 4, 2026
Through a novel collaboration between Washington County Schools and East Carolina University, local students learned to critically analyze historical artifacts and discover personal connections across their home county
Regional Hubs, Southeast, Place-Based Education
Classroom to Coast: How a Custom Master’s Program is Keeping Science Teachers in Pitt County
July 22, 2026
Through a tailored masters degree program, East Carolina University and Pitt County Schools are creating a powerful collaborative model to retain teachers and cultivate classroom leaders.
Southeast, Place-Based Education
‘We See You, We Believe in You’: An Impact Evaluation of Rural Schools Collaborative’s Grants in Place Program
July 13, 2026
Three educators and researchers from Vanderbilt University’s Doctorate of Education Program share key findings from analyzing RSC’s Grants in Place program.