Robert P. Bell Classroom Enhacement Grants
Teachers and Students Benefit from $12K in Grants for Creative and Innovative Classroom Projects
– Teacher Appreciation Week kicks off Monday, May 5. The Community Foundation of Muncie and Delaware County supports teachers throughout Delaware County through Robert P. Bell Classroom Enhancement Grants.
The Robert P. Bell Classroom Enhancement Grants Program at The Community Foundation of Muncie and Delaware County provides schools with grants to support classroom projects that stimulate student learning. During the 2024-25 school year, six local schools received $12,653 in Classroom Enhancement Grants.
Since the program began in 1992, the Bell Grant program has provided grants of $50 to $600 to teachers and counselors in Delaware County. This academic year, changes were made to allow larger grants that still maintain the goal of supporting creative and innovative projects that benefit students and enhance the instructional goals of schools. Principals can now utilize the ideas and input of their teachers to apply for grants of up to $2,500 aimed at enhancing the learning environment in their building.
The following grants were awarded through the 2024-25 Robert P. Bell Classroom Enhancement Grants Program:
Cowan Elementary School received $2,500 for the Cowan Elementary School Garden. Students will plant, nurture, and grow a native wildflower garden that will directly support local wildlife and pollinators and will be verified as a Monarch butterfly waystation by the Monarch Watch Organization. The second garden will include six raised beds, each supporting a different type of crop.
East Washington Academy received $698 for Fine Arts and Fitness Fun. This community-building field day experience for all students includes volunteers and community members to share their knowledge and skills with the students. This year a Tie Dye Center will be added for students to create unique clothing to wear for group photos the following week.
Inspire Academy received $1,500 for Wild Wonders: An Interactive Zoo Exhibit Connecting Paleontology, Amphibians, and Animal Defenses. In building their interactive zoo exhibit, second graders focused on dinosaurs and fossils, third graders showcased amphibians, and fourth graders explored animal defense mechanisms using clay models. The project culminated in a music video titled “Animals are Hiding,” which aired at a school-wide open house in December 2024.
Indiana Academy for Science, Mathematics, and Humanities received $2,120 for Let’s Fly!: The Science, Engineering, Art, and Joy of Human Flight. This two-week curriculum for approximately 50 high school students will connect science and engineering with design, creative writing, and other arts activities, resulting in students making and modifying simple flying machines–kites and model airplanes.
Pleasant View Elementary School received $2,000 for Culminating Activities to Foster Student Engagement and Increase Literacy. Supported projects provided first-grade students with experiences to learn about the human body and fairy tales from around the world. Second-grade students experienced life during the time period of the War of 1812 through interactive stations.
Pleasant View Elementary School received $2,498 for Increasing Literacy Engagement and Growth. A Sun, Earth, and Moon orbital model to show students how the Earth rotates on its axis and orbits around the sun will assist first graders as they read to learn about Astronomy. Hands-on activities and interactive models will enhance second graders’ exploration of and learning about the cycles of nature.
Selma Middle School received $1,337 for Shape Up for Success: Math Classroom Upgrade. Selma Middle School students will benefit from a variety of flexible sensory-supported seating options, including wobble stools, bean bags, standing desks, and floor/seat cushions, designed to increase student motivation and enhance overall academic performance in mathematics.
Bell Grants are funded through the Robert P. Bell Teacher Grants Fund at The Community Foundation. This fund ensures that schools and their teachers have access to grants to help engage their students in meaningful ways for years to come. Individuals can contribute to the fund to honor or memorialize a special teacher or to show their support for K-12 education in Delaware County at cfmdin.org/give.
The Community Foundation of Muncie and Delaware County has been serving the local community since 1985, supporting philanthropy, assisting donors in building a permanent source of charitable assets, and investing in initiatives that enhance the quality of life in Muncie and Delaware County. With an endowment of over $93 million, the Foundation has distributed nearly $68 million in grants and scholarships to date.