LEGOs, playdough and more for local students thanks to grant initiative

Maraya King, Pioneer Press
·2 min read

Students in St. Paul, Eagan and Lakeville are on the receiving end of new books and school supplies focusing on science, technology, engineering and mathematics thanks to new “Fund My Classroom” grants.

The grant initiative, hosted by Western Governors University, awarded 10 educators across the state, including St. Paul’s Jaena Stucynski, Eagan’s Matthew Beniak and Lakeville’s Lynnae Anderson.

Beniak, who works as a STEM specialist and magnet coordinator at Eagan’s Pilot Knob STEM Magnet School, was awarded $1,900. Anderson, who is an instructional data support specialist coach at Eastview Elementary School in Lakeville, received $500. Stucynski also received $500 and teaches fifth- through eighth-grade English language arts at the Journey School in St. Paul.

According to the university’s news release, teachers nominated specific classroom projects in early spring and most were awarded during Teacher Appreciation Week in May.

Students of Stucynski will be able to enjoy new additions to the classroom library including “I Am Malala,” “The 57 Bus” and “Reaching for the Moon: The Autobiography of NASA Mathematician Katherine Johnson.” Stucynski hopes that by offering books that are relevant to her students’ lives and experiences, they can develop a love of reading, per the release.

Beniak will use his funds to purchase a LEGO Education BricQ Motion starter pack, which is designed to help educate students about forces and motion. The LEGO pack includes 24 kits with mini figures, gears, weighted springs and a variety of lesson plans for students K-5, the university said.

Anderson will use her $500 grant for outdoor education supplies in hopes of increasing engagement among her students, especially female students and English language learners. With her grant money, Anderson also wants to create STEM bins for her students, which are boxes filled with materials such as LEGOs and playdough that can help students to be creative and problem-solve.

“K-12 teachers are often limited by the costs associated with providing impactful educational learning and end up spending money out of their own pockets,” said Terrance Hopson, regional vice president of Western Governors University, in the release. “The ‘Fund My Classroom’ initiative is an opportunity for us to help make a difference in classrooms across the state and show appreciation for our teachers, who work tirelessly to educate young minds.”

Western Governors University is an online, nonprofit university that was established in 1997 by 19 U.S. governors.

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