Three Terre Haute North students receive Layton travel grants

Mar. 8—Terre Haute North Vigo High School student Isaiah Racey can't wait to visit Puerto Rico in June, and it's made possible in part through a grant program in memory of a former foreign language teacher.

"This is very impactful for me. I'll remember this for the rest of my life," Racey told those gathered Wednesday at North, where the Vigo County Education Foundation had a recognition breakfast for the recipients of the second annual Martha Layton Memorial travel grants.

Racey was one of three North students to benefit from the grant program this year.

While Racey will visit Puerto Rico through Spanish Club for one week, Brooke Cottom and Renee Pierce are going with the school's German class to Villingen-Schwenningen in Germany for a two-week exchange.

"When I first found out, I cried," Cottom said of receiving the Layton Memorial Travel grant. "I was so excited. I wasn't expecting it."

In the fall, the North senior plans to study elementary education at ISU.

"I feel in order for me to be the best teacher/educator I can, I have to be able to see the world and be willing to learn more about other cultures and languages," she said.

The travel grant fund was endowed by the family and friends of the late Martha Layton to honor her memory and legacy. The memorial fund helps defray some of the expenses incurred by North students wanting to participate in a school-sponsored trip outside the United States.

Layton was a Vigo County School educator for more than 30 years and taught French and Spanish at Woodrow Wilson Junior High and later Terre Haute North. She died in January 2021.

Don Layton, Martha's husband, said his late wife was a big proponent of overseas travel and study abroad and over the years took many students to Europe, and France in particular.

She believed that in a world with eight billion people, "We had to learn how to live together if we're going to survive," he said. "We thought when she passed away more than two years ago an appropriate memorial for her was to sponsor students traveling abroad."

Distributing the grants "is wonderful and brings back several memories of Martha," he said.

One of the Laytons' daughters, Kathy Rose, said the grant program carries on her mother's dream of enabling students to travel and learn about different cultures. "To be able carry that on for her in her memory means everything to us," she said.

The Laytons' other two children, Lisa Duncan and Jeff Layton, also attended the reception.

Pierce, who also is benefiting from a grant, said the funds go a long way in helping her pay for the trip. "It was going to be tight," she said.

She told those at the reception she can't wait to visit Germany, and in the future, "I want to visit every country in Europe."

Pierce also told them, "I really want to enjoy other cultures and explore more outside the U.S. I think not a lot of U.S. citizens get to visit outside the U.S. and explore other cultures, so they only know what's in the U.S. I want to know what else is out there in the world."

The grant program provided a total of $3,305 to assist the students with their travel costs.

Sue Loughlin can be reached at 812-231-4235 or at sue.loughlin@tribstar.com Follow Sue on Twitter @TribStarSue