Grant Recipients
Education Enrichment Fund Grant History
2026-2027 Grant Recipients
Drumming Up Community - $2,000
A big part of drum circles is creating and building community. In doing this project, K-6 general music students will get the opportunity to be part of a drum circle in our new outdoor classroom. this project will provide seating and additional instruments to help facilitate this. As kids make music together, student swill learn character traits like cooperation/teamwork, respect and perseverance.
Nature's Canvas: Art and Learning at the Stevens Point Sculpture Park - $2,000
Students will make artwork based upon nature and they will display them at the Stevens Point Sculpture Park. It will enhance their learning by integrating art education with outdoor experiences, allowing students to learn about sculpture, public art and how to present their own artwork.
Student Work Experience: BSF Ski Shack Classroom - $3,000
The overall goal of this project is to have students help build the ski shack. This will be accomplished with the following objectives in Mind: Providing students with hands-on vocational training; continue the tradition of student-built structures within the school forest to enhance forest facilities, and foster student confidence and civic pride through the completion of a meaningful long-term community project.
Storybook Walk at Roosevelt - $4,750
The project includes the development and installation of a story walk as an updated outdoor space for literacy. A story walk is an outdoor literacy experience that combines reading, movement, and social-emotional learning. The project consists of a series of weather-resistant display stations installed around the school grounds allowing students and families to read a children's book page-by-page while walking along a proficiency in literacy, promote social-emotional well-being through purposeful movement and reflection, provide structured, meaningful break opportunities.
Past Recipients
2025-2026 Grant Recipients
Nature's Canvas: Art and Learning at the Stevens Point Sculpture Park - $3,500
Maple Syrup Project - $3,480
Go with the Flow: Exploring Fluid Dynamics and Conservation Principles Through Inquiry - $1,395
2024-2025 Grant Recipients
Full Steam Ahead! - $900
Be Kind! - $3,500
Cider Press & Apple Trees - $2,680
Ocean Acidification - $1,625
2023-2024 Grant Recipients
Holiday Open - Collaborative Mini Golf Course - Jennifer Bowling & Corey Opper - $1,000
Building Gratitude through Art - SPSP at the Sculpture Park - $3,500
Timberwolf Perk-Up - McDill Elementary - Crystal Armstrong - $1,285
Growing Learners - McDill Elementary - Koree Rohde - $1,493
Connecting Two Points: An anthology of Hmong American Youth From a Small City - SPASH - Xia Lee Vang - $1,000
2019-20 School Year Recipients
Accessing the Voice Inside Me at Bannach Elementary - Jackie Zuelke-Karch
Jefferson Eagle Canine Guest Educators - Daniella Kurzynski and Dorothy O'Connor
Lunch Bunch at Ben Franklin Junior High - Ginny Williams
Gizmos and Gadgets and Inventions! Oh my! at Washington Elementary - Jodi Tuskowski
Communities that Compost Grow the Most - at PJ Jacobs Junior High and Roosevelt Elementary - Josh
Children's Theatre Intensives - Playhouse Theatre Group - Victoria Schultz
Accessibility for All at Jefferson Elementary - Kim Boden
A World of Peace - Stevens Point Sculpture Park - Mary Zinda and Faye Miller
2015-2016 Recipients
Project: Making SMART Connections
Jodi Tuskowski and Rose Helm will be involving third through sixth graders in collaborative learning projects by using an interactive SMART table which will build excitement and motivation to learning!
Project: Grow with the Flow
Megan DeWall and Cindy Solinsky will be using an interactive unit to explore development, energy flow, and human environmental impact. Students will function as citizen-scientists monitoring the effects of changing environmental factors on plants.
Project: Service Learning with a Kick
Cooper Behnke and Tyler Wietrzykowski (Ben Franklin Junior High Students) will be building a computer and giving it to a student who does not have one at home. They will be buying some materials and using some they already have.
Project: Taking Flight with Learning
Bennett Wendorf and Gunner Zdroik (Ben Franklin Junior High Students) will be building a quad copter, creating a video log of the building process, and working with various classes to utilize the camera on the quad copter to take pictures of activities. This project is entirely student led.
Project: Building School Culture at the Point of Discovery School
The Point of Discovery School will use these funds to sponsor a retreat to the Lions Camp to learn what it means to be a part of a learning community and work towards goals in a collaborative setting. Students AND teachers/chaperones will be attending!
Project: So, where in the World are you from?
Deborah Kluz-Baker will have students making stronger connections with the rest of the world, especially its people and their cultures. Deb will use Ancesty.com to make use of their genetic testing and research about racial and ethnic makeup and have students design a family tree.
2014-2015 Recipients
Brett Lesniak – “Impact Bully”
John Weisbrod – “Recording the Future”
Mary Zinda/Faye Miller – “Health, Wellness, and Self Esteem: Learning through Art and Nature”
Beth Molski – “Little Free Libraries—Phase II”
Dorothy O’Connor – “Jefferson School Eagle’s Nest”
Paula Bartel – “Summer Reading Book Cycle”
Julie Hlavac – “Energizers”
2013-2014 Recipients
Janel Brogaard & Carolyn Greenlee ($1,490)--“Language Library”—Using Kindles to increase literacy skills of all students in World Languages
Jill Quinn ($5,000)--“Kindling a Love for Lit”—Using Kindles in the literature classroom to improve reading skills and nurturing a love of reading
Mary Zinda ($2,690)--“Kids in the Stevens Point Sculpture Park”—Creating artwork and displaying their artwork in public venues using peace flag projects
Beth Molski ($1,200)--“Little Libraries”—Building little libraries to place in prominent locations in town to encourage kids to read, using the “take a book, leave a book” motto
Cindy Solinsky ($3,600)--“STEM Branching into our Community”—7th grade science students in the STEM Branching class at Ben Franklin will combine curriculum with community projects to fulfill course requirements.
2012-2013 Grant Recipients
Project Grants
Innovative Illustrators and Positive Publishers, Lori Clapham, Rose Helm, and Jamie Resch, Plover-Whiting Elementary, $2300
Social Thinking, Joyce Fuehrer-Mancl and Mary Wykle, Roosevelt, $ 700
Opening the Doors of Education: Web-Based Conferencing Support for the Stevens Point Area Public School District, Jeff Mlsna, Tim Wright, and Betty Wright, District, $4551
Uniting Classroom and Industry through ProStart, Tiana Schultz, SPASH, $3650
A Voice for Every Student--Nate Olson, October Penner, and Julie Kolarik, Ben Franklin Junior High, $3200
2011-2012 Grant Recipients
Project Grants
Bridging Technology and Academics for Children with Special Needs, Lisa Rychter, McKinley Center--$4500.00
New Styles of Technology at SPASH--Formula 1 Racing Club, Dan Strobel, SPASH--$5000.00
What is the Alternative? Exploring Solar and Wind Energy, Cindy Solinsky, Ben Franklin Junior High School--$5000.00
2010-2011 Grant Recipients
Mini-Grants
Portage County Historic Fieldtrip--K. Caufield, T. Brooks, L. Stortecy, Madison School--$450.00
Book and Breakfast Club--Barb Clementi, Ben Franklin Junior High School--$500.00
Livescribe in the Classroom--T. Cronce, J. Schraufnagel, Bannach School--$340.00
The Very Young Composer--Sandy Weyers, Washington School--$500.00
Sensory Regulation--Jessica Fischer, Bannach School--$495.00
Kindness Campaign--Peggy Bach, McKinley School--$200.00
Art Attitude--P. Bach, P. Somers, McKinley School--$525.00
Learning and Gravity--Kim Willkom, McKinley School--$725.00
Project Grants
On-line Literary Journal--Jill Quinn, SPASH--$2000.00
Local History Alive--Dan Hoppe, SPASH--$3051.00
Prop-up the Story: Home Literacy Project--Amber Garbe, Madison School--$1650.00
Music Exploration--Laura Haugen, Ben Franklin--$1084.00
Electronic Instruction--Jo Brommer, Plover-Whiting--$2500.00
2009-2010 Grant Recipients
Mini Grants
Book and Breakfast Bunch – Ben Franklin Junior High School - $500
Books of Hope – Roosevelt IDEA School - $500
Project Grants
Opera for the Young – McKinley Center - $735
Operation Author Study – Kennedy Elementary School - $4,500
Book Swap: Getting Books into Students’ Hands – SPASH - $2,200
Forensics – SPASH - $3,835
Regional Water Quality Initiative – SPASH - $1,340
2008-2009 Grant Recipients
Mini Grants
"Muppet" Puppets - Tommye Leafgren, Jefferson School for the Arts - $400
Science Club Outreach Activities - Tim Corcoran, SPASH - $480
Keep Washington Drumming - Sandy Weyers, Washington Service-Learning Center - $500
Lunch Bunch Reading - Kris Kunkel, Bannach Elementary School - $500
Project Grants
Project Challenge - Kathy Brandon and Marlene McLarnan, Madison Elementary School - $720
Junior High Global Positioning Studies - Cindy Solinsky and Charlie Sensenbrenner, Ben Franklin and P. J. Jacobs - $4,500
Multicultural Peace Project - Joan Curti, Kennedy Elementary School - $1,850
Audio Learning Centers - Tammy Brooks, Madison Elementary School - $869
Graphing Calculator Applications - Patricia Struble, P. J. Jacobs - $4,380
2007-2008 Grant Recipients
Mini Grants
The Daily Five: Lori Musack, Roosevelt IDEA School - $500.00
Portage County Tour: Sherry Terpstra and Linda Stroik, Roosevelt IDEA School - $450.00
Character Bound – Random Acts of Kindness: Betsy Muhvic and Sherri Holland, Bannach Elementary School - $500.00
Project Grants
Human Physiology With Technology: Laura Mielke, SPASH - $5,000.00
Student Centered Learning Stations: Charlie Sensenbrenner and Cindy Solinsky, P. J. Jacobs - $1,500.00
Habitat Enhancement: Jami Stuettgen, Kennedy Elementary School - $2,000.00
Band Reaches Out to Every 6th Grader at P-W: Donna Bohm, Plover-Whiting Elementary School - $1,500.00
F.A.S.T. Patriots (Fitness, Activity, and Social Training): Joanne Suomi and Charlie Sensenbrenner, P. J. Jacobs Junior High - $1,000.00
If You Can’t Beat Um – Join Um: Pam Bork, Roosevelt IDEA School - $850.00
2006-2007 Grant Recipients
Mini-Grants
Geocache Du Sol – Karen Dostal (Boston School Forest) - $494.00
Beautifully Brilliant Books – Sherrie Stanczyk and Tina Sivek (McKinley Center) - $500.00
Identification of Organic Compounds – Kathy Lane-Browne (SPASH) - $490.00
Project Grants
Running on the Right Track – Cathy Williamson (Washington Service Learning Center) - $740.00
Musical Enrichment – Yvonne Oksiuta (Bannach/Jefferson/McKinley) - $2000.00
Local Oral History – Glen Reindl/Deb Kluz Baker (SPASH) - $1,188.00
SPF Graphics, Inc. – Mark Vrieze (Ben Franklin Junior High) - $4200.00
2005-2006 Grant Recipients
Mini-Grants
Measuring the Speed of Light – Tim Wright, SPASH - $360.00
Nie ma uprawa, Nie ma nic-Deborah Kluz Baker, SPASH - $500.00
Projects Grants
Creating the Scientists of Tomorrow-Jeffery Mlsna, P. J. Jacobs - $5,000.00
Wellness for Life – Barb Krueger, Kathy Oswall, Connie Negaard, Ben Franklin - $1,500.00 ($500 for health measurement equipment, $1000 for fitness equipment)
Project 135 – T. J. Pharo-Kosak, McDill - $1,050.00
World and Circle Drumming – Ann Wenzel, McDill - $2,590.00