The Operation Round Up Board of Directors created a mini-grant program to help teachers with classroom projects or educational fi eld trips. Operation Round Up approved another three-year cycle of teacher mini-grants.

There are 10 mini-grants of $500 each available during the 2021-2022 school year. Entries must be submitted by May 14, 2021. This grant is available to any K-12 science, art, music or CTE classroom teacher that teaches at a qualifying school. A list of qualifying schools is available on the application that can be found here.

Nineteen teachers received grants for their reading or social studies classroom projects for the 2020- 2021 school year.

Mary Katherine Arias is the librarian at Hodges Elementary and is a 2020-2021 Operation Round Up Mini-Grant recipient. Arias created a puppet theater in the school library for students to create, imagine and explore.

Students are encouraged to use puppets while reading books by themselves and with others. “They love making the silly voices and acting out the story we just read,” Arias said. “Regardless of the student’s abilities, the puppets allow them to remain in a low-risk environment that builds community with their peers as well as engagement with literature.” Arias also uses puppets during read aloud to hold students’ attention and create a more engaging experience.

The use of puppets, as well as the creation of puppets, has opened up students to the possibility of success as well as seeing reading and learning as a positive experience.