There's still snow on the ground in upstate New York.

But 4th grade teacher Jessica Monaco and her students are excitedly thinking about summer. By then, the expansion of the outdoor education space at Royalton-Hartland Elementary will be buzzing.

The school district and local businesses seeded progress in the initial garden space. Now the $2,500 Teacher Assist grant Jessica won is making it possible to fast-track plans for its expansion.

Soon there will be a new pollinator garden complete with houses and nurseries for butterflies. Students will watch things grow and learn about plant life cycles. Trail cams will allow them to see what birds and animals visit the gardens. Students and their families will be able to pick fruit from the raspberry and blueberry bushes that will be planted.

Hands-on, student-centered learning opportunities will be bountiful. An outdoor weather station will help them understand climate and the environment. They will learn problem-solving and engineering skills through the construction of a water wall. Water will be gathered in rain barrels and solar panels will power the pumps to operate it and provide lessons in renewable resources.There will also be composting stations to further teach about sustainability.

The outdoor area is also handicapped-accessible. New raised garden beds will give all students a hands-on, play-based education.

“Students will be able to take risks and test out their thinking,” Jessica said. “They can get dirty, 'make a mess,' get wet and learn all at the same time.”

In Naples, Florida, the sweet peas are already blooming.

The sunflowers, peppers, tomatoes and watermelons the students planted have sprouted. Birds have laid eggs. And a herd of elephants are lined up ready for water duty. Oh wait, those are watering cans!

Laura Pacter hopes her students never forget the leadership lessons they will learn in the garden at Shadowlawn Elementary. Her Teacher Assist grant is being used to revitalize an existing garden impacted by storms and hurricanes.

The project will make it a totally outdoor learning space featuring tables at each end with 24 reading chairs. Students and their teacher will be able to sit and read together 6 feet apart, socially distanced in the fresh air.

“Additionally, the newest editions of Leader in Me books will help students learn about leaders who made a difference,” Laura said. “The books will help them find their voice to lead others and be proactive in improving the garden.”

These and other garden projects funded through Teacher Assist will help students sow seeds for a lifetime of learning.

Teachers didn’t have a choice. Nearly all the Teacher Assist applications acknowledged the emotional challenges posed by the pandemic. Some took it a step further and sought an assist that would help their students address the mental strain many of us have been feeling.

“It’s a huge challenge to manage stress and engagement while learning. My school’s students have been taught on Zoom since last March,” said Monyca Currier. “Many of our families have been affected traumatically by Covid-19 – social isolation, death, sickness, loss of jobs and income – the list goes on and on. The repercussions won’t go away overnight. Students need to learn coping skills not only for the effects of the coronavirus pandemic, but also coping skills for everyday life.”

Teacher Assist grants will be funding mindful breathing and movement, social and emotional support tools and resources, and even a therapy dog! Read how these winning projects will help bolster students’ mental well-being long after the pandemic ends. And it’s not just the kids – these projects will impact their entire school communities!

Monyca Currier (Monte Verde Elementary School – San Bruno, California)

Monyca has been exposing her third graders to mindfulness concepts all year. Her grant will allow her to complete 200 hours of Breathe for Change training. She’ll earn certification to allow her to teach yoga and the program’s other strategies and techniques not only to her students, but to other teachers and adults – expanding the social-emotional wellness and learning experiences beyond just her classroom.

“While I am in the early stages of my coursework, I've been teaching mindfulness and breathing techniques all year,” Monyca said. “My students have learned that when they feel nervous or anxious about something, they should pause and take a few deep breaths. It’s helped them develop a stronger growth mindset and the ability to self-regulate some of their emotions and behaviors.”

Ryan Ledlow (Northern High School – Portage, Michigan)

Ryan is using his grant funds for a second Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) therapy dog. It will join @hobbsthehuskie to address the social-emotional needs of students (and staff).

Hobbs, a golden retriever, has made a huge positive impact since coming to the school from Paws with a Cause.

“The pandemic has been very difficult for students (and staff.) Hobbs has provided social-emotional support, and truly does make people feel better,” Ryan said. “I start every day by saying to Hobbs, ‘Let's go make some smiles!’ He does that very thing all day.”

Research shows in addition to helping decrease anxiety and improve physical well-being, SEL dogs help ease social isolation and help students learn social skills and gain confidence.

Incidentally, Paws With a Cause provides dogs for the State Farm Arson Dog Program.

Terry Tucker (Lancaster ISD – Lancaster, Texas)

As the school’s guidance counselor, Terry Tucker has noticed the negative impact the pandemic has had on his students. He realizes they need more social-emotional learning (SEL) support, especially the African-American and at-risk students.

Even before the pandemic, emotional and social learning has been his focus and students in his at-risk school have benefited immensely.

“Negative experiences of our at-risk students create trauma needs. They often act out to get any kind of attention,” Terry said. “When we focus on supporting their emotional and social wellness, we see test grades go up. When you see those positive results, it’s addictive.”

He is using his Teacher Assist grant funds to expand that impact through the purchase of the SEL curriculum resource, School Connect. It will help students tackle real world problems through learning inter/intrapersonal skills, mindfulness and emotional management.

In addition to classroom activities, students can access the resource anytime virtually. The program’s tools allow them to take positive ownership in the areas of character, self-awareness, anger management, showing empathy, responsible decision making, social awareness and relationship skills.

Terry is excited to be able to offer the platform in the coming school year. It will help students understand and define their feelings. That helps them put a name to what they are feeling. With tools to practice at-home coping scenarios, students become less stressed and more self-regulated.

For teachers, lesson plans address bullying, self-worth, self-esteem and respect. The focus is on life skill development, problem solving and goal-setting that will set up students to deal with whatever life throws at them.

Do you know how you get a robot to tell a story?

The fourth graders at DeSales Catholic School in Lockport, NY, do. They use color to “code” their Ozobots to help them demonstrate reading comprehension to their teacher Jake Weiland.

To get his students excited about reading he uses graphic novels. He used to have the students tell him about the plot, action and problem solved in the stories. Now they map out the story using the bots. The STEAM-based concept reinforces their problem-solving skills.

They choose actions that represent the various story events. Coding is done with color and the way they “draw” the story determines the bot’s actions. They select different actions to represent things that happen in the story and get the bots to help them “retell” the story in the right order.

For example, the bot might move slowly at the beginning, conflict represented by a tornado-like move and do a mini-dance when a problem is solved. The movements are accompanied with color-changing lights.

Weiland borrowed the bots from a local resource center. His $2,500 Assist Grant will allow him to purchase a set for his classroom.

“The kids love it. They name their bots and search for 'theirs' even though they are all the same,” Jake said. “We are currently in-person, but if out of class, the students can do the lessons at home.”

The graphic novels also offer extra support for readers and can be used for “book clubs.” In addition to the literacy benefits, a book club supports social and emotional learning in a time when many students need it most.

“This is a hard time for our young people. These new learning opportunities help them recover educationally from the instructional interruption from the pandemic,” he added.

“Our students are able to learn and practice important skills. Following a recipe, measuring and kitchen safety are cooking skills they might not otherwise get to use,” Kim said. “We focus on cooking foods in ways students can do themselves, rather than relying on adults around them. These are important skills that help them become more independent and will serve them throughout their lives.”

The chosen recipes align with the week’s academic theme. Rice crispy treat nests with jelly bean eggs, pancakes, grilled cheese and soup have been favorites so far. The recipes are accompanied by pictures so students can see the steps and follow along. After the students complete the recipe, they are encouraged to try the food item and discuss the experience.

With her $2,500 State Farm Teacher Assist grant, Kim’s been able to expand the program. It started at-home as a way to engage students when they were fully remote-learning. Now back in the classroom four days a week, the grant's allowed her to continue it. She’s able to provide a wider variety of ingredients and opportunities to work with different types of foods and techniques.

Students with disabilities often require repetitive practice before mastering a skill. A first attempt at flipping pancakes ended up on someone’s shoe! The more real-life opportunities to practice these skills, the more likely they will be able to cook meals and snacks for themselves.

“When students with disabilities gain independence in something like cooking, they gain confidence in themselves. It allows them to not have to rely on others to do it for them,” she said.

Oneonta City School District Story about the grant

Many impressive personal achievements fill his 80 years. Yet, walking into school and meeting his first grade teacher is memory that still burns bright.

Ms. Mamie Labon Foster, a young first grade teacher, brought hope and inspiration into the life of a boy who had already experienced a lifetime’s worth of hurt and hardship. It was her hug, reassurance, and fervent belief in the power of reading and education that set him on a path of achievement.

Before stepping into Union Baptist School, Shelley had already witnessed the violent murder of his mother by his drunken father. But this is not a story about a childhood tragedy; rather, it is testament to the power of a teacher in the life of a child.

Ms. Foster faced many challenges educating students in the segregated, poverty-stricken Rosedale neighborhood of Birmingham, AL during the early 1940s. Most students entering her class did not have literate parents or access to books in their homes. Her presence in Shelley’s life provided a sense of stability away from the chaos surrounding him.

Her encouragements that first day of school might have been a small part of Ms. Foster’s day, but to six-year-old Shelley, they became a mantra. He began to believe in himself, just as Ms. Foster did. He bounced around Birmingham, living with different family members and changing schools often, but education was always his priority.

Shelley did see his beloved Ms. Foster again…the day of his high school graduation. He did not expect the cheers the others received when their names were called. But to Shelley's delight, Ms. Foster stood up and said, “That’s my boy!” For the second time, she was the one there for him at just the right moment.

Shelley Stewart went on to be a Civil Rights activist, radio personality, advertising executive, community leader, and philanthropist. And thanks to Ms. Foster, he remained a student and avid reader. Always an advocate for education, he now spends his time supporting teachers and students with The Mattie C Stewart Foundation and their innovative dropout prevention programs.

Shelley had many reasons to drop out of school and fall victim to the influences of his neighborhood and family, but he did not. Ms. Foster showed him education was the key to breaking the cycle of poverty, abuse and crime.

The story of Dr. Stewart and Ms. Foster, is not specific to a time and place. In classrooms across the nation, it plays out daily. Teachers continue make dramatic differences for students facing challenges each and every day.

Did you have a Ms. Foster in your life? If so, please join The Mattie C Stewart Foundation and State Farm and #ThankATeacher.

The Mattie C Stewart Foundation is named after Shelley’s late mother. It is dedicated to keeping students in school and reducing the national dropout rate. Dr. Stewart saw too many community members ending up in dire circumstances, including prison. Studies have found approximately 75% of the inmate population is high school dropouts. The Foundation, using school-based programs like The Choice Bus, Inside Out documentary and Learn2Earn has served 2,028,664 students since its founding in 2007.

During the first part of the 25-minute experience, students watch videos and discuss the impact of education. They see how their school choices affect their earning potential over their lifetimes. Then the students see the second half of the bus. It is a full-size replica of a jail cell, providing a brief experience of incarcerated life. The message is powerful and simple: a good education can lead to a lifetime of opportunities. Each student has the ability to make choices that will lead to positive or negative outcomes.

In 2015, State Farm provided 33 weeks of touring support to take The Choice Bus experience to schools in 11 states. In total, the programs will influence 40,000 students in one calendar year, at no cost to the schools.

To learn more about the Choice Bus or request a school visit, visit their website at http://www.mattiecstewart.org/​.