25 Teachers Awarded Grants for Classroom Projects

The FedChoice Charitable Foundation recently honored 25 K-12 teachers from Maryland and Washington, DC with grants through its Teachers' Aid Program. At a special celebration, teachers received certificates and checks, and shared their creative project plans with FCF Board members and FedChoice staff.

Brett Noll, President & CEO of FedChoice Federal Credit Union, emphasized the importance of supporting educators. "We are excited to fund these innovative projects that will directly benefit student learning," he said.

Each grant provided $250 for classroom projects at the following schools: Carmody Hills ES, Cora L. Rice ES, Drew Freeman MS, Friendship Public Charter School, Gaywood ES, Oaklands ES, Suitland ES, and Templeton ES.

Innovative Projects Funded

Some of the inspiring projects include:

• A student-run mini-market where children sell handmade products

• A school-wide reward system to build positive habits and teamwork

• Hands-on math manipulatives for English Language Learners and newcomers

• An Entrepreneurship Club where students design mock business projects

• Geography lessons using student-created salt maps

• A 5th grade book club to encourage reading

Special Connections

The celebration also highlighted the bonds between teachers. Twin sisters, Ms. Tina Sonde (Oaklands ES) and Ms. Darlene Gruner (Templeton ES), both received awards. Another meaningful moment came when Ms. Kaela Clark (Gaywood ES) accepted her grant alongside her former teacher, Ms. Sonde, showing how educators continue to inspire future generations.

This year, five schools joined TAP for the first time: Carmody Hills ES, Friendship Public Charter School, Gaywood ES, Templeton ES, and Suitland ES.

For those who could not attend, FCF Executive Director Andrey Gidaspov, Ph.D., CUDE, personally delivered certificates and checks to their schools to ensure every teacher was recognized. After the ceremony, teachers also learned about FedChoice membership opportunities and signed up for free financial planning sessions through FCF's partner, the Foundation for Financial Planning.

"These grants represent our commitment to supporting educators who go above and beyond for their students," said Gidaspov. "We can't wait to see these projects come to life in classrooms across our community."