Worthington teachers have been awarded grants for learning initiatives ranging from guided reading opportunities to robotics equipment to switches for controlling wheelchair activities.

The Worthington Educational Foundation awarded $13,559 in grants during the Feb. 22 meeting of the Worthington school board.

Foundation spokeswoman Susan Petrick said the next due date for grant application is April 8.

She said all applications should be submitted electronically as e-mail attachments, and hard copies of cover pages with signatures can be sent to the Worthington Education Foundation at the Worthington Education Center.

Those interested may e-mail Petrick at rpetrick@columbus.rr.com; the Worthington Education Center address is 200 E. Wilson Bridge Road, Worthington 43085.

Petrick said principals and supervisors can send e-mails to her at the same e-mail address, stating that the grant request meets with their approval.

Teachers Trish Laughman and Alison Palermo of Worthington Estates Elementary School received $1,000 to purchase guided reading books to be used by reading and intervention specialists for students who struggle with reading.

"Students will be able to take the books to their regular classrooms as well as home to share with parents," Petrick said.

Jennifer Williams, Karen Groff and Julie Mowrey, also of Worthington Estates, received $5,364 to cover startup expenses for a schoolwide leadership initiative to teach character and leadership through the existing core curriculum.

"The goal is to raise levels of accountability and engagement among students, parents and staff and develop students who have the skills and self-confidence to succeed as leaders in the 21st century," Petrick said.

She said the grant money will buy student activity guides and implementation manuals for the first year of the leadership initiative.

Lynn Apple of Thomas Worthington High School was awarded $945 to purchase licenses for Texas Instruments software for math teachers at the school.

Petrick said the software simulates the graphing calculator that students already use in math class and will enable students and teachers to work interactively on projected images during class.

Mike Miller of Kilbourne Middle School and Beth Mills, an Adapted Physical Education teacher, received $250 to purchase materials to build switches for students who use wheelchairs.

"The switches will assist with activities such as shooting a basketball, throwing a tennis ball or kicking a soccer ball with a push of a button, permitting greater integration of these students into general physical education classes," Petrick said.

Petrick said the switches will be designed and built by the middle school students, teaching them to solve real-world design problems.

Jon Baird, Mike Miller, Debbie Voisin and Randy Ross of Kilbourne, Worthingway and McCord middle schools received $6,000 to purchase additional robotics equipment for competing in the National Robotics Challenge.