Worthington teachers received a variety of educational grants to implement innovative ideas in their classrooms, ranging from listening stations in kindergarten to materials to landscape a labyrinth.

Susan Petrick, board member of the Worthington Educational Foundation, said the foundation awarded $15,295.22 in grants this spring.

She said applications for the next round of grants, for the 2010-11 school year, are due Oct. 7, Jan. 13 and March 31.

"We will be redesigning our application and application guidelines over the summer," she said.

Tracy Keyes, Lynn Snyder and Michelle Banks of Worthington Estates Elementary School received $828.15 to buy a new compact disc listening station for each kindergarten classroom, with a starter CD and book set to be shared among the classrooms.

Petrick said the equipment will allow students of different reading levels to enjoy classroom literature, especially those for whom English is a second language.

Julaine Bierl of Evening Street Elementary School received $981.65 to purchase measurement equipment, including digital scales, balances, weights, timers and graduated cylinders, to be used for hands-on activities in science classes.

Jay Addy of Worthington Park Elementary School was awarded $762.07 to purchase handheld GPS receivers for the physical education department.

"Students will learn about hiking and trail running while also gaining a variety of skills needed to program and operate the units," Petrick said.

Deb Monroe, Barb Saffell, Donna Gehring, Becky Grabosky, Ashley Comer, Toni Gardiner and Carole Pizzuti of Bluffsview Elementary School received $599.98 to purchase literacy backpacks and supplies for kindergarten students who need additional support in reading.

Teachers will train parents to work with their children using the contents of the backpacks, which travel between home and school with each child, Petrick said.

Brooke List, Ashley Lyons, Sandy Flanagan-St. Cyr and Katrice Wright of Worthington Estates were given $1,599 to buy a Senteno Interactive Responsive Assessment System.

The system provides instant feedback to students and teachers so that teachers know which students are having trouble with concepts and can take immediate corrective action, Petrick said.

Darren McGuire of Granby Elementary School received $599.99 to buy a document camera to allow teachers and students to use actual documents and work samples in a more interactive way than is possible with overhead projectors.

Krista Taracuk of Thomas Worthington High School received $330 to buy a classroom set of 30 copies of the book Flying Grounded. The book augments an anti-bullying program.

Rick Bensman and Ron Pilatowski of the Linworth Alternative Program received $1,968 to purchase plants to complete the landscaping of a labyrinth.

"The labyrinth will support science and environmental studies as well as complement a variety of staff- or student-initiated wellness and mental health activities," Petrick said.

Erik Thompson and Tom Devore of Thomas Worthington received $2,393 to buy Pasco Spark Learning System data collection devices. The devices employ a touch screen and user interface to engage students more in the learning process, Petrick said.

Jennifer Wene, on behalf of all 11 elementary schools, received $4,250 to help fund Project MORE, a reading program that provides one-on-one instruction to students with disabilities.

Michele Spradlin, Gina Catalano and Peggy Yates of Colonial Hills Elementary School received $486.95 to purchase TouchMath, a multisensory approach to teaching basic math facts to target students of all ability levels.

Julie Colturi, Marcie Hoffman and Spradlin of Colonial Hills received $496.43 to purchase materials to stock an Interventional Assistance Team Resource Kit, with items such as therabands, squeeze balls, magnifiers and other supplies.