Thirteen Teachers from eight schools in South Carolina and North Carolina received support for creativity in the classroom through the Be Inspired Grant (B.I.G.) program managed by Tryon Fine Arts Center. Representatives from Polk County Schools, Spartanburg County District One Schools and Lake Lure Classical received checks for projects in their schools at a reception held in honor of the recipients in August at Tryon Fine Arts Center.

Following is a list of the grant recipients, their schools and the names and a brief description of the projects funded.

S.C. District One

Campobello Gramling School:

υJeannette Bates, Orchestra: Orchestral Foundations: purchase books to increase students’ foundational techniques.

υAnna V. Hodge & Kathryn Mitchell, ELA & Art teachers:  Art/ELA Collaboration: purchase art supplies to illustrate research projects.

υColleen Stutts, Special Ed: Everybody Dance (and Read) Now:  obtain supplies for students to practice daily fluency reading skills by reading song lyrics.

Inman Elementary School:

υGigi D’Ambrosio, third grade: Inspired Illustrators: integrate literature with art by hiring a visual artist to lead a concentrated unit on bookmaking.

Tryon Elementary School:

υClara Rogers, Art:  Portrait Mural: create a collaborative portrait mural of self-portraits by the students for permanent display at the school.

Polk Central Elementary School:

υSarah Schladenhauffen, kindergarten: Artist Study: integrate art and social studies.

υJennifer Waddell, third – fifth grades:  Discover Animation Project:  integrate technology with collaborative creative writing and film making.

υAndrea Walter, fifth grade: Nature Journals: integrate science, reading, math, literary and visual arts, in and out of the classroom.

Polk County
Middle School:

υDenise Kennedy, EC: Project 3 P: purchase a variety of percussion instruments for literary comprehension and self-expression.

Saluda School:

υGinger Rackley, fourth and fifth grades: Learning & Understanding Social Studies through Clay Projects: integrate art into social studies lessons.

Sunny View School:

υJuliana Maziarka, kindergarten: Character Education Through Stories, Music, and Imagery: hire a visiting artist to use stories, music and imagery to improve listening skills, focus and self-expression.

Lake Lure
Classical Academy:

υLayne Long, Art; A Beautiful Textile Marriage; integrate art and social studies by using modern materials to study a traditional textile art form.

Funding to support the grants of up to $500 each comes from private donors as well as the Rotary Club of Tryon Foundation and the Kiwanis Club of Tryon. The B.I.G. program has completed its second year and will offer the grants again for the 2014-15 year. A grant-writing workshop will be offered for teachers in February of 2015.  Applications will be due in May. For information, call Arts in Education Director Marianne Carruth at 828-859-8322, ext. 213.

Tryon Fine Arts Center is a nonprofit organization that operates and programs a 300-seat performance venue and a 150-seat amphitheater for music, opera, theatre, film and dance on Melrose Ave. in Tryon. Programming includes a variety of performing and visual arts. In addition, TFAC also makes the arts accessible to local students young and old through its education and outreach programs in music, dance, theater, opera, as well as visual and literary arts.

For information on B.I.G. and other education programs, visit www.tryonarts.org or call Arts in Education Director Marianne Carruth at 828-859-8322, ext. 213.

 

-article submitted
by Marianne Carruth