Legacy of teaching continues with grants

The Messenger 11.17.11

Madge Short dedicated her life to teaching children in Hornbeak and Samburg schools.
Even though she died in 1997, her legacy in educating children who are from the very same area of Obion County carries on through the GIFTS grant program.
In Hornbeak, 23 Black Oak Elementary School kindergartners are doing more “hands-on” learning this year because their teacher, Ali Perkins, was one of 10 Obion County School System teachers who wrote award-winning grants administered through the Community Foundation of Obion County.
The Grants Inspire Flexible Teaching Strategies awards are made available through an endowment created by the late Elmo (Short) Worley in honor of her sister, the late Ms. Short.  
Ms. Perkins wrote a grant called “Hands-On Learning” and used her award to purchase several hands-on supplemental items for her room, including double-sided easels.
She said the purchase “allowed me to remove the other easels and freed up space in my room.”
“With that many students, I need all the space I can find,” she said. “The easel is magnetic on both sides and I am able to use it for reading and writing activities.”
Ms. Perkins said the money also allowed her to purchase hands-on learning activities to use in centers in the classroom.
“As I work with students in a small group setting, the other students are working at centers with activities that reinforce what we have been learning,” she said.
Those items include two listening centers that work with sounds and word families. The listening centers cost more than what she received in funds to be used in her room for supplies for the entire year.
“I would never have been able to purchase these things without the GIFTS grant,” Ms. Perkins said. “These ready-made centers allow me more time to spend working on lessons and other things for my room. More importantly, they let the kids have fun while learning at the same time.”

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