The Brookings School District Foundation is launching the Bobcat Innovation Grant — a program to provide $5,000 per semester to Brookings teachers seeking to enhance their classrooms in creative new ways. 

“We have science teachers that have purchased science kits with other grant funds,” Kyleigh Cramer, executive director of the Brookings School District Foundation, said. “One of the high school science teachers had a student come back and say, ‘oh my gosh — I am so glad we had that additional opportunity.’ Because she got to college, and was going to school for nursing, and got to a lab, and she had already done that. She was totally familiar with what the activity was, because she had had that opportunity as kind of an extra in high school.”

She said it’s about giving teachers the tools to help kids succeed. 

“I’m excited to see what kinds of proposals we get. You know, our teachers are so creative, and they are such experts on our kids and academics and how to best support, like, the whole person,” Cramer said. “At the foundation and the school district, we believe that teachers are the people best equipped to determine what the kids in their care need. And so part of the really great thing about the grant program is there is no box that you fit in. As innovative, as creative, as dynamic as your idea is — apply for funds.”

She said teachers do a great job with the resources they’re given, but many have ideas for things that just aren’t in the budget.

“A teacher has reached out, and her idea for the fall is having like a calming corner in her classroom — so that if a child is overstimulated or you know it’s just not working out, they can choose to remove themselves to a safe space that has like manipulatives and other activities that are calming,” Cramer said. “I’ve had some art teachers reach out and ask about opportunities to have like SDSU art faculty come in and do some training, or for kids to go on a field trip to see what careers or things are out there in the art field. I know some of the music teachers would love some additional equipment and things like that — that’s just not in the general budget.”

Although the program is new to Brookings, she said other communities have successfully implemented similar grants. The Sioux Falls Public Schools Education Foundation surpassed $1 million in funding earlier this year. In Marshall, the Pride of the Tiger Foundation has awarded more than $300,000 in grants over the last five years. 

“As people see what these hands-on opportunities do for our kids and the doors that they open, we just really hope or assume that the community is going to see the value in this and, you know, continue to support it financially so that we can grow to the level of some of these other public school foundations,” Cramer said. 

They plan to start accepting proposals next month. 

“We’ll communicate the opportunity to staff in mid-August,” Cramer said. “Oct. 1 will be the deadline to apply for grant funds. Our hope is to have everything evaluated by Oct. 15 — and hopefully, by like the end of October, we will make decisions. November 1, it’s our plan to announce grant recipients, and then distribute funds.”

They plan to provide at least $5,000 in grants each fall and spring. 

“If we would receive a lot of donations or have community support, that number would certainly go up,” Cramer said. “But we just want to make sure that we have enough funds to be sustainable as we, you know, are hoping to continue the grant program.”

They have an upcoming fundraiser to help support continued growth.

“We are the recipient of the VFW’s Third Sunday Breakfast for next month — Aug. 18 from 9:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.,” Cramer said. “All you have to do is you come, you buy your breakfast ticket, eat breakfast and you support the grant program. Those funds raised will then go to our innovation grant funds, and those will be some of the funds that we then are able to give out this fall and in coming grant cycles.”

They also welcome donations through the website https://brookingsbobcatfoundation.org.  

“When we talk about getting our kids ready for the real world, and the work force, and all those things — those classroom grants are going to be a game changer,” Cramer said. “And then I also hope that it’s a good recruitment and retention tool for teachers. If they feel supported by their community — their job satisfaction increases, which leads to higher academic success, and then they’re more likely to stick around.”

Email Jay Roe at jroe@brookingsregister.com.