Brought to you by WBIW News and Network Indiana
Last updated on Wednesday, November 28, 2012
(MEDORA) - Melissa Keiser, family and consumer science teacher at Medora Junior/Senior High School, has been awarded a McDonald’s Making Activities Count (MAC) Grant.
The grant will be used to help fund a nine-week teaching unit that will focus on kitchen math and measuring. McDonald's Restaurants of Central Indiana offered MAC Grants this year to help teachers provide resources for their students.
Keiser said she was excited when she received news her sixth-grade classroom would receive the grant.
"Finding out was great, so hopefully it will encourage them and show them there are benefits to these real-life applications I've been teaching them," she said.
Keiser said a school administrator found out about the grant and sent her the information. She then had to fill out a simple budget form for the supplies she wanted to a McDonald's office in Indianapolis.
"Since our budget here is smaller(Medora Schools), I thought this was a good time to apply for additional material," she said, adding that she requested nearly $300 in materials. "This is a small class, so I didn't feel I needed to request more than that."
She added she was not sure she received the grant because she did not receive confirmation from the Indianapolis office, but two weeks after the deadline, she received a call.
"November 7 was the deadline for them to let us know and I just thought we didn't get it," she said. "They said there were a record number of applicants, so it was delayed."
Among the items she requested was a DVD that covers measurements, fresh produce for recipes, and a prize for each student that completed the course. Each student will receive measuring cups and other utensils to help them cook at home.
Keiser says since some of her students are younger, they sometimes overlook the benefits of knowing how to cook.
"Sometimes I hear them say 'when are we ever going to use this?'" she said. "But I try to get them to take it in."
Keiser said that since testing for schools has become an important factor, she wanted to tie math with the class's lessons.
"Our staff work pretty close together, so that will help other teachers if they are learning math here too," she said.
Those who are interested in applying for the grant can submit an application next year at www.mcindiana.com during fall 2013.
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