Congratulations to the 2024 JLWS Literacy and Education Equity (LEEF) fall mini-grant recipients!

Connie Brake and Sarah Bradley with Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools Itinerant and Related Services plan to create story bags/boxes for visually impaired students. These bags/boxes will provide a multi-sensory approach using objects in addition to words to create shared reading experiences among the class and support understanding of the words and ideas being presented.

Brenda Coles at Brunson Elementary plans to purchase bean bag chairs, balance balls, and floor seats for flexible seating options while reading. The flexible seating will provide an exciting option for her students, and create enhanced engagement for the “book buddies” program, helping multiple grades foster a school-wide culture of reading and collaboration.

Jennifer Jones at Cash Elementary plans to purchase social and emotional learning books for a new reading lab model for 1st and 2nd graders. These books will provide students with the tools to understand and manage their emotions, build healthy relationships, develop empathy, and make responsible decisions, essentially equipping them with crucial life skills that contribute to their overall well-being and academic success.

Lori Booze at Petree Elementary plans to purchase noise-cancelling headphones to enhance the educational experiences of students by helping them hear clearly and reduce distractions allowing them to focus on their own performance and concentrate on the task at hand.

LaDonna Wilson at Cash Elementary plans to create literary experience baskets for her special needs students. Each basket will include a book, character representations, scene supports, and a support task/game to be done interactively with a “literacy buddy”.

The funds from the LEEF endowment support educators within the Winston-Salem/Forsyth County School system on projects that align with our community focus areas of children’s literacy, educating and mentoring youth, and improving family health outcomes. Please consider making a fully tax-deductible gift to LEEF at The Winston-Salem Foundation to ensure generations of students will see the impact of LEEF in their schools.

Applications for spring mini-grants are open Monday, January 13 through Friday, January 31. Recipients will be notified by Friday, March 15 and recognized at our General Membership Meeting on Monday, March 24. Additional detail and the application can be found here.