Our Legacy

Annehurst Elementary

Jessica Stranges

Implementing research-based purposeful play activities for kindergarten students using a light table, translucent bricks, numbers and letters, and magnatiles. 

Blendon Middle School

Lee Rutherford & Latresa Rieve

This grants supports the purchase of workshop materials and supplies for the event.

McVay & Huber Ridge Elementary Schools 

Sheila Ebbrecht

Grant will fund training for 4 staff members to become trainers in trauma interventions and strategies. 

Westerville North High School:

Melissa Palmore

Funds for a program for students with autism and Asperger's to help them develop social and life skills. 

Heritage Middle School

Anitra Simmons

Grant supports the development of a group for positive modeling for behavior and social skills for boys.

Hawthorne Elementary

Rhonda Letterio

Funds will purchase a 3-D printer for the Hawthorne Hackers After School Coding Club.

High Schools

Leslie Baumann

Supports the all-high school robotics team. 

Whittier Elementary

Natalie Hetrick & Heather Alexander

Funds a progam to help student create and deliver quilts to The James.  

Westerville Central High School

Payton McCarthy

Supplied 100 tourniquets for the Stop the Bleed program. 

Huber Ridge Elementary

Tami Richmond & Amy Van Sickle

Creates a sensory movement area at the school, allowing students to walk, stretch, hop, and move while focusing on letters and numbers.

McVay Elementary

Kate Wirthlin & Rachel Schultz

Funds collaboration on a Clay Catching program to team teach students with physical and cognitive disabilities.

Genoa Middle School

Leah Gaines

Grant funds purchase of a video camera, green screen, and profession editing software for students to create a new program and work with McKayla Hunt, local new anchor, on the Jaguar Update.

Heritage Middle School

Tami Santa, Cynthia DeVese, & Jill Ponzi

Program aims to increase girls' sense of self-worth, attitude toward education, help them become self-sufficient as leaders, and improve their school performance.

Mark Twain

Kim Glaser

After school tutoring program for English Language learners.

Whittier Elementary

Stephanie Young-Newberry

Brings the Ruling Our Experiences (ROX) program to Whittier Elementary. This program teaches self-empowerment, confidence, and decision-making to girls.

Mark Twain Elementary

Susan Kaul

Implements a summer reading program for 600+ students.

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Hanby Elementary

Megan Hedges

Grant supports the purchase of the Making Connections Reading Comprehension Intervention Resource for use in the Intervention Room.

Emerson Elementary School

Jeffrey Militko

Grant supports the purchase of materials to construct a mobile maker space for use at Emerson. 

Early Learning Center

Vicki Shepherd

This kit supports teaching social emotional skills and self-regulation in a developmentally appropriate way that is engaging for young children.  

Wilder Elementary

Amanda McQuown

Funds for a 100+ student recess book club. 

District-wide

Daphne Irby & Kimi Dodds

Grant funds the purchase of 286 SMART Notebook apps for use on district iPads.

Huber Ridge Elementary

Kathy Gauen

Grant will replace the broken incubator. The program has been a tradition at Huber Ridge for many years. 

McVay Elementary

Sheila Ebbrecht & Katie Wirthlin

Students with emotional disabilities will have access to work on a pottery while to give them a positive, creative and physical outlet to release emotions. 

Walnut Spring Middle School

Jean Trimble

Funds will purchase a Cricut Explore cutting machine for student and teacher use in the newly designed Fab Lab

Hawthorne Elementary

Anne Genuisz

Grant awards funds for fifth grade students to create and run a school store. 

Blendon Middle School

Jennifer Eckstein, Jeff McMillan & Lisa Patko

Using GPS receivers, students will be exposed to real-world mathematics and geospatial science. 

Heritage Middle School

Ann Bates

Funds will cover fees for speakers, entertainers, awards, books, t-shirts, a button maker and printing costs. 

North High School

Erin Zacharias, Kyle Campbell, Cait Maloy & Matt Whistle

An indoor monarch butterfly sanctuary will be established that will raise more than 150 adult monarch butterflies annually.  In addition, two outdoor butterfly gardens will be constructed.

All Elementary Schools

KK Hunter

Funds a Mobile MakerSpace, where students come together to build, share knowledge and solve problems.

Hawthorne Elementary

Chris Poynter & Megan Winand

Funds will be used to purchase microprocessors and power cables so student's can continue work at home. Three rolls of filament will be purchased so the Hackers can learn how to use a recently donated 3D printer. 

Blenson Middle School

Marynelle Liston

Funds will be used to provide more sensory regulation items for students with Asperger’s syndrome, mental health issues and multiple disabilities.

Westerville North High School

Kyle Campbell

A project that will involve zoology students setting up and maintaining ten 40-gallon aquariums to be placed in different classrooms throughout the school.  Each aquarium will contain native Ohio fish that will eventually be added to stock the Larimore Land Lab pond located behind the school. 

Huber Ridge Elementary

Ashley Rable & Judith Gawelek

To provide additional opportunities for students who do not prefer to go outside for their recess time.

Central High School

Kyle King, Natalie Barrett, Cynthia DeVese & Jill Williams

To host guest speakers who come from diverse backgrounds to speak with students during lunch periods and interact in a small setting.

Robert Frost Elementary

Natalie Hildebrandt

To facilitate Social Emotional Learning by creating a designated space where students can experience a calm environment with various sensory options, allowing them to regulate themselves and return to class ready to learn.

North High School

Kristina Cameron

To host guest speakers who come from diverse backgrounds to speak with students during lunch periods and interact in a small setting.

Emerson Elementary

Shannon Goebeler

To allow third-grade students to read various Aesop’s Fables and then in March see the Tennessee Theatre Touring Company’s production of Aesop’s Fables at the Wexner Center for the Arts.

Central High School

Christina Lippencott, Nikki Lorenz, Erin Moehl, Holly Park and Jennifer Snider

To purchase a culturally relevant and engaging video library that increases students’ language and cultural proficiency while creating a connection between students’ lives and the identified culture.

Hawthorne Elementary

Megan Winand & Rhonda Letterio

To expand the after-school coding club for third, fourth and fifth-grade students with a greater variety of coding experiences and more advanced challenges.

South High School

Sarah Detrick

To increase student awareness of and buy-in to programs that increase students’ sense of belonging, as well as recognize those who model appropriate behaviors aligned to the core values of Perseverance, Respect, Integrity, Dependability, and Encouragement.

North High School

Angela Karow

To allow SLC students to learn life skills by creating school spirit items through the purchase of a T-shirt heat press and supplies that will be used in conjunction with machines in The SHOP in order to build a sustainable student service venture.

North High School

Angela Karow

To allow SLC students to learn life skills by creating school spirit items through the purchase of a T-shirt heat press and supplies that will be used in conjunction with machines in The SHOP in order to build a sustainable student service venture.

Fouse Elementary

Emily Considine & Maria Petrozzi

New books for the K-2 Book Room to be utilized by 15 teachers. 

Westerville South High School

Brandi Young

Funds will support the implementation of the Project LIT program at South.

Middle & High Schools

Cynthia DeVese & Tia Johnson

Financial literacy and decision-making program for middle and high school girls.

Westerville South High School

Brandi Young

For the purchase of a 77 ebook Social Emotional collection for use by students.

Heritage Middle School:

Matt Fetrow

Funds support the introduction of drones and drone technology into the middle school engineering pathway.

Westerville Central High School

Amy Ferris

Funds will support the introduction of the Project LIT program at Central HS.

Wilder Elementary

 Christine Eshenbaugh

For the purchase of two communication boards for use by speech-impaired students during recess.

Multiple Elementary Schools

Jan Fedorenko & Lori Searfoss

Program introduces English learning to families to help them learn about the structure of the school day by engaging in different art activities. 

Westerville North High School

Jessica Martin

Funds the expansion of English-Language learning books in the Westerville North library.

Early Learning Center

Ann Rochon & Betsy Gambone

Funds support the design of the studio into five stations to stimulate the senses. 

Westerville North High School

Jeff Bracken

Funds support the Chem Gems, chemistry and business student collaboration to learn about, make, market and sell bath bombs. 

Robert Frost

Eric Indiciani

Before school running club for students. 

Academic Enrichment Center

Amy Anglin & Scott Ebbrecht

This grant support yoga instruction for students at the AEC to help with social and emotional balance.

District-wide

Amy Spencer

Funded 50 students to train as Minority Scholar Student Leaders. This trained this to become peer leaders, tutors, and mentors in their schools. 

Districtwide

Lane Halterman & Drew Farrell

Creation of a mobile podcasting station for use in schools around the district. 

Annehurst Elementary

Sarah Flager

Supports the materials needed for after school tutoring.

Pointview Elementary

Kevin Kissling

Funds the purchase of a leadership library of books for the families of Pointview. 

Pointview Elementary

Kim Holter

Provided books for a summer reading program at Pointview. 

Hawthorne Elementary

Christine Doolittle

Funds for create a garden space for students to use for planting.  The area will give student an alternative play area. 

Westerville South High School

David Schultz

Funds development of large posters of important math concepts for display. 

Heritage Middle School

Danielle Brown, Kris Konik & Debbie Pellington

Funds all students to study the book Wonder by R.J. Palacio. Student will also create a reflection diary on the book. 

Cherrington Elementary

Michelle Lowe & Jaclyn Gafford

Funds the purchase of circuit sets for use in the classroom. 

Walnut Springs Middle School

Bethany Morvay & Jill Smith

School will pilot a writing center staffed by student volunteers and writing coaches from local universities. Trains students to work as coaches in the future.  

Fouse Elementary

Elizabeth Meta

Funds activity stations in the library that promote 21st century problem-solving and collaboration skill development. 

Mark Twain Elementary

Christopher Hendricksen

Funds the purchase of thirty standing desks and stools for a fifth grade science classroom. 

Blendon Middle School

Amy Levine

 The Jazz Arts Group will provide teaching artists to work with the middle school jazz band on fundamentals of improvisation and standard jazz repertoire.  

Central High School

Jen Kiko

The Memory Project is a unique service project organization that pairs high school artists with children from orphanages around the world.  Before completing a realistic painting of each child on canvas paper, students will study portraiture.  Upon completion, the organization delivers the actual piece of art to the child.

SouthHigh School

Jill Smith & Noelle Spriestersbach

An indoor monarch butterfly sanctuary will be established that will raise more than 150 adult monarch butterflies annually.  In addition, two outdoor butterfly gardens will be constructed.

Alcott Elementary

Jim Ledford

Students will work collaboratively to produce and market their own classroom music c.d.  They will be involved in the process of choosing songs, designing a cover, creating a name, advertising and selling the product at a release party.  

Hawthorne, Annehurst & Heritage Schools

Julie Koontz

Special Education students must be at just the right Sensory Integration level to learn. Providing pupils with a variety of sensory tools and alternative seating options will promote academic success and participation within the classroom. Funds were used to purchase a crash pad, three hoki stools, two scooter boards, cube chairs, beanbags and a beanbag chair. 

Walnut Springs Middle Schools

Jean Trimble

he Dick and Jane Project is an assemblage of experienced producers, songwriters, and musicians who collaborate with middle school students to create radio-ready songs.

Westerville North High School

Damon Mollenkopf

To complete the lab, two professional quality microphones, suspension boom arm stands for those mics, and a protective carrying case for the mixer will be bought to allow for safe, on-site production at events like podcasts, interviews, live recording and live performances. 

Central High School

Doug Hildreth

To provide hands-on opportunities for students to practice music theory principles and basic piano skills.

Central High School

Amy Ferris

To make use of the library’s makerspace to promote mindfulness by creating hand-stamped “My Intent” bracelets for students to focus on what truly guides them.

McVay Elementary

Heather Smalley

To establish “Walking Wednesdays” as a way for students to remain physically active, as well as provide a structured way for students to take fresh air breaks and make wise decisions during recess.

Walnut Springs Middle School

Jean Trimble

To bring Bryan Collier to Walnut Springs Middle School to discuss his award-winning books about African American history and the struggle and triumph from slavery to emancipation and the Civil Rights Movement.

Robert Frost Elementary

Jennifer Hall, Sarah Berka, Eric Indiciani & Eric Cacioppo

To allow fifth-grade students to learn about traditional West African dance, drumming and art from resident artists, followed by a culminating performance for the entire school community at an annual variety show.

All Elementary Schools-Gifted Program

Angie Heath

To allow the Westerville City School District’s Gifted Education Department to sponsor evening events and family game nights that promote academic and social/emotional support outside the classroom.

Central High School

Natalie Barrett, Aaron Starke & Katherine Cress

To establish a library that travels between classrooms and allows students to choose from a diverse selection of books that not only reflect their identity, culture and experience, but also offer views outside of their own life and identity.

Walnut Springs Middle School

Erin Morckel

To allow Advanced Placement Biology students to monitor the daily rate of growth, mass and food intake of chicks hatched in several controlled incubators located in the classroom, resulting in long-term reports of their findings.

North High School

Kendall Wright

To implement a student-led mentoring program that allows upperclassmen with at least a 3.5 GPA to mentor other students with any academic need.

North High School

Ann Englehart

The program matches interested Westerville students from Central and North with trained and qualified mentors for weekly mentoring in the school, home, or community setting.  The program is goal oriented and focuses around academic and employment support, as well as social and civic engagement within Westerville and greater Columbus communities.  The request is to maintain and expand services into Westerville North.