Two MES teachers receive reading grant
Money will benefit county's Parents as Teachers program
Two Marion Elementary teachers recently were awarded grant money which will be used to purchase books for Marion County Parents As Teachers.
Shari Padgham, first and second grade reading teacher, and Susan Hall, first grade teacher, received a $425 grant from the Kansas Reading Association on behalf of the Sunflower Reading Council.
The money will be used to purchase books geared to the preschool level for the parents as teachers program.
"Children who are read to at an early age develop an ear for phonemic sounds, and are a lot further ahead than children who are not read to," Padgham said.
"We felt this was a great opportunity to give back to the community."
For Padgham and Hall, writing the grant was part of their master's program requirements at Wichita State University.
"We came up with the idea, submitted the grant application in December, and it was awarded in January," she said.
Padgham said help from Linda Ogden with Communities in Schools of Marion County was invaluable.
"She gave us some great advice when writing the grant," Padgham said.
