Retirees surprise Carden Park teacher with grant

Marcus Clem, St. Joseph News-Press, Mo.
·2 min read

Aug. 31—Students of Carden Park Elementary School will be better able to use real-world tools and virtual reality to get a deeper understanding of archaeology after a Tuesday grant presentation.

Alycen Shewell was given a $500 award in a surprise announcement at the Trojan Gym by the Missouri Retired Teachers Association. Shewell, a sixth-grade social studies educator who belongs to the affiliated Missouri State Teachers Association, had applied for the grant to fund her project, "Sixth Grade Travels the World." Shewell will use the money to purchase content and supplies supporting her lessons on what great archaeologists have found in important cultural sites across the globe.

"After about 10 years of teaching, I'm doing exactly what I love," Shewell said. "I'm very passionate about learning about different cultures and learning about how things work around the world and spreading that to my students."

After the presentation, Shewell took a moment to reflect on a basic reality of K-12 education: Special projects and supplies, if they are possible at all, often have to be funded in whole or in part by teachers out of their own pocket. Grant awards such as these are few and far between, and while that makes them especially appreciated, it's a reminder of the need to support teachers.

"Teachers' plates are so full, and applying for a grant is just one more thing on our never-ending to-do list," Shewell said. "This is only the second time in my 10 years of teaching that I've ever applied for the grant, or 'a grant,' in general. If I went out for this, I knew that if I don't get it, it would be up to me to make the project happen."

The award is the first of its kind to be presented to an educator in MSTA Region I, which covers Buchanan County, 15 other counties in Northwest Missouri and northern Platte County. Gay Dittemore, member of the Missouri Retired Teachers Association, was on hand to present a large check to Shewell before an assembly of students. The St. Joseph School District made arrangements for the whole presentation to be a surprise for Shewell.

Marcus Clem can be reached at marcus.clem@newspressnow.com. Follow him on Twitter: @NPNowClem