May 14, 2025

Last week, members of the Wentzville School District Foundation Board awarded $33,000 in 2025 Educator and Building Mini-Grants, ranging from $500 to $1,000, to 64 educators in 18 buildings and schools in the WSD.

Of the grants awarded, $20,000 was given thanks to a Community Grant from GM to fund Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) initiatives in WSD schools. GM has provided $70,000 over the last seven years to the WSD Foundation to support STEM initiatives in the WSD.

The Foundation has awarded more than $175,500 to District teachers since 2004. The selection committee, composed of Wentzville School District Foundation Board members, utilizes the grants to reward educators for their resourceful and innovative ideas and strategies that benefit the education of District students. 

$500 Educator Winners: 

• Matt Barker | Lighting for Happiness | Liberty
• DeEtte Brower | Aerial Adventures: Mastering Drone Technology | Frontier
• Rhonda Buchheit | Kindergarten Wonders Meets STEM | Wabash
• Teri Clark | Ratchet Rockers | North Point Middle
• Scott Cleveland | Micro.bit board | Peine Ridge
• Shelby Cohen | Using Technology to Enhance Communication for Non-Verbal Children | Barfield
• Benjamin Creen | Home Maintenance | Liberty 
• Narelle Deatherage | Liberty High School Technology Student Association (TSA) | Liberty 
• Shannon Griesenauer, Juli Tainter, Bailey Brown, and Jamie Myers | Wisconsin Fast Plants | Frontier 
• Ellie Igo | Reading Intervention | Green Tree
• Melissa James | Block by Block = Growing Young Learners | Heritage
• Emily Jenkins | Magnetizing Young Minds | Heritage 
• Annie Johnson | Team Sports | Frontier
• Rebecca Kerley | Music and Movement | Barfield
• Lauren Kinzie & Samantha Timpe | THS Special Education: Bridging the Gap to Independent Living | Timberland
• Michelle McKinley & Jennifer Lowder| District Reading Intervention | Stone Creek
• Rene Mills | FLL Teams 3-D Printer | Wentzville Middle
• Jamie O'Coin | The Brew Ha Ha Coffee Cart Project | Peine Ridge
• Jeremy Opfer | Physical Education | Wentzville Middle
• Jodi Owens | Elementary Special Education | Aeroponics in the Classroom | Wabash
• Edward Picone | Gardening for WMS | Wentzville Middle
• Jaimie Poston | Improving Speech Therapy Outcomes & Engagement | Discovery Ridge
• Laurie Pursley | Impact Time | South Middle
• Mary Quirk | Computers Teacher: K-5 | Crossroads
• Rachel Rothermich | 5th Grade Journey Elementary School | Journey 
• Meaghan Sachs | LHS Independent Living Skills | Liberty 
• Ami Schulte | Fitness for All | Timberland
• Kim Sonderman | STEAM in Pre-K! | Heritage
• Sydney Swanson | Lit Slam | North Point High
• Andrea Twillman | Milestones | Frontier
• Robert Vercher | 3D Printing Design Team | North Point High
• Erica Wagner | AP Literature & Composition Book Clubs | Timberland
• Nicole Watson | Social Language Groups/SLP Department at DRE | Discovery Ridge
• Daniel Wheeler | Pickleball Equipment | Liberty 
• Erin White | Horticulture Therapy | Pearce
• 2nd Grade (8 teachers) | 2nd Grade STEAM | Heritage

$1,000 Building Winners: 

• Jamie Day | Sphero Indi Cars | Green Tree
• Tara Dunaway & Heather Erwin | We Like to Move It, Move It - Mobile Motor Lab | Wabash
• Stephanie Friesz | Essential Skills Prevocational Task Boxes | Liberty
• Krista Jurgensmeier | Read and Ride | Stone Creek
• Kat Lammering Tichy | Back of the Pack | South Middle
• Carrie Luedde | Interactive Decodable Text Sets~Hand 2 Mind | Discovery Ridge
• Shannon McCarty | Neon Art Glow | Discovery Ridge
• Edward Picone | Industrial Technology Add-on project for building improvements | Wentzville Middle
• Angela Schmitt | FMS TSA & HOSA Clubs | Frontier
• Angela Smith | Timberland Choir- New Stage Risers | Timberlan
• Megan Stockton | Breakout EDU | Frontier Middle
• Megan Sutton | Dramatic Discoveries | Heritage PreK
• Allyson Tallin | Enhancing Student Leadership through Leader in Me Portfolios and 7 Habit STEAM | Lakeview
• Robert Vercher | North Point 3D Printing | North Point High
• Steve Wurtzel | Laser Engraving Student Projects | North Point Middle

The Wentzville School District Foundation is an independent, non-profit organization whose mission is to develop community support for public education and for the students and teachers of the Wentzville School District. The Foundation was established in 2001 on the belief that education is critical to society, that teachers have the power to be catalysts for student success, and that our community can be an agent for positive change. For more information about the WSD Foundation or to make a donation, please visit the District website.