BF teacher among top 15 vying for $100K grant

Stafford Elementary students and teachers filled the school gym Tuesday to break good news to teacher Melissa Hunt.

Farmers Insurance announced that Hunt was named a finalist in the Thank a Million Teachers Dream Big Challenge. Out of 15 finalists, five teachers will be awarded a $100,000 “Dream Big” grant.

“I’m sure I’ll wake up in the morning wondering if that really happened. It was a dream,” said Hunt.

Hunt was one of 760,000 teachers thanked by students during the Farmers Insurance Thank a Million Teachers Program. Current and previous students throughout the nation were encouraged to thank teachers, present and past, for their positive impact on students and communities.
Through this process, teachers who were thanked were also invited to submit a proposal that would transform their school or community.

“We told teachers, ‘If you have a big dream, tell us what that dream is,'” said Randy Rice, national manager of education programs at Farmers Insurance. “Melissa made it into that top 15 because her dream goes beyond her classroom, beyond her school to the entire state of Idaho.”

Hunt submitted a proposal that would incorporate modern technology within the classroom. Her proposal called for the use of iPads, Promethean Boards and updated computers to enhance the school’s learning environment through online resources like Schoolnet.

“This proposal will level the playing field and put technology that’s needed to meet our Common Core standards in every classroom,” said Hunt. “Children are very familiar with it and they enjoy it and they learn well with it and we’re using it more all the time.”

Beginning Oct. 1 , the finalists’ proposals will be available for public voting at www.ThankAMillionTeachers.com , allowing individuals nationwide to cast their votes for their favorite proposals.