Community Service Grant Winners

The 2015 Community Service Grant winners are here!

Thank you to everyone who submitted an application, and congratulations to this group of individuals for their diverse group of do-good projects. A total of $2000 of grant money was awarded through the generosity of Joe and Sandra Slaughter.

We look forward to seeing these projects in action in the coming months!

Sueann Galt
Indianapolis Academy of Excellence, Grades K-4
Students will be working with The Good House by pulling weeds, landscaping, cleaning common areas, and cleaning windows. Afterwards, they will come together as a group to reflect on the experience and present ideas as to how to help The Good House in December. The grant money will be used as funding for toy/gift baskets for family and the students' additional project ideas.

Kristin Hancock
GW Carver Montessori IPS #871, Grade 3
Students will be visiting the residents at Crestwood Village West Assisted Living Facility on a monthly basis, spending time with and reading to residents. This project will help students develop their reading skills while providing a great service to the elderly. Grant money will go toward purchasing book sets that the students can use and read with the residents, and the books will be used in future classes, making this a long term project. 

Donielle Jones
Central Elementary School, Grade 3
This service project, called Pennies for Blankets, is aimed toward helping the homeless community. Students will be studying a variety of books focused on the topic of homelessness, and following classroom discussions, they will begin raising money to buy fleece and make blankets for the homeless. Grant will also go toward blankets. 

Elizabeth Wissel
Indiana Math and Science Academy North, Grade 3
Students will be organizing a food drive to collect peanut butter for Gleaners Food Bank. Grant funds
will be utilized to print flyers and posters to hang up at schools and local businesses to promote the drive, as well as for transportation to Gleaners to deliver the peanut butter. This will be a month long drive during which students will be monitoring all donations. Any left over funds will be used to purchase more peanut butter.

Jacqueline Aldridge
Maplewood Elementary, Grade 5
Students will be making dog/cat toys and blankets for the local Indianapolis Humane Society. Students will work
together practicing their math skills (measurement, decimal computation, etc.) to make the blankets and toys.
Throughout the project they will be journaling on their experience, and afterwards they will write letters to
potential adopters telling them why they should adopt that dog or cat. Grant funds will be used to purchase fabric for
blankets and toys.

Tonya Wilkison
Broad Ripple Magnet High School, Grades 9-12
Students will be writing, directing, and performing 5 plays dealing with the subjects of hunger, poverty, and
giving. They will research how our city has been impacted by hunger and poverty and what types of organizations
exist to give to those in need. Students will perform on their school's stage and charge admission of two non-
perishable food items, which will be donated to a local food bank. Grant funds will be used to create sets and costumes.

Bonnie Gross
McClelland Elementary, Grade 5
This project will be in conjunction with Girls on the Run, an after school group that focuses on healthy living and
community service. Students will be purchasing arts and crafts supplies for the children at Riley Hospital, and they will contact the cheer guild at the hospital to request a wish list. Grant funds will be used to purchase items on the wish list, and students will also do their own fundraising while creating a budget.