STCU awards $40,000 in classroom grants

by Press Staff
| October 1, 2022 1:00 AM

Teachers in Kootenai, Shoshone, Bonner and Boundary counties were among those receiving $200 classroom grants as part of STCU’s efforts to welcome educators back to school.

Founded by teachers, the not-for-profit credit union is honoring its roots by awarding the grants to 200 educators – a total of $40,000 to winners drawn at random. As the price of pencils and paper are subject to the effects of inflation, the amount of each grant award has been increased from $150 to $200. Winners can spend their grant on anything that will enhance students’ classroom experiences, whether a basic need or something special.

Local winners, who were notified this week, are:

Coeur d’Alene School District:

• James Phillips, Karissa Altmeyer and Christine Sorenson, Coeur d’Alene High

• Jacqueline Mercer, Ramsey Magnet School of Science

• James Maurer and Madison McLean, Lake City High

• Aaron Fox and Jonathan Madrid, Lakes Middle School

• Dianne Howard, Skyway Elementary

Coeur d’Alene Charter Academy:

• Lynda LeBlanc

Genesis Preparatory Academy:

• Kathy Johnson

Hayden Canyon Charter:

• Jennifer MacKeage

Lakeland School District:

• Jacqueline Gurnard, Spirit Lake Elementary

• Patricia Morrow and Betty Kiefer Elementary

• Clarice Vanderkolk, Athol Elementary

• Laiken Gallis, Lakeland Junior High

• Joshua Ballard, Lakeland High

Post Falls School District:

• Thomas Hall, Post Falls Middle School

• Megan Adams, Prairie View Elementary

• Nathaniel Bergstrom, Mullan Trail Elementary

• Makenzie Curtis, River City Middle School

• Minda Schumacher, Post Falls High

Kootenai Technical Education Campus:

• Brian Davis and John Mackesy

Plummer-Worley School District:

• Jennifer Giulio, Lakeside Elementary

St. Maries Joint School District:

• Kelly Johnson, St. Maries Middle School

Boundary County School District:

• Victoria Brudevold, Bonners Ferry High School

Kellogg Joint School District:

• Sara Delgado, Pinehurst Elementary

Lake Pend Oreille School District:

• Hollie Hurst, Farmin Stidwell Elementary

• Sadey Vogel, Kootenai Elementary

• Stephanie Chamberlain, Sandpoint Middle School

Nezperce Joint School District:

• Patrick Gallagher, Nezperce Junior/Senior High

Continuing a long tradition, STCU provided meals, refreshments and door prizes at back-to-school events for educators and other staff in public school districts in Eastern Washington and North Idaho this year.

The online drawing was open to teachers, counselors and similar classroom-based positions at public and private districts served by Washington educational service districts 101, 123 and 171 or in Idaho's eight northernmost counties.

This is the eighth year that STCU has offered the grant drawings, which have been greatly expanded in recent years to include more recipients.