In 2026, Marion Community Foundation is awarding $38,000 to classroom teachers in Marion and Morrow counties for 21 innovative and motivational programs.
Thank you to the following for supporting the 2026 TEACH Grants Program: Dennis & Sara Trachsel Foundation, Pillar Credit Union Teachers’ Fund, Pillar Credit Union Morrow County Teachers’ Fund, Ray & Charlotte Baldauf Fund, Allen ‘Bus’ Augenstein Teachers Fund, Brown Family Teachers Fund, Marion Education Foundation Fund, and
River Valley Teachers Fund.
Elgin Local Schools
Elgin Middle School | Andrea Coykendall | Life Skills Classroom
This grant will support life skills instruction for students in a new cross-categorical special education classroom by providing materials for cooking, cleaning, budgeting and other hands-on activities.
Marion City Schools
Harding High School | Adam Hanke | Elevating our Art
This grant will enhance drawing and painting instruction by using professional-quality art supplies, presentation materials for student artwork and opportunities for extracurricular art experiences.
Harding High School | Jacob Hartman | Multi-Ensemble Digital Piano Upgrade for Marion City Schools Band Programs
This grant will replace a failing digital piano system used by marching band, jazz ensembles, indoor percussion, solo performances and other music programs, ensuring students have quality equipment for instruction and performance.
Harding High School | Jami Rawlins | Harding Singers Lighting and Performance Project
This grant will purchase wireless, computer-programmed lighting and other performance equipment to enhance productions by the Harding Singers, a competitive show choir that performs throughout the region and hosts an annual competition.
Grant Middle School | Aaron Edwards | Engineering
This grant will expand engineering projects by providing materials for soldering electrical components, woodworking and other hands-on learning experiences.
Grant Middle School | Jessica Clarke | VOX Books
This grant will purchase VOX Books, which feature built-in audio narration in multiple languages and reading levels, helping engage young readers while supporting struggling readers and English language learners.
Garfield Elementary School | Lily Janson | Garfield Elementary Specialized Learning Center
This grant will purchase sensory equipment for a specialized learning center classroom, helping students with disabilities develop sensory, social and emotional regulation skills while increasing independence and readiness to learn.
Pleasant Local Schools
Pleasant High School | Kirsten Jordan | CCP Photography Course
This grant will support a College Credit Plus photography course in coordination with Columbus State, providing students with instruction in studio and digital photography, portfolio development and career exploration.
Pleasant High School | Paula Ritter | It’s a Zoo Here!- Enriching a Zoology Course
This grant will purchase zoological specimens, microscope slides, display charts and tissue samples to provide students with hands-on learning opportunities in zoology.
River Valley Local Schools
River Valley Middle School | Laura Carey | Pixels to Polymers
This grant will expand the school’s digital art program by introducing 3D digital sculpting and additive manufacturing, allowing students to transform digital designs into physical creations.
Liberty Elementary | Samantha Coyan | Audio Adventures
This grant will purchase VOX Books for kindergarten students, combining print books with built-in audio narration to strengthen early literacy skills, build confidence and encourage independent reading.
Heritage Elementary | Laura Rengert | The Book Drop
This grant will create a pseudo book vending machine that rewards students with age-appropriate books, encouraging literacy and helping build home libraries.
St. Mary School
St. Mary School | Library Enrichment
This grant will purchase a library management system and support subscriptions to digital resources, improving access to library materials for students.
Highland Local Schools
Highland Elementary | Dirk Detillion | Greenhouse
This student-led project will provide hands-on learning in agriculture, entrepreneurship and sustainability as students grow, care for and sell plants while developing teamwork, responsibility and business skills.
Highland Elementary | Samantha Johnson | Cultivating Curiosity Outside the Classroom
This grant will create an outdoor learning space where students explore science, teamwork and responsibility through gardening and hands-on learning experiences.
Highland Elementary | Madison Craigo | Kindness Club
This student-led club will encourage fifth-grade students to plan and lead projects that promote kindness, school beautification, service and encouragement throughout the school.
Highland High School | Craig Smith | Sustaining Personalized Strength & Conditioning through Performance Tracking Technology
This grant will support strength and conditioning software that provides individualized workouts and performance tracking while helping students develop goal-setting, data analysis and lifelong fitness habits.
Highland Elementary | Kayla Arthurs | Instruments for the Elementary Music Classroom
This grant will purchase additional musical instruments, including African gourds, maracas, hand drums and rhythm sticks, allowing more K-5 students to participate in hands-on music instruction.
Mt. Gilead Local Schools
Park Avenue Elementary | Mackenzie Hoffman | The Park Avenue Student Market
This grant will support a student-run marketplace where students apply math concepts such as budgeting, fractions, decimals, measurement and data analysis while building financial literacy, collaboration and problem-solving skills.
Mt. Gilead High School | Hanna Vanderkooi | Rise and Shine Cafe
This grant will support a student-run coffee shop where entrepreneurship students gain hands-on experience in business operations, marketing, finance, technology and customer service.
Mt. Gilead High School | Tom Lewis |T-shirt Press Room Storage & Rack System
This grant will purchase modular storage and organization systems for the school’s student-run direct-to-film printing operation, improving workflow and creating a more professional production environment.
The TEACH (Teaching, Educating And Classroom Help) Grants Program has been offered annually by Marion Community Foundation since 2020. In that time, it has awarded more than $108,000 to area schools. The selection committee is chaired by Nicolle Willis and includes Rhonda Dettra, Christine Gibson, Jennifer Lawson, Stan Nicol, Matt Primmer, and Tom Schifer. Applications become available in February for the following academic year.
The TEACH Grants program supports local education and is made possible by the following endowment funds at Marion Community Foundation:
Supporting all schools:
Dennis & Sara Trachsel Foundation
Pillar Credit Union Teachers’ Fund
Pillar Credit Union Morrow County Teachers’ Fund
Ray & Charlotte Baldauf Fund
Supporting specific schools:
Allen ‘Bus’ Augenstein Teachers Fund
River Valley Teachers Fund
Marion Education Foundation Fund
Brown Family Teachers Fund
Growing funds:
Stephen J. & Mary “Sally” Byrnes Memorial Fund
David K. Miller Teachers’ Fund
Phil & Sonia Haas Teachers’ Fund
Steven Family Education Fund
Joan Zucker Milner Memorial Teachers’ Fund
and numerous individual donors.
Additional support is always encouraged, and donations may be made to any of the funds by clicking on the links above.
It is our hope to have a TEACH Grant fund for every school district in our community. Click HERE to learn more about creating a fund.
