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HEF awards $40,000 in teacher grants


The Hampton Education Foundation (HEF) is proud to support the educators of Hampton City Schools by funding creative, hands-on classroom projects that go above and beyond the standard curriculum. These grants help bring new ideas, fresh materials, and enriched learning experiences into our schools. 


HEF has increased the annual funding for teacher grants from around $30,000 to $40,000, a 33% rise, as part of a strategic push to expand educator innovation in our schools. Throughout the past decade, HEF has invested more than $250,000 in teacher grants to enrich learning experiences for students.


This year’s response was truly outstanding! A total of 172 educators from 36 Hampton City Schools sites—representing every school, special program, the School Administration Center, and the Patriot Center—submitted 187 innovative grant proposals, requesting more than $207,000 in funding. 


After a thorough review and scoring process by volunteers on the HEF Grants Committee, 41 projects from 25 schools and centers were selected for funding—totaling $39,984 in awarded grants. 


Breakdown of Awards:


Group Innovation Grants: 52 reviewed, selected 7, and awarded $17,485.12

Individual Innovation Grants: 50 reviewed, selected 14, and awarded $13,649.76

Mini-Grants: 85 reviewed, selected 20, and awarded $8,849.12


Anyone interested in supporting the Hampton Education Foundation’s Teacher Grants program or other HEF initiatives that empower our educators and students may do so here. Every contribution helps turn great teaching ideas into reality across Hampton City Schools.


The full list of the 2025-2026 Hampton Education Foundation Teacher Grants Winners


Group Grants up to $2,500

Bethel High 

1067 BRUIN: A Media, Arts, and Design Academy student-led digital and print media initiative

Kimberly Coleman


Teelia Lowery


Johnnie Rascoe

Jane H. Bryan Elementary

Science Detectives: Rotating Science Kits for English Language Learners

Nyeema McCaskill


Lesa Shannon


Taneisha Lawrence


Annemarie Papa Bassett

Jones Magnet Middle

Sustainability Studio: Where Innovation meets Ingenuity

Susan Booth


Ajia Lindsey


Angela Williams


Sabrina Burbanck


India Burroughs

Ann H. Kilgore Gifted Center

MicroBits for Science

Debra Hicks


Jake Porter


Christina Leach

Ann H. Kilgore Gifted Center

The Hobbit in Hampton

Morgan Thompson


Ebony Jordan

George P. Phenix PreK-8 School

Storyteller Studio

Dr. Kimberlyn Baughans


Olivia Baughans


Cynamon Bell

School Administration Center

WishWorks! An Innovative School Enterprise

Sherry J Hildebrandt


Valerie Simms


Danielle Kearse


Kelly Carpenter


Bratati Chakraborty


Adeline Terwilliger

Individual Grants up to $1,000 


Barron Elementary

Colorful Classroom Culture

Symmione McDowell

Cooper Elementary Magnet School for Technology

Lab Coats & Leadership: Equipping the Cooper Lab Coat Crew

Alyssa Dowling

Jones Magnet Middle

Swinging Toward Freedom

Suann Strickland

Kecoughtan High

Needlefelting Endangered Animals

Robin Gordon

Ann H. Kilgore Gifted Center

Digital Vision Lab

Danielle Smith

Langley Elementary

Ukuleles in the Classroom

Jennifer Murray

Lindsay Middle

Flow to Grow: The Treehouse S.A.G.E. Rain Garden Initiative

Tiara Kersey

Lindsay Middle

Girls' Flag Football

Belynda Kirby

George P. Phenix PreK-8 School

Butterfly Life Cycle and Garden Hands On Learning Experience - A Cross Grade Level Collaboration

Renee Cury

Phillips Elementary

This Way or That Way: /Algorithm & Programming

Jennifer Buck

Phoebus High

Growing Connections

Sara Benham

School Administration Center

Electrical Engineer

Wendy P. Crist

Stop! Animation Time!

Victoria Martin

Tarrant Middle

Turntable Institute - Audio Engineering

Ahmad Davis

Mini Grants up to $500


Armstrong School for the Arts

Career Awareness Hands-On Gallery

Bobbi Carroll

Barron Elementary

Engage the Reading Intervention

Jan Marie VanDenheede

Bethel High

Reading in Chemistry is Elemental!

Katelyn Harlan

Bethel High

Senior Showbiz Showcase

Heather Woodruff

Bridgeport Academy

Discover the true beauty of math through art therapy

Amy Ziemba

Performing Arts Exploration and Music Therapy

Jonathan Tolliver

Burbank Elementary

If You Plant it They Will Come

Missy Powell-Riedl

Mary T. Christian Elementary

Equity among students: a Care Closet

Casey Koster-Ware

Eaton Fundamental Middle

Multiplication in Motion

Santa Williams

FLEx

Phoneme Graphing Mapping Support for FLEx First Grade Learners

Meryl Innerfield

Forrest Elementary

The Place to GROW: Forrest Elementary Herb Garden Project

Jennifer Holmes

Mary W. Jackson Elementary

Rocket Ready: STEM for Creativity, Collaboration, and Critical Thinking

Mitzi Newlin, The Marshall Grantee

Kecoughtan High

Practicing the 250: AP Art History Explores Works by Artmaking

Madeline Brewer

Moton Early Childhood Center

Sidewalk Sensory Walk

Amy Twisdale

George P. Phenix PreK-8 School

Federalism Cake-off

Carrie O'Hanlon

George P. Phenix PreK-8 School

R.I.C.H. Girls

Karmen Gray

Phillips Elementary

Funding for the Kids

Michelle Ladson

Phillips Elementary

Phillips' School Wide Elementary Science Fair

Whitney Davis

Smith Elementary

Annotation Made Fun!

Melissa Wilson

Syms Middle

The Reset Room: A Restorative Approach to Academic and Emotional Success

Jatori Powell

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