TBA Credit Union awarded nearly $5,000 in Classroom Improvement Grants to Eastern Elementary, Courtade Elementary and the TCAPS Technology Department this year. At Eastern, fourth- and fifth-grade teacher Karen Nelson used grant funds to purchase programmable robots. Nelson said the students are fascinated by the robots and can’t wait to use them as soon as they get to class. “It provides opportunities for problem-solving in a fun and new way,” she says.

Danelle Brostrom of the TCAPS Technology Department received a grant to purchase five Breakout EDU boxes. Breakout EDU switches up the “escape room” concept, in which a group of people uses their wits to break out of a locked room; instead, teams must figure out how to get inside a tightly locked box. Students work together to complete a series of puzzles (usually designed around the teacher's curriculum) in order to open the locks and break into the box.

TBA Credit Union awarded the final Classroom Improvement Grant of the year to Amanda White of Courtade Elementary. It’s being used to help students learn to speak Spanish in the World Language program. “It has an immediate and positive impact on student learning. ¡Gracias!” she says.

Educators within the five County Area (Antrim, Benzie, Grand Traverse, Kalkaska and Leelanau) are eligible to apply for TBACU’s Classroom Improvement Grants. Those interested in applying should apply here before January 1. tbacu.com after January 1, 2017