ACPS Educators Earn Twelve Teacher Innovation Grants

By Albemarle County Public Schools

ALBEMARLE COUNTY, Va. — Big ideas start in classrooms, and this year, several Albemarle County Public Schools (ACPS) teachers are turning creative sparks into twelve different hands-on learning experiences. Thanks to Teacher Innovation Grants from the Public Education Foundation of Charlottesville-Albemarle (PEFCA), these teachers will provide hands-on learning experiences in STEM, reading, financial literacy, social-emotional learning and more.

“Our goal for the Teacher Innovation Grants is to inspire teachers to create and try new ideas and engage students,” PEFCA Executive Director Penny Harrison said.

To apply for a PEFCA grant, teachers had to demonstrate how the proposed program will propel innovative goals, methods and outcomes. Teachers also had to demonstrate what students would take away from the project.

For Journey Middle School’s Dingani Mthethwa, a social studies teacher, and Lewis Griffin, a Career and Technical Education teacher, student takeaways are the most important part of any project. To this end, the pair is working to create a culture of mindfulness and belonging throughout the school, which they hope will stay with students beyond their school years.

Mthethwa received two grants that will fund the expansion of programs centered around social-emotional learning, identity, belonging and self-reflection.

“When your emotions are regulated and you feel like you belong and are being seen, that is when you can really focus on learning,” Mthethwa said. “Helping students meet these needs will have an impact on student performance in general, but especially in attendance and behavior.”

Griffin received two grants that will fund the creation or expansion of mindfulness zones on Journey’s campus. Through connecting with nature, he said, students can learn and practice self-regulation skills and techniques to deal with stressors in their day-to-day lives.

“These opportunities support the whole child — academically, socially, emotionally, and mentally. By investing in programs like outdoor learning spaces and mindfulness-centered environments, we are showing students that their well-being matters and that school can be a place of calm, curiosity, and connection,” Griffin said.

With funding ranging from $500 to $2,000 per grant, an estimated 2,000 ACPS students will benefit from these programs.

"Students in our local schools deserve the best we can provide, and PEFCA is honored to be a part of making this happen,” Harrison said.

ACPS Grant Awards

Altruism in the Arts
Kate McKinley, Albemarle High School
Through three community-centered art projects, students will explore how art can be functional, altruistic, and impactful beyond the classroom. From creating bowls for soup donations to handmade items that recognize and support members of the school community, students will see firsthand how their creativity can make a meaningful difference.

Math Lab Explorers
Amanda McCray, Brownsville Middle School
“Math Lab Explorers” transforms traditional math instruction into a hands-on, student-driven experience using hands-on manipulatives and rotating stations to strengthen number sense. By designing math games and solving real-world challenges, second graders build confidence, deepen conceptual understanding and learn through collaboration and exploration.

Comprehensible Input and Literacy in the Language Classroom
Hannah Huggins, Burley Middle School
This project will provide leveled Spanish readers to better support both Spanish 1 students and native speakers with texts that match their language proficiency. The books explore legends, historical figures, and themes of global citizenship, helping students build literacy skills while connecting language learning to culture and identity.

Henley FIRST LEGO League (FLL) Robotics Club
Karen Ackerman, Henley Middle School
The Henley FIRST® LEGO® League Robotics Club gives students hands-on experience in STEM through team-based robotics challenges that build coding, engineering and problem-solving skills. As part two of an ongoing initiative, the program empowers students to think critically, collaborate effectively and apply real-world design principles in a fun, competitive environment.

Settlers of the Americas: Using Gameplay to Explore European Colonization
Rodricucuz Vaughn, Henley Middle School
This project transforms a traditional history unit into an interactive simulation inspired by Settlers of Catan, allowing students to explore European colonization through strategy-based gameplay. By navigating geography, trade and resource competition, students experience the economic and political realities of early settlement while strengthening collaboration, negotiation and critical-thinking skills.

Thriving Future: The Journey Girls Black and Latina Affinity Groups
Dingani Mthethwa, Journey Middle School
This project integrates social-emotional learning, leadership development and artistic expression to create affirming spaces for Black and Latina girls. Through healing-centered and culturally responsive practices, students build confidence, belonging and civic leadership skills that extend beyond the classroom.

Healing-Centered Practices Across the Curriculum
Dingani Mthethwa, Journey Middle School
This initiative weaves reflection, creativity and community-building into academic subjects to help students explore resilience, justice and identity throughout U.S. history. Through hands-on learning, students strengthen emotional regulation, empathy, leadership, and civic understanding while deepening engagement with course content.

JMS Zen Garden
Lewis Griffin, Journey Middle School
The JMS Zen Garden creates a dedicated mindfulness space where students can practice coping strategies, self-regulation, and reflection. In collaboration with STEM, art and independent study classes, students will help design and maintain a calming environment that supports well-being and creative expression.

JMS Virginia Native Wildflower Garden
Lewis Griffin, Journey Middle School
Students will expand the school’s native pollinator garden, engaging in hands-on environmental learning that supports biodiversity and local ecosystems. The project connects science, sustainability and civic responsibility while transforming outdoor space into a living classroom that benefits the entire school community.

Multicultural Book Deep Dive
Chelsea Park, Journey Middle School
Students will engage in a novel study focused on Native American culture and life on reservations in the Southwest United States. The text’s accessible yet challenging format ensures all learners can participate meaningfully while building cultural awareness and critical reading skills.

Guiding Our Community: Enhancing School Communication through Updated Outdoor Signage
Melissa Thackston, Lakeside Middle School
Through project-based learning, students will design and install updated outdoor signage to improve campus navigation and safety. Along the way, they will learn principles of typography, visual communication and accessible, multilingual design while creating a lasting impact on their school community.

Outdoor Enrichment: The Power of Play
Lauren Simard, Stone Robinson Elementary School
This project expands inclusive outdoor play opportunities for preschool students, including those in at-risk and special education programs, by adding sand and water tables, mud kitchens and open-ended materials. Research-based outdoor play experiences will support language development, social-emotional growth, motor skills and school readiness for all learners.