DEKALB, Texas — A group of teachers received grants for technology from their district’s technology department.

Dekalb Independent School District announced the grant recipients in a social media post congratulating the teachers who applied for the funds.

The district’s instructional technology coordinator, Kali Little, said the department awarded $4,415.98 to nine teachers for the grant cycle.

“We have been doing in-house technology grants for over ten years,” Little said. “Our goal is to ensure that educators can access resources that they might not otherwise be able to afford.”

Little said the district has been distributing funds to teachers through the technology grant program

for over 10 years.

“The grant also empowers programs like e-sports by supplying equipment like new headphones, guaranteeing that all areas of the school benefit from modern technology,” Little said.

James L. Germany Middle School math teacher Jennifer Singleton said she received $233.21 in grant funds to subscribe to Nearpod and Gimkit. Singleton said the tools provide engagement for all students and immediate feedback to help her teach.

“Nearpod is a great tool for engaging students while using technology, it provides real-time insights into student understanding through interactive lessons, interactive videos, games and activities,” Singleton said. “It is a great way to turn your Google Slides into a more engaging tool for formative assessment of your students.”

Laura Hunt, a Dekalb High School teacher for Algebra, said she received around $80 for LCD writing tablets.

“They’re little, black, thinthey almost look like a kind or something and they come with a pen and you can write on them,” Hunt said. “Then they erase with the click of a button.”

Hunt said she filled out a grant application for the tablets because she thought the tablets would make the learning process more fun for students.

“I thought these tablets would be a fun, easier, maybe cleaner way for them to practice,” Hunt said.

Math teacher Rhonda Stone applied for grant funds to purchase an ipad for her students to use a financial literacy application.

“I have quite a few students that either don’t have a phone or don’t have an Apple device and I needed an opportunity for them to have access to that, especially when it came to test time,” Stone said.

Stone said the grant committee ended up gifting her with two ipads, citing the nature of what her students use them for.

“I was dealing with ones that were literally held together with duct tape,” Stone said, with a laugh.

Stone, as well as Hunt and Singleton, expressed appreciation for the district technology grant program committee.

“Instead of just waiting for us to ask for things, they reach out to us and say ‘what do you need?’” Stone said. “Then they’re so willing to meet whatever needs we have.”

Little said teachers will have another opportunity to apply for a district-based technology grant in Spring for a technology conference.

The teachers that received mini technology grants are: Claire Pennington, Hadlee Breen, Christopher Pennington, Rhonda Stone, Cynthia Wise, Jennifer Singleton, Kaitlyn Mcdaniel, Laura Hunt and Wanda Wilkerson.