I WON!

So I have some exciting-to-me news… I won a grant!

I guess this isn’t really personal finance related, but it is about finances.

I applied for a mini-grant through our county office of education. I teach a Home-Economics/life skills class for teenagers. It’s a new class at our site this year and I am starting from scratch! I am creating my own (standards-based) curriculum and everything. It’s a ton of work, but also a ton of fun!

Anyway, we have almost nothing for the class. I have been donated some small odds and ends but we really need just about everything.

I applied for $2900 to buy different supplies for the class. And I got it.

I’m super excited! Now I get to buy irons and ironing boards, sewing kits, dishes, pots and pans, food storage, silverware, and utensils for the class. In my proposal I also included $500 that can be used for “groceries”. With that we will buy some actual groceries, but I also intend to buy foil, plastic wrap, zip-lock bags and the like.

I’m super excited to get to purchase this stuff and then going forward, getting to use it!

I can’t wait to teach the kids basic sewing and how to iron.

I know all this seems silly, but these are life-skills many of the kids don’t have. This grant, more than doubled what my classroom budget was going to be so I am really excited to get to put the money to good use and to be able to do so much more than I would have been able to otherwise!

The class has been really fun, but exhausting, to teach! I have never taught Home-Ec before and it’s way out of my expertise. I am having to create my own curriculum which has been crazy. For the first month of school I was literally only one or two days ahead of the kids; now at least I’m planned for a couple of weeks ahead of them. This year is my guinea pig year, but I’m still having a blast!

I can’t wait to buy the stuff with the grant money so we can keep this class going!