Grants Support Literacy, Health and First-Generation Student Success
6/28/2011
Lebanon, Ill. — Two grants awarded to McKendree University by the Phi Kappa Phi (PKP)
national honor society will support health and wellness literacy in elementary school
classrooms, and ease the transition to college for first-generation students and their
families. A third grant awarded by the Illinois Reading Council will support families
in transition.
Health and Wellness Literacy
A PKP literacy grant for $2,416 will fund a collaborative project with Lebanon Elementary
School. Two groups of McKendree students--education majors, and health and wellness
majors--will create original children's books, teacher workbooks and activity kits
to promote healthy living.
"These are materials that teachers can use in their classrooms and activities that
students can take home to their families to encourage good health," said Dr. Darryn
Diuguid, assistant professor of education. The students will visit elementary school
classrooms to read aloud to the children and lead them in activities, gaining practical
teaching experience as a result.
Dr. Karan Onstott’s health and wellness students will create the workbooks and fill
activity boxes with pedometers, jump ropes, Frisbees, balls, yoga and exercise DVDs,
and sidewalk chalk, as well as instructions, tracking sheets and cookbooks.
I am very excited about this project,” said Onstott, assistant professor of health
and wellness promotion. “As schools struggle to find enough time to include all content
areas into the school day, this project will provide teachers with ways to incorporate
health and wellness topics into math, science and reading. Research has shown that
students are more alert and perform better in school when they are active and have
a healthier diet.”
Bearcat Packs for First-Gens
A $746 grant will fund “Bearcat Packs” assembled by Phi Kappa Phi members and education
majors for distribution to McKendree’s first-generation students and their families.
Books and materials will be selected to educate and inspire students who are the first
in their family to attend a four-year university, said Dr. Bethany Hill-Anderson,
assistant professor of education and an officer of McKendree’s Phi Kappa Phi chapter.
“The materials in the Bearcat Packs will also inform and involve parents of our first-generation
students about the culture, language and practices of higher education,” added Lisa
Brennan, coordinator of first-generation student success at McKendree.
The Bearcat Packs are part of an institution-wide effort to retain and to graduate
first-generation students. McKendree’s First-Generation Student Success Office and
programs are funded in part by a grant from the Council of Independent Colleges and
the Walmart Foundation and the CIC/Walmart College Success Awards.
Books for Families in Transition
A third grant, from the Illinois Reading Council, will fund the purchase of books
for up to 50 children at the Family Living Center in East St. Louis, a transitional
housing facility.
Dr. Darryn Diuguid and Dr. Bethany Hill-Anderson received this additional grant and
will work with their 40 pre-service teachers from the university’s Children’s Literature
and Methods of Teaching Social Sciences classes, as they join forces for this service
learning project. They will choose age appropriate books and activities about multiculturalism
and citizenship for four age groups: infants and toddlers, early childhood, elementary,
and adolescents.
To encourage parental involvement, the book bags will also include puzzles, games,
and questions for discussion. McKendree students in Children’s Literature will read
aloud to the children and engage in extension activities when they visit the center
to distribute the book bags later this year.
-McK-
