Two teachers in Kennebec County were recently awarded $150 grants by the Kennebec Retired Educators Association to supplement expenses for classroom projects. The recipients were Brenda Weis, who teaches health education in grades 7 through 12 in Augusta, and Lauren Dow, who teaches grade 5 at Sylvio J. Gilbert School in Augusta, according to a news release from Kay Grindall of the association.

Weis is incorporating agricultural-related lessons on topics such as growing local foods, whole versus processed foods, MyPlate, and reading food labels. She will teach the correlation between good nutrition and health. She plans to use the funds to purchase basic cooking equipment and supplemental groceries to educate students in reading recipes and cooking basic meals.

Dow plans to use the funds to buy STEM challenge materials that will promote hands-on learning in their STEM curriculum. These activities promote cooperative teamwork and can be used during students’ free time before and after school.

George Davis, of Skowhegan, KREA vice president and chairperson of the KREAtive Grant Committee, said, “We are committed to helping students and teachers as much as possible — by substituting, volunteering, and doing what we can to enhance the classroom experiences.”

Other members of the KREAtive Grant Committee are Phil Gonyar and Carl Daiker, both of Waterville; Linda Ellis, of Clinton; Joann Tyler, of China; and Grindall, of Oakland.

The Kennebec Retired Educators Association includes retired educators from 60 schools in 31 cities and towns. Grant applications are disseminated to every principal of all elementary, middle, and high schools in Kennebec County. The principals make them available to the classroom teachers.

This is the sixth year that grants totaling $1,950 have been awarded by KREA.