Eastern Oregon University > Academics > Teach Rural Oregon Receives Oregon Rural Classroom Grant from foundry10

Teach Rural Oregon Receives Oregon Rural Classroom Grant from foundry10

Teach Rural Oregon Receives Oregon Rural Classroom Grant from foundry10

LA GRANDE, Ore. – Teach Rural Oregon is pleased to announce that it has received an Oregon Rural Classroom Stipends grant from foundry10. The $17,000 grant will be used to provide classroom setup and support grants to rural undergraduate and graduate student educators. These student educators are either currently placed in a rural school for their field experience or student teaching, or they accept a position in a rural Oregon school district after receiving their certification. Funds will allow educators to set up their classrooms, purchase essential materials and supplies, and invest in their schools.

Thanks to this grant, 66 new educators will each receive a one-time $250 award to support their work.

The EOU College of Education’s full-time, intensive Master of Arts in Teaching program (MAT) blends full-time in-classroom professional experience with academic preparation. Alexa Jamison, a student in the Master of Arts in Teaching program does student teaching at La Grande High School. (FILE PHOTO / Michael K. Dakota)

Foundry10 is an education research organization with a philanthropic focus on expanding idea about learning and creating direct value for youth. This project also aligns with foundry10’s Geographically Isolated Youth anchor, which focuses on investing in professional development opportunities for rural educators. Foundry10’s Geographically Isolated Youth anchor supports rural schools, school districts, and community-based organizations with educational tools and resources across the following categories: STEM education, digital skills and technology access, as well as professional development and educator resources.

Eastern Oregon University was founded in 1929 as a teacher’s college and today serves as a center for education, culture, and scholarship in rural areas of Oregon. Eastern Oregon University serves more than 2,800 students across 30 academic programs. EOU’s Teach Rural Oregon program (TRO) aims to recruit diverse student teachers (including first-generation) to complete their student teaching in rural and isolated rural districts across Oregon.

The Teach Rural Oregon program at Eastern Oregon University is consistent with best practice recommendations for funding rural schools. It operates using an asset mindset, seeing the opportunity and value of rural schools and rural educators, while also addressing gaps in resources for rural educators.

Teach Rural Oregon is thankful for this opportunity to assist rural educators with classroom supplies and is deeply appreciative to foundry10 for this support of our mission at a time when rural schools are struggling to financially provide teachers with quality curricular support.