Tami Morrison, a sixth grade teacher at Polson Middle School, is one of Montana’s latest Karen Cox Memorial Grant recipients. These grants are awarded each year by the Montana Professional Teaching Foundation, a nonprofit foundation based in Helena.

Morrison used the grant to buy small, programmable robots for Project Ozobot, a project that includes all sixth graders in the school.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the demand for qualified robotics engineers is poised to grow by as much as 13 percent through 2018, Morrison points out. “Giving students the chance to experience robotics may spark a future interest in using robotics in manufacturing, medicine, space exploration, etc., as well as allowing students to become active creators with technology,” she says. 

The grant program is named for the late Karen Cox, a Billings, MT teacher who spent her life teaching children and assisting fellow educators. The grant program helps educators who reach into their own pockets for classroom supplies and other classroom needs.

The average U.S. teacher spends an average of $513 out-of-pocket every year on classroom supplies, materials, books, and professional development, according to Forbes.com. Many spend much more of their own money – even thousands of dollars. Montana teachers are no exception. 

Karen Cox grants are small but mighty, according to Eric Feaver, chair of the Montana Professional Teacher Foundation. The $500 grants can make a major difference for a classroom of students.

“Montana’s public school teachers are incredibly creative and dedicated,” Feaver said. “They know how to stretch scarce dollars, and they don’t shy away from raiding their own bank accounts to create innovative learning experiences for their students. The foundation is proud to be able to help them.”