PDK Project Grants
The PDK International Board of Directors provides grant funding for projects created and carried out by chapters, members, and collaborative groups. The purpose of these grants is to provide short-term supplemental financial support to projects that further PDK's tenets of leadership, research, and service, as well as improve education.
The PDK International board administers one grant cycle per year. The submission process begins July 1, and the deadline to submit a project grant application is November 1. Notification regarding the decision can be expected within 60 days of the grant application deadline.
Download the guidelines and application.
Read about previous projects below.
Project Abstracts
2012-13 Project Grant Recipients
2011-12 Project Grant Recipients
2010-11 Project Grant Recipients
2009-10 Project Grant Recipients
2012-13 Project Grant Recipients
South Florida Regional #1327 — Investing in the Craft of Education: 21st-Century Learning ($1500)
The chapter will host an educational summit for teachers, Future Educators Association® members, administrators, sponsors, PDK members, and community stakeholders. Participants from urban environments will explore ways to engage learners in science, technology, engineering, art, and math in an inclusive setting. This project will establish PDK as a leader in the South Florida education community and as a focal point in perfecting the pedagogy of instruction in a metropolitan atmosphere.
Flint Hills Kansas #0106 — Cultivating PDK/FEA Relationships ($1400)
To increase student enrollment at the annual Kansas Future Teacher Academy (KFTA), the chapter plans to conduct a current inventory of state FEA chapters to identify the appropriate advisor. The chapter will use project funding to provide scholarships for students to attend KFTA and sponsor one of the meals at the week-long conference, where a presentation on PDK will be made.
Tryan L. McMickens — Graduate and Undergraduate Student Membership and Travel Scholarship ($1500)
The project funds will provide membership and registration support to students attending 2013 regional and national education meetings in the Suffolk University education programs to engage in professional development, network with colleagues, and present research.
Jermaine A. Ellerbe — First-Year Teacher Book Club: Examining Evaluation and Expectations of Professional Practice ($1050.58)
The project will utilize a professional book club format to sustain a professional learning community among recent preservice graduates transitioning to first-year teachers. The group will examine the new state teacher evaluation system, as well as the use of the Critical Friends model to evaluate teacher performance.
Natchez Mississippi #1388 — Future Educators Association Chapter Initiatives ($1400)
The project will support the current relationship between the chapter and the FEA chapter at Tensas High School and continue activities to activate an FEA chapter at Ferriday High School. The goal is to encourage interest in the field of education. PDK recruitment and retention efforts will be promoted through public awareness.
Diane B. Cooper — Bridge to Tomorrow Transition Program – University City High School ($2000)
Funds will support an innovative summer program for at-risk urban students transitioning from 8th grade to high school. Reading and math specialists will assist in daily work and help the students, who have been identified as lacking fundamental skills, improve their basic skills so they may transition successfully to high school work.
CSU East Bay – Diablo #0189 — Students Study Trees and Do Woodland Restoration ($1000)
The project objective is to prepare teachers to lead their students in the service learning activities of planting trees as part of the Woodland Restoration project. The teachers will complete a workshop of Project Learning Tree where they will learn to do classroom activities about the needs and planting of trees. The teachers will then recruit students to plant and care for the trees.
2011-12 Project Grant Recipients
Patricia Casey — Improving Learning for English Language Learners in Rural Schools Institute ($1165)
This project will provide a one-day professional development session to teachers in rural school districts in North Texas, who are struggling to meet the needs of a rapidly increasing population of English Language Learners (ELLs). The goal is to improve capacity of rural schools and teachers to the meet the needs of ELLs.
Laura Thomas — Building Next Generation Master Teachers ($1000)
This project will support the development of a new cadre of Master Teachers proficient in the use of facilitative structures for professional learning, including the Critical Skills Program, Critical Friends Groups, Classroom Facilitation, and using technology as a tool for one-to-one support of education.
Concho Valley Texas #1160 — Rio Vista Garden Adventure ($1000)
The Concho Valley chapter will use their project grant to fund a service and research project. The project will entail renovating an old garden at a local Head Start campus into an outdoor nature center for students. Once completed, chapter members and other educational organizations will work together to create science-based activities for this outdoor learning area.
Flint Hills Kansas #0106 — Development and Recruitment Project ($1500)
The Flint Hills chapter will use their project grant to sponsor a professional development workshop and two social events geared toward member recruitment. Participants attending the professional development workshop will learn how to more fully integrate the use of mobile devices in the classroom.
Nicole Titus — Co-Teaching in Professional Development Schools: Voices from the Field ($1200)
The purpose of this grant is to create a co-teaching study group comprised of mentors, teacher candidates, and professional development associates (student teaching supervisors) from the Pennsylvania State University/State College Area School District Professional Development School. The group will investigate the impact co-teaching has in teacher preparation programs.
Washington State #1599 — PDK-WA Spring Conference and Fifth Anniversary Celebration ($1000)
The Washington State chapter will host a two-day statewide conference that will provide chapter members the opportunity to network with colleagues as well as prospective PDK members. Additionally, the chapter will recognize its fifth anniversary as a statewide chapter with an initiation and awards ceremony.
Texas A&M University–Commerce #0101 — Cultural Diversity Institute — The Hispanic Learner ($1500)
The Texas A&M chapter will use their project grant funds to host a professional development institute. The primary goal of the project is to train in-service teachers, administrators, and staff on how to better reach, engage, and teach the Hispanic learner.
South Florida Regional #1327 - Literacy Night: The Wildcats are Wild About Reading ($1000)
The South Florida Regional chapter will host a storytelling event for students and their parents. The project’s object is to demonstrate how parents can become full collaborators in education of their children.
2010-11 Project Grant Recipients
Pine Belt Area #0075 - Young Authors Celebration ($1,000)
This event celebrates the creativity of young authors (grades 1-8) and promotes lifelong reading, writing, and visual expression. Student participants will have the opportunity to meet regional authors and illustrators, as well as tour the campus of William Carey University.
University of Southern California #0029 - FEA Recruitment Drive and Education Dinner ($1,000)
The primary goal of this project is to establish five new Future Educators Association® chapters in the greater Los Angeles area. Additionally, the project will support the chapter’s efforts to recruit graduate education students to PDK chapter membership.
Fraser Valley British Columbia #1587 – Writing a Professional Résumé and Interviewing Well to Get the Position You Want ($872)
In this two-part workshop, the chapter will help students write effective résumés and develop interview skills. Participants will answer typical questions asked by school administrators, and receive feedback from chapter members on their interview technique.
CSU East Bay-Diablo #0189 - Service Learning at the Tule Ponds ($900)
This social event will promote service learning projects for middle and high school students and will provide chapter members the opportunity to network with colleagues and prospective members.
Central Massachusetts #1367 - Outreach to Teach: Chandler Magnet School/Library Makeover Project ($1,000)
The purpose of this project is to support the Worcester State University Education Association in the makeover of the Chandler Magnet School library. Of the 400 students who use the library, 80 percent are economically disadvantaged, and 60 percent have limited English language proficiency. Chapter members will help reorganize the library and purchase new books.
Northwest Florida #1312 - Project First STEP: Supporting Teachers Entering the Profession ($1,500)
The project’s objective is to provide professional development assistance to college seniors entering their first year of teaching. Chapter members will offer students career advice, one-on-one mentoring, job search assistance, and teacher resources.
Connie Schaffer - Inspiring Future and Current Teachers ($1,000)
This grant funds the services of a keynote speaker for an FEA conference at the University of Nebraska at Omaha. More than 200 students are expected to attend the conference, where they will be encouraged and inspired to pursue teaching as a career.
Kimber Bogard - Disseminating an Innovative Education Model in Haiti ($1,500)
This grant funds the communication and dissemination of outcomes of an education design workshop in Haiti. An international team of volunteers will work together to outline the best practices for teaching internally displaced Haitian children. Additionally, a small portion of the grant will pay for a research assistant at the Haiti-based research institute, INSURED, to provide a descriptive profile for displaced children throughout Haiti and their anticipated need for schooling.
Eric Hougan - Lead to Read ($1,000)
The Renton High School FEA chapter will use their project grant funds to launch a literacy awareness program. FEA students will read to local elementary students during the spring 2011 semester and donate more than 200 books to young students at the conclusion of the project.
Southwest Florida #1152 - Chalk Walk 2010 Arusha Secondary School ($500)
The Southwest Florida chapter will co-sponsor the first Chalk Walk of Arusha Secondary School in Tanzania. The aim of this project is to build upon the successful partnership between the educators and students of Tanzania, Africa, and Southwest Florida.
Florida Matanza #1470 - Read for the Record ($750)
The Florida Matanza chapter will host a Read for the Record celebration. The overall goal is to raise literacy awareness and celebrate reading by getting the community and school district involved in the Read for the Record campaign.
American University #0151 - Outstanding New Teacher Recognition Reception ($1,000)
This chapter will host the fourth Outstanding New Teachers Recognition Reception. Teachers from local districts who have fewer than five years of experience will be honored during the reception. The overall goal is encourage teachers to remain in the profession, promote professional growth, and serve as a membership recruitment opportunity for the chapter.
John Hopkins University #0041 - Reclaim, Recruit, Retain! ($1,000)
Region Ib will host a social event for the chapters in this area. The overall goal of this project is to support ongoing efforts of membership recruitment and retention. Additionally, members will have an opportunity to network and develop resources outside their respective chapters.
Scholarships for FEA National Conference 2011 ($1,500)
The project is designed to provide transportation support to FEA students attending 2011 FEA National Conference. Additionally, students may apply for scholarships for their registration fees. The overall goal is increase the opportunity for FEA students in the Coweta County School Systems to attend a national student organization’s conference.
State of New Mexico #1608 – Continued Revitalization of FEA in New Mexico ($1,000)
The project's objective is to promote teaching as a profession. The outcomes include the creation of eight new Future Educators Association (FEA) chapters at new schools or at schools that previously had an FEA chapter. In doing so, the local chapters will have an opportunity to broaden membership.
University of British Columbia #0124 - UBC Chapter's 50th Anniversary Celebration: Honouring Fifty Years of Leadership, Research, and Service ($1,000)
The purpose of this gathering is to celebrate the history of PDK-UBC Chapter, re-establish connections with University of British Columbia, and recognize those who have given generously through leadership, research, and service. The event is being held in Vancourver, British Columbia.
2009-10 Project Grant Recipients
Flint Hills Kansas #0106 - FEA Incubation Project ($200)
The purpose of this project is to strengthen the ongoing partnership between PDK Flint Hills chapter and the new FEA Emporia High School chapter. The goal is to stimulate interest in pre-collegiate teaching and career development. Additionally, the project will support the current membership recruitment and retention efforts by fostering a means of bringing PDK greater exposure, resulting in increased membership.
Las Vegas Nevada #1113 – First-Year Teachers Growing Through Experience ($1,150)
The purpose of the project is to conduct a research study of first-year elementary school teachers in the Las Vegas area. The researchers hope to identify components that advance and inhibit growth of first-year teachers. The goal of the project is to produce a publishable study that will be of assistance to districts in the recruitment and retention of teachers.
Pine Belt Area #0075- Pine Belt Outreach ($1,000)
The purpose of this project is to establish viable PDK community college centers under the Pine Belt chapter membership roll. The community college serves as the bridge from high school future educators to university education transfers. Our goal is to provide a seamless transition for future educators from high school to university graduation to entrance into the profession.
University of Nebraska/Lincoln #0015 – Growing Partners: UNL-PDK, LPS, PLCs, FEA, and SEA ($1,000)
PDK-UNL’s purpose for sponsoring this workshop is to become more closely aligned with and partner with Lincoln Public Schools (LPS). The aim is to enhance collegial relationships between PDK members and LPS staff.
University of San Diego #1601 – Project Invite and Involve ($975)
This project aims to involve and engage recent graduates entering the teaching field. This grant will provide financial support by providing subsidized PDK memberships. Fellow PDK members will provide leadership and guidance throughout the first year of teaching. Also, graduates will have the opportunity to attend programs offered by the University of San Diego School of Leadership and Educational Sciences. Graduates will be encouraged to continue their membership after the subsidy has ended.