In fall of 2020, Elizabeth Pearson wrote a grant to the Marion Independent School Foundation to support the purchase of eBooks and audiobooks for Marion High School. The original goal of this project was to increase access for high school students to a variety of eBooks and audiobooks they could access at home, school, or elsewhere whether they were in person learners or remote learners.
We are excited to share that this grant was funded! According to Elizabeth Pearson, she has increased promotion of online materials to students since implementing this program.
Students in a 9th grade literacy class commented that they like Mackinvia (the online book platform) because “they like having audio versions and could never lose their books.” Instructor Ms. Jeffrey said, “I like having Mackinvia as an option in my classroom because students cannot lose their books or acquire late fees if they do not return the books on time, it is simple to renew books (just one click), and the audio options provide extra support to my students who struggle with reading comprehension.”
The Marion Foundation’s grant program provides teachers an opportunity to receive funding for projects that benefit students in the Marion Independent School District. Grants are made possible because of generous contributions the Foundation receives throughout the year from both businesses and individuals as well as a number of educational funds that are invested with the Foundation for long-term benefit.