Excellence in Education Grants for
McHenry County Teachers
Do you need a way to fund unique activities for your students? The McHenry County Retired Teachers Association is working toward the future by offering grant money to PreK-12 public school educators in McHenry County.
How the Program Works
Excellence in Education grants will provide additional funds, enabling students to participate in special projects. These enduring projects should impact students year after year. Please download an application at www.mcrhernryrta.org and submit between August 1, 2025 and November 30, 2025. Grants will be announced in January 2026. Each grant is limited to $750.
What Qualifies for an Excellence in Education Grant
Suggested materials include, but are not limited to:
- Trade Books to support specific projects or related curriculum
- High interest books to support student reading
- Manipulatives and interactive materials to support STEM
- Reference books
- Learning games
- Digital cameras
- Software
How to Apply
Interested teachers may apply beginning in August 2025. Please visit the McHenry County Retired Teachers Association website at www.mchenryrta.org to download the application. Completed applications should be sent to:
Peggy Hart
951 Victoria Drive
Woodstock, IL 60098
[email protected]
All applications must be received electronically or postmarked between August 1, 2025 and November 30, 2025. Awards will be announced in January 2026.
2024-25 Grant Recipients
The McHenry County Retired Teachers Association is pleased to announce the winners of the 2024-25 Excellence in Education Awards. These monetary awards provide funds to support classroom projects that further enhance the educational goals of the students. This year the MCRTA was able to fund or partially fund ALL the submissions that it received. The winning projects:
The winning projects:
Brenda Poisson Director of Learning Media Center and Susan O’Brien Learning Resource Paraprofessional from Hilltop Elementary School in McHenry applied for money to purchase trade books for their 3rd grade book club.
Jodie Moore, K-3 Life Skills Teacher at Crosby Elementary School in Harvard, used her award to create additional sensory boxes to use with her special needs students.
Christine Ruggles K-3 Music Teacher at Crosby Elementary School in Harvard used her money to purchase instruments to support the Orff music program at her school.
Dr. Carol Bristol, a K-3 teacher at Crosby Elementary School in Harvard, will purchase digital cameras with her award so the students can create digital portfolios.
Theresa Dalton, a K-3 Reading Intervention Teacher at Hilltop Elementary McHenry. will purchase a variety of trade books that relate to Social, Emotional Learning topics for students in grades K-3.
Maggie Sullivan, 3rd grade Dual Language teacher at Mary Endres Elementary in Woodstock will use her award to purchase a collection of books in both Spanish and English to stimulate reading at home with parents.
Jodie Wickenkamp, a K-8 teacher at Landmark Elementary in McHenry, will purchase the program, Story Champs. Story Champs is a systematic and explicit language program that supports story structure, sequencing stories, and answering basic and inferential questions
Sara Hesemann, a 3-5 teacher at Johnsburg Elementary in Johnsburg, will be using her money to buy a collection of books, representing traits such as respect, responsibility, gratitude, courage etc.
Tim Yoder, is a PreK- 8 teacher at Harrison School in Wonder Lake. He will be purchasing books in order to start a Dungeons and Dragons Club at school that will focus on promoting camaraderie, teamwork, social skills, problem-solving, and critical thinking.
Maria Mercado is a 2nd grade Spanish dual language teacher at Crosby Elementary in Harvard. She will use the money to purchase Spanish Language small group materials to generate excitement and motivation for reading.
Melissa Frederick is a K-5 Art Teacher at Algonquin Road Elementary in Fox River Grove. She will be purchasing a collection of books that emphasizes creativity, diversity, and the power of imagination.
The McHenry County Retired Teachers Association is pleased to announce the winners of the 2024-25 Excellence in Education Awards. These monetary awards provide funds to support classroom projects that further enhance the educational goals of the students. This year the MCRTA was able to fund or partially fund ALL the submissions that it received. The winning projects:
The winning projects:
Brenda Poisson Director of Learning Media Center and Susan O’Brien Learning Resource Paraprofessional from Hilltop Elementary School in McHenry applied for money to purchase trade books for their 3rd grade book club.
Jodie Moore, K-3 Life Skills Teacher at Crosby Elementary School in Harvard, used her award to create additional sensory boxes to use with her special needs students.
Christine Ruggles K-3 Music Teacher at Crosby Elementary School in Harvard used her money to purchase instruments to support the Orff music program at her school.
Dr. Carol Bristol, a K-3 teacher at Crosby Elementary School in Harvard, will purchase digital cameras with her award so the students can create digital portfolios.
Theresa Dalton, a K-3 Reading Intervention Teacher at Hilltop Elementary McHenry. will purchase a variety of trade books that relate to Social, Emotional Learning topics for students in grades K-3.
Maggie Sullivan, 3rd grade Dual Language teacher at Mary Endres Elementary in Woodstock will use her award to purchase a collection of books in both Spanish and English to stimulate reading at home with parents.
Jodie Wickenkamp, a K-8 teacher at Landmark Elementary in McHenry, will purchase the program, Story Champs. Story Champs is a systematic and explicit language program that supports story structure, sequencing stories, and answering basic and inferential questions
Sara Hesemann, a 3-5 teacher at Johnsburg Elementary in Johnsburg, will be using her money to buy a collection of books, representing traits such as respect, responsibility, gratitude, courage etc.
Tim Yoder, is a PreK- 8 teacher at Harrison School in Wonder Lake. He will be purchasing books in order to start a Dungeons and Dragons Club at school that will focus on promoting camaraderie, teamwork, social skills, problem-solving, and critical thinking.
Maria Mercado is a 2nd grade Spanish dual language teacher at Crosby Elementary in Harvard. She will use the money to purchase Spanish Language small group materials to generate excitement and motivation for reading.
Melissa Frederick is a K-5 Art Teacher at Algonquin Road Elementary in Fox River Grove. She will be purchasing a collection of books that emphasizes creativity, diversity, and the power of imagination.
PAST GRANT WINNERS ARE LISTED UNDER HISTORY TAB. TAKE A LOOK!