Innovators
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, ITEF did not offer 2021 Innovator grants.
2020 Innovators
2020
Crossroads College Preparatory School
$47,097
3-GENERATIONS TECH
Middle school students will partner with an elderly community to share life stories and experiences, then create vlogs and podcasts. The students will teach their older partners about social media and technology through the use of iPads.
Festus RVI School District
$62,029
HIDDEN IN PLAIN SITE
K-12 students will restore the Mount Zion cemetery, preserving an element of early African American history in Jefferson County. The project will identify, memorialize, and celebrate the people buried in Mount Zion while honoring the historical significance.
Griffith Elementary School
$79,208
GRIFFITH ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
Third-fifth grade students will participate in a social-emotional learning-based initiative focused on financial awareness, environmental systems, and a robotic healthy lifestyle model. The project integrates mathematics and reading goals.
2019 Innovators
Margaret Buerkle Middle School
$60,392
#HANDNHAND
Connecting students to community organizations as a vehicle to increase empathy and compassion through innovative uses of technology.
Notre Dame High School
$46,505
VARSITY ESPORTS LAB
The use of desktop computing to create a varsity Esports Lab.
Sister Thea Bowman Catholic School
$46,200
OPERATION GREEN SCHOOL
Project-based field learning to increase student-initiated green practices.
The Fulton School
$56,354
INNOVATIVE PARTNERSHIPS WITH NON-PROFITS
Student and community-based collaboration to collect, analyze and catalogue data.
2018 Innovators
Festus Middle School
$22,500
POLLINATOR’S PARADISE
Student-designed project utilizing the engineering design process to create habitat for pollinators in order to remediate annual mosquito invasion.
Hodgen Tech Elementary School
$49,000
RENOVATED LEARNING
Incorporating a new approach to teaching and learning in a state of the art makers space/robotics lab.
City Montessori Adolescent Program
$23,000
FUSE STUDIO
Fuse Studio is an engaging and activity-based STEAM program which provides challenging activities in a self-directed learning environment.
Miriam Academy
$30,000
MIRIAM ACADEMY TELEVISION STUDIO
MATV is a multi-media video recording and editing studio that offers students hands-on opportunities to explore and learn video production.
Sumner High School
$60,000
SUMNER STREAMING STARTUP
Sumner Streaming is a student-led online network which will showcase student-created content in six learning areas.
The Biome School
$51,000
ENGAGING CHILDREN IN LITERACY THROUGH PROJECT BASED VIDEO GAME DESIGN
Using Bloxels, an inventive video game creation tool, students will use bloxels to tell student created stories.
2017 Innovators
Adams Elementary (SLPS)
$35,000
ROOTED IN STEM
A hands-on, experiential project which integrates technology into school garden management.
Forder Elementary
$50,000
TWO STARS TO THE RIGHT, STRAIGHT ON TO LEARNING
This project uses field missions to excite, inform and ignite intellectual curiosity and includes students, family, and community. Check out this highlight article on Page 8!
Lift for Life
$46,200
BUILDING PERSPECTIVE & EMPATHY THROUGH 21ST CENTURY PHOTOGRAPHY
Using photography as a vehicle to explore empathy and community with the support of professional photographers. CHECK OUT THE SPARK PAGE!
Ritenour School District
$66,000
PROJECT-BASED LEARNING: EMPOWERING STUDENTS TO IMPROVE THEIR WORLD
Mobile themed carts to ignite project-based learning while introducing a variety of problem-solving experiences to students.
The Soulard School
$28,000
SOW, GROW, VIDEO
Using the culinary arts program as a path to hands-on learning about food, food systems, and growing cycles.
Walbridge Elementary (SLPS)
$62,000
WILDCATS INNOVATION LAB
Creating a STEAM space to encourage student collaboration and foster student curiosity.
2016 Innovators
BRYAN HILL ELEMENTARY (SLPS)
$68,000
The Junior Journalism Project
A student-led, weekly news segment designed to develop student voice and communication skills.
CENTRAL VISUAL & PERFORMING ARTS HIGH SCHOOL (SLPS)
$60,000
Inform, Investigate and Inspire
A digital portfolio project and on-site recording studio.
Northview Elementary
$13,604
STEAM over the Digital Divide
A technology-based music education program, using digital apps to augment traditional instruments and increase exposure to composition.
METRO EAST MONTESSORI
$41,000
The FarMaker Space
A farm experience designed to teach problem-solving in an agriculture-centered environment.
SUNRISE R-IX SCHOOL DISTRICT (DESOTO, MO)
$60,000
STEM-RISE Agriculture Lab
A STEM program for K-8th grades that applies STEM concepts to farming. WHERE ARE THEY NOW?
2015 Innovators
Buder Elementary in the Ritenour school district
$53,253
ILEARN: ADVANCING EDUCATION WITH STEAM
Buder Elementary has developed a film production and digital storytelling program for all K-5 students which bridges the learning gap to the digital media and video production programs offered in the Ritenour High Schools. Outcomes: Increase student learning and engagement through multimedia projects.
Crossroad College Preparatory School
$65,747.97
INNOVATIVE & ETHICAL SOLUTIONS THROUGH CREATIVE WORK IN THE MAKERSPACE
Using design thinking, students in grades 7 – 9 will employ empathy, a tenant of the Crossroads mission to guide their work and exploration in a Makerspace.
Outcomes: To inspire students for continued exploration in the STEM fields.
Outcomes: To inspire students for continued exploration in the STEM fields.
Immanuel Lutheran School (ILS)
$33,501
IMMANUEL LUTHERAN SCHOOL (ILS) ROBOTICS PROGRAM
In order to increase the number of young students exposed to STEM, Immanuel Lutheran has created a robotics program for all students in grades 3 – 8 that include opportunities to solve engineering challenges and program robotics as a regular part the science curriculum. The program also extends intensive robotics learning opportunities for teachers. Outcomes: Students will participate in robotics projects and develop knowledge and skills related to STEM content.
Bonus: IL will partner with River Roads Lutheran to bring robotics to underserved students.
Bonus: IL will partner with River Roads Lutheran to bring robotics to underserved students.
Rockwood School District
$69,649
THE MOBILE INNOVATION CENTER
Rockwood School District is launching the Mobile Innovation Center, a converted RV, to bring purposefully designed challenges, which use 3D printers, modeling and design software, robotics and Makerspace equipment to elementary schools within the Rockwood School District. Outcomes: To increase early exposure and access to STEM education.Outcomes: To inspire students for continued exploration in the STEM fields. WHERE ARE THEY NOW?
The Soulard School
$63,831
THE TOTAL WELLNESS PROJECT
The Soulard School is bringing the Total Wellness Project to its K-5 students. The project addresses the need for holistic learning with an integrated curriculum, connecting health and wellness to larger curriculum goals. Students will use individual polar active monitors to track personal fitness, nutrition and sleep patterns. Outcomes: Students will increase activity time and technological literacy.
Notre Dame High School
$61,080
INNOVATIVE WAYS TO ENCOURAGE STEAM CAREERS- 3D PRINTING
Notre Dame High School is rolling out a cross-discipline collaboration between the Math, Visual Arts and Marketing departments. Students will start with advanced mathematical functions and develop them into visual, actual 3D forms using computer-assisted design. The Visual Arts and Marketing Departments will take the forms and use them to teach design, functionality and market research. Outcomes: Students will develop logical thinking and problem solving strategies.
2014 Innovators
Hazelwood Central High School
$54,490.56
THE FLIPPED CLASSROOM
Two geometry teachers pilot the flipped classroom, a pedagogical model in which the typical lecture and homework elements of a course are reversed. Video lectures are viewed by students at home before attending class, and in-class time is devoted to exercises, projects, or discussions. This innovative classroom uses a variety of technology to increase student interest, motivation and aptitude.
Sappington Elementary
$73,222
IGNITING A PASSION FOR STEM: THE LIBRARY MAKERSPACE
Sappington Elementary redesigns its library space to create a collaborative, technology fueled Makerspace. Included in the Makerspace is the opportunity for students to participate in problem-based learning incorporating technology projects, robotics, coding, 3-D printing and more.
Loyola Academy
$70,000
STEAM INTEGRATION THROUGH TECHNOLOGY
Using an interdisciplinary approach, this innovator uses an enhanced STEAM curriculum to immerse their students in an academic environment that prepares them for a successful future. “STEAM Team” teachers develop projects designed to incorporate multiple subject areas, and integrate technology resources.
Saint Louis University High School
$39,308
BRINGING ROBOTICS TO CITY CATHOLIC SCHOOLS
Funding from ITEF allows Saint Louis University High School to establish a Robotics lab to support their school Robotics program, and a community outreach initiative, which lets SLUH students to go into area Catholic middle schools to inspire students to explore robotics.
Sister Thea Bowman Catholic School
$65,000
TECHNOLOGY FOR CRITICAL THINKING AND PROBLEM SOLVING
A major technology upgrade increases student and staff use and access to technology learning tools, and introduction to robotics. These innovative educators raise student motivation and interest levels through active use of technology incorporating critical thinking and problem based learning.
Marian Middle School
$56,635
STEM PROGRAMMING IN UNDERREPRESENTED POPULATIONS
Marian Middle School sustain and strengthen its STEM programming by updating technology to increase student access to innovative tools. Graphing calculators, updated computers, and LEGO MINDSTORMS education sets are integrated into the STEM program to promote learning for the girls at Marian Middle School.
2013 Innovators
Buder Elementary
$67,993
USING THE ARTS TO TEACH STEM
In the Ritenour School District, an ITEF grant helps transform arts education by integrating STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Math). In this multi-grade, multi-year project, students use Apple iPads, MacBooks, LEGO® Robotics and Story Starters to increase understanding of literacy, math, engineering, robotics and computer programming while enhancing their creative thinking and understanding of the arts. Some students learn about Shakespeare and make stop-motion animations of famous scenes. Others study mythology, research a chosen character then create a digital presentation for their class. Above all, these students are fully engaged with STEAM while using art as a core.
Lutheran High School Center for Immersive Learning
$24,108
SHARING LOVE FOR ROBOTICS
The LHS Center for Immersive Learning (CIL) is an extracurricular activity that teaches students advanced math, engineering and science through robotics, with the help and support of mentors and faculty advisors. The CIL program is already wildly popular with LHS students: the school’s favorite “mascot” is a T-shirt throwing robot — built by students — that slings shirts to fans at home football games. Now, through the grant, the program has added 3D elements – computer modeling with high-definition visualizations, printing, digitizing and Virtual Reality immersion methods, enabling the students to do even more and succeed in robotics competitions. WATCH THE “SHARING LOVE FOR ROBOTICS” VIDEO
Francis Howell School District
$108,723
CONNECTIVITY ON BUSES AND AT HOME
This grant connects high school students to the Internet when they are at home by providing remote access points (RAPs) that they can check out from the library. Thanks to ITEF, secondary students who lack Internet access at home can now log in on a temporary, as-needed basis. As FHSD expands its use of web-based curriculum, assessment and instruction, these access points and devices will play a critical role in student success.
The grant also allows FHSD to provide web access and devices on school buses. This maximizes learning for students, with long bus rides. Students log on to tablet computers with apps that support student literacy and numeracy skills. Partnered with their bus service provider, the tablets are checked in and out to students daily and used during the school day for intervention or extension activities. The apps on the devices are the only programs that students can access. The students are given certain tasks or assignments while classroom teachers and parents check them for completion and accuracy. Schools then use these reports to prepare lessons, view individual student achievement and more effectively meet the needs of the students.Bonus: IL will partner with River Roads Lutheran to bring robotics to underserved students.