The Daughters of the American Revolution recently awarded three Helen Pouch Memorial Fund Classroom grants to local Montana teachers. Each teacher will receive $500 for a project they submitted for consideration. The teachers are Ingrid Jaynes who is a teacher at Helena High School, Karen Allen who is a teacher at Cascade Elementary, and Levi Van Zee who is a teacher at Townsend Public School. A brief description of their projects is explained below.
Ingrid’s project will focus on students examining the history of the loom, particularly how women used weaving to support the economy and provide materials like cloth for soldiers. The lesson will integrate historical analysis, discussion, and hands-on activities, such as simulating weaving techniques in the classroom. Ingrid was sponsored by the Oro Fino Chapter in Helena.
Karen’s project is an indoor garden in her first-grade classroom. She will teach students about the environment and how humans interact with nature. Students will understand ecosystems, plant life cycles, and the role of animals and insects in agriculture. Karen was sponsored by the Black Eagle-Assinniboine in Great Falls.
Levi’s project involves engineering projects for each of the six simple machines to his 6th grade STEAM class. He will use the funds to purchase kits that provide pulleys, levers, wheels, and axles for building and testing projects. Levi was sponsored by the Milk River Chapter in Glasgow.
Congratulations to all three teachers and their innovate approaches to teaching. If you are interested in applying for one of these grants, please contact Veronica Bovee-Anderson at vbovee@msn.com. The new grant cycle is open from August 15 through October 15, 2025.
By Gale Kramlick, Chapter Regent, Oro Fino Chapter, Daughters of the American Revolution: September 9, 2025 – Great Falls, Mt
