Fauquier Education Foundation awards nearly $18K in grants to 10 local educators | News

The Fauquier Education Foundation has awarded $17,810 in professional development grants to 10 educators across the county for 2025, the organization announced in a news release.

The grants, part of the foundation’s annual Educator Professional Development program, are intended to support teachers and administrators in enhancing their skills across a wide range of educational fields.

This year’s recipients include four school librarians who, according to the foundation, “demonstrated the importance of public school libraries through the impact of their expanded services.”

Two Liberty High School librarians, Jeanne Converse and Haf Corbin, will attend the American Association of School Librarians’ 2025 National Conference in St. Louis this fall. Linda Hume from Brumfield Elementary and April Stanyer from Mary Walter Elementary will attend the American Library Association’s 2025 Annual Conference in Philadelphia in June.

“These conferences [are] opportunities to bring home fresh ideas and best practices to their school libraries, which in addition to literacy, promote technology, high-quality research skills, and collaboration with classroom teachers,” the foundation stated.

Two elementary school counselors, Nicole Dearborn of P.B. Smith Elementary and Cheryl James of Greenville Elementary, will attend the American School Counselor Association’s 2025 Annual Conference in California in July.

“Mental health practices have been increasingly in the spotlight in the post-pandemic era; these two women look forward to learning from mental health professionals with expertise across various disciplines to guide them in their counseling roles,” the release states.

Two teachers from Kettle Run High School also received grant awards. Michael Pickett, recognized as a Gold Star Finance teacher, will attend the W!SE Money Power Conference in New York City in December. Art teacher Tisha Burke will participate in the EF Go Ahead Tour in Italy this summer, joining peers from across the field of art education.

Additionally, Emily Fenner, the school division’s mentorship and coaching supervisor, and Sarah Terwilliger, supervisor for professional learning, will use their grants to pursue certification as executive coaches.

“The knowledge gained will help them to grow and improve a coaching program for administrators and teachers that supports their continued growth as educators,” the foundation said.

The Fauquier Excellence in Education Foundation, a nonprofit with more than 40 years of service, has awarded over $500,000 to hundreds of educators through its various initiatives.