Florida DKG Educational Foundation
2026 Professional Development Award Recipients
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Carol Dumas
Crystal River, Florida Crystal River High School Attending: Certified Certiport Educator Conference Nashville, Tennessee |
Carol Dumas teaches digital information technology as well as business and entrepreneurial principles to students in grades 9-12 at Crystal River High School which is part of the Citrus County School System. This summer, Carol will attend the “Certified Certiport Educator Conference” in Nashville, Tennessee. Carol states that “in Career and Technical Education (CTE), industry certifications are a major part of her curriculum.” The conference is designed to bring together educators, administrators, and industry experts to foster collaboration and strengthen instructional strategies that support students in preparing for both college and future careers. Through participation in the conference, Carol aims to earn new certifications and acquire innovative teaching techniques that will help her students become career ready. She also plans to share the strategies she acquires with fellow CTE teachers, further enhancing the quality of education within her school and district. Carol Dumas is a DKG member of Mu Chapter.
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Sharon Thomas
Lakeland, Florida Sleepy Hill Elementary School Attending: Ron Clark Academy Experience Atlanta, Georgia |
Sharon Thomas is a Reading Interventionist and Title One Facilitator at Sleepy Hill Elementary School in Lakeland, Florida. In November 2026, she will attend the “Ron Clark Experience (RCA EXP)” at the Omni Atlanta Hotel at Centennial Park, Atlanta, Georgia. Sharon works daily with a dedicated group of 40 students from grades K – 5. She aims to apply strategies from the seminar to demonstrate a direct link between these methods and to foster a learning environment that is both enjoyable and engaging. As a member of the leadership team at Sleepy Hill Elementary, Sharon provides ongoing professional development for the staff. She plans to share the Ron Clark methods with her colleagues, aiming to enhance student engagement and support their success in the classroom. Sharon Thomas is a DKG member of Lambda Chapter
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2026 Educational Grant Recipients
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Elliott Arpin
Dunnellon, Florida Dunnellon High School Project: The Key to Success is a Magical Keyboard |
Elliott Arpin has been awarded the FLDKGEF Educational Grant for his project "The Key to Success is a Magical Keyboard" Elliott is the music director at Dunnellon High School in Dunnellon, Florida. Dunnellon High School is a Title I school, where funding for non-academic curriculum needs is limited. According to Elliott, “The last time he had a high-quality electronic keyboard was when one was donated to the school. Unfortunately, that keyboard has since ceased to function. The acquisition of a state-of-the-art keyboard supports all on-site school performances and used for off-site engagements. The equipment benefits students in grades 9 through 12. Elliott notes, “As both the size and proficiency level of the student musicians grow, then the quality of the equipment becomes increasingly important.”
UPDATE: New Keyboard at Dunnellon High School
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Nancy Bentz
Florida Training for 10 Florida Schools Project: Be a Buddy |
Nancy Bentz has been awarded the FLDKGEF Educational Grant for her project “Be a Buddy”. This initiative introduces the “Be a Buddy” program and provides online training for ten (10) educators to implement the project in schools across Florida. Working with Nancy in the training mode is her project co-creator Loverly Sheridan. Using Zoom, Nancy and Loverly train educators on the “Be a Buddy” curriculum which is a behavior intervention program.
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The project MISSION statement is:
Students will learn character traits that foster a culture of kindness, empathy, compassion, and inclusion within and beyond educational institutions. Teachers, counselors, and/or afterschool staff will be trained to promote the “Buddy” mission using 19 lessons. Each lesson has an objective that meets the mission. Such topics include how to recognize a bully, random acts of kindness, standing up for others, effects of bullies, how to be kind to yourself, affirmations, how to be a peacemaker, building healthy relationships, and creating boundaries. Students are given a simple pre- and post- questionnaire to facilitate the measurement of their growth. Each lesson includes a discussion on a character topic, an implicit activity such as role play with scenarios, and games and activities that go along with the objective. Nancy Bentz is a DKG member of Beta Xi Chapter and current DKG Florida State Organization Bylaws Chair. |
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Karen Krawchuk
Minneola, Florida Minneola Charter School Project: Exploring Florida |
Karen Krawchuck has been awarded the FLDKGEF Educational Grant for her project “Exploring Florida”, which is designed to enhance learning about the state of Florida for 40 kindergarten students. The curriculum includes lessons on identifying Florida on a map, understanding the state flag, its nickname, indigenous and endangered animal species, weather patterns, terrain, and distinctive features of the region. Students will maintain science journals with weekly entries focused on Florida’s climatic conditions, wildlife and plant life They will be assigned an animal to learn more about. Students choose an animal to research and deliver a class presentation to share their findings. The program concludes with a visit to Homosassa Springs State Park in November 2026, allowing students the opportunity to observe their chosen animals firsthand. The grant covers expected cost for transportation and park admission for students.
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Marilyn Lay
St. Cloud, Florida Neptune Middle School Project: Starbooks Café |
Marilyn Lay has been awarded the FLDKGEF Educational Grant for her project “Starbooks Café”. Marilyn is a teacher/mentor of 6th - 8th grade students at Neptune Middle School in Kissimmee Florida. Her project supports the student-run “Coffee Shop”. The grant funding enables Marilyn to purchase essential supplies and resources to keep the Starbooks Café operational, such as a coffee maker, toaster oven, coffee, coffee, tea, hot cocoa mix, lemonade mix, cups, bakery items and more. The provisions support the ongoing operation of the café, enabling students responsible for its management to prepare beverages and baked goods, serve their peers, and maintain inventory and cleanliness. The project increases student confidence and fosters leadership skills by encouraging students to take ownership of the café's daily operations. Marilyn Lay is a DKG member of Beta Eta Chapter.
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Brittani Mandrell Miami Gardens, FL The Light Preparatory Academy Project: STREAM Horizons |
Brittani Mandrell has been awarded the FLDKGEF Educational Grant for her project, “STREAM Horizons”. She serves as a curriculum support specialist within the Miami-Dade County School System and holds positions as both a board member and education committee lead at The Light Preparatory Academy in Miami Gardens, Florida. The objective of the “STREAM Horizons” project is to enhance the school’s current curriculum by incorporating high-quality, tactile STREAM (Science, Technology, Reading and Writing, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics) resources into daily Montessori work cycles and expanding the STREAM Saturday’s program. On the second Saturday of each month, students participate in “Grand Challenges”—collaborative, large-scale engineering and art projects designed to encourage the application of mathematical concepts and literacy skills to address real-world issues. The grant funding facilitates the acquisition of STREAM kits (Robotics, Hydroponics, Structural Engineering), thereby supporting the development of a permanent STREAM Resource Library for use by all staff members to integrate STREAM components into the curriculum. Brittani is a DKG member of Pi Chapter.
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Cindy Millar Sarasota, Florida Mothers Helping Mothers Project: Imagine, Learn, and Grow |
Cindy Millar has been awarded the FLDKGEF Educational Grant for her project “Imagine, Learn, and Grow”. This project supports the “Mothers Helping Mothers” organization serving Sarasota, Manatee County. The organization assists toddlers and preschoolers in the region whose families are homeless, low-income, or single-parent households. The number of children supported by the organization varies at any given time. The funding from the grant has provided essential furniture and age-appropriate, developmentally suitable materials such as stacking toys, magnetic blocks, building sets and sensory exploration tools, all of which help promote early learning and foundational STEM skills. Cindy Millar is a DKG member of Gamma Upsilon Chapter.
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Terrye Mosley
Jacksonville, Florida Pablo Creek Regional Library Project: Books Build RELATIONships |
Terrye Mosley has been awarded the FLDKGEF Educational Grant for her project, “Books Build RELATIONships”. This project is dedicated to advancing literacy among 25 students in grades K-3 through shared information, interactive activities, and active collaboration with educators, parents, surrogate parents, extended family members, and other community professionals. The project is designed to enhance literacy development for young learners by engaging multiple stakeholders in meaningful partnerships. Sessions will take place at Pablo Creek Regional Library. Registered participants will receive high-quality book bags and two new books utilized during the program. Terrye Mosley is a DKG member of Alpha Beta Chapter.
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Kara Stocker
Largo, Florida Largo Middle IB World School Project: Build Your Own Textbook |
Kara Stocker has been awarded the FLDKGEF Educational Grant for her project “Build Your Own Textbook”. Kara, a Science teacher at Largo Middle IB World School in Largo, FL, designed this initiative to address the absence of a traditional hardbound science curriculum textbook within her district. The project will provide students with a tangible, structured, paper-based system for referencing previous lessons, laboratory activities, and notes, thereby supporting their comprehension and long-term retention of Florida Science standards while also enhancing organizational skills. The "Build Your Own Textbook" program will serve approximately 150 science students at Largo Middle and is scheduled for implementation beginning in August 2026, continuing throughout the 2026-2027 academic year. Each participating student will be supplied with a binder and dividers to systematically organize all science curriculum materials.
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Lesley Wickboldt
Yankeetown, Florida Yankeetown School Project: Curriculum Canteen |
Lesley Wickboldt has been awarded the FLDKGEF Educational Grant for her project “Curriculum Canteen”. The goal of the project is to help bridge any gaps kindergarten students may have between theoretical instruction and real‑world application. Lesley will use funds to purchase supplies for three interactive learning stations: the Collaborative Kitchen, the Mock Grocery Store, and the Creative Art Center. Each center will incorporate a structured activity. For the Collaborative Kitchen Station activity, “Collaborative “Family Meal” Role Play, Lesley will purchase a kids’ play set of kitchen accessories. The Mock Grocery Station activity, “Shop and Solve” Math Challenge”, will require the purchase of wooden grocery store products, and the Creative Art Center activity “Menu & Currency Design” will need various art supplies such as watercolor paint sets, paintbrush sets, drawing paper, washable markers, and a three-sided activity easel for students to use. To support learning center organization for the three stations, Lesley will purchase a wooden toy shelf for storing necessary materials and supplies. The project was designed to help students at this age master foundational skills in a highly engaging learning environment. The project will be implemented with the 17 kindergarten students currently enrolled in Lesley’s class. Going forward, she will continue to implement this project annually with the kindergarten students she teaches. Lesley Wickboldt is a DKG member in Gamma Iota Chapter.
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Jennifer Wilson
Plantation, Florida Tequesta Trace Middle School Project: Beyond the Book: Bringing Life Science to Life with Labs |
Jennifer Wilson has been awarded the FLDKGEF Educational Grant for her project “Beyond the Book: Bringing Life Science to Life with Labs”. She teaches 7th grade Science at Tequesta Trace Middle School in Weston, Florida. This project will have an impact on her 7th grade students by using hands-on activities to enhance vocabulary and content knowledge of life science. Jennifer will purchase items such as literacy-based scientific investigation kits, organism classification cards, microscope slides, and scientific simulations and/or experiments. Her students will work together in small groups to demonstrate and grow their knowledge of the variety of middle school life science skills and standards. The curriculum will encompass subjects such as fossil analysis, photosynthesis modeling, CO2 exhalation measurement, and microscopic cell observation under a microscope. Jennifer is excited to have funding for hands-on materials that will allow her to make science relatable, real and fun for her students. Jennifer Wilson is a DKG member from Beta Alpha Chapter.
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Elizabeth Youngs
Melbourne, Florida Viera High School Project: Forensic Anthropology |
Elizabeth Youngs has been awarded the FLDKGEF Educational Grant for her project “Forensic Anthropology”. Elizabeth teaches and coordinates Forensic Science courses at Viera High School. The Forensic Science I and II courses include standards related to human skulls. In Forensic Science II, students study skull anatomy and learn to identify sex and ancestry based on skeletal features. The course also teaches students to use tools to collect, analyze, and interpret data and to support conclusions with evidence and reasoning. Funding for this project will support the purchase of six human skull models representing male and female individuals of European, Asian, and African ancestry. Students will examine the skulls to identify distinguishing characteristics, build vocabulary related to skull features, and use calipers to measure specific traits to determine sex and ancestry. These materials will be used in the Forensic Science II curriculum and shared with other forensic science educators at the school. Elizabeth Youngs is a DKG member in Delta Eta Chapter
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Past Grant & Award Recipients
Thank you for your interest in the Florida DKG Educational Foundation Professional Development Award and Educational Grant.
Last Update: May 2026
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