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By JOYANNA LOVE/ Senior Staff Writer

The Chilton Education Foundation is making its yearly visits to schools surprising teachers selected to receive Partners Enhancing Education in Chilton County grants.

At Clanton Intermediate, teachers Haley Lively and Angela Tignor were awarded grants.

Tignor received $400 to use for books for her classroom library. She said the funds will purchase three classroom sets of nonfiction titles. Topics will include history, U.S. presidents and social studies.

“I want to instill a passion for reading in my classroom,” Tignor said. “One of the biggest obstacles is the lack books in which my young adults can relate to and read independently. If I am able to purchase books for my classroom, I will be able to teach my students how to think critically about a text and make connections to the real world.”

Haley Lively, art teach for the school, received $100 for art smocks for her students. She said the award was a “nice surprise.” Lively teaches all of the students in the school. She said it was her first time to apply for a PEECh grant after hearing about the opportunity from others at the school. Lively is in her fifth year teaching at the school, but this is her first year teaching art

The PEECh grants focus on funding items for teachers that can be used for multiple years. Applications are open to every school in the district and a committee selects recipients based on the foundation’s guidelines.