2026-2027 LEF Grants
Building Engineers | Liberty Middle School
Educator: Laura Perryn, 6/7th Grade Science Teacher
Science gets hands-on at Liberty Middle School! Students will use LEGO Education Science kits to design solutions to real-world challenges while strengthening teamwork, communication, and problem-solving skills. Along the way, more than 500 students will get to think, build, test, and learn like engineers.
Edible Learning Orchard | EPiC Elementary
Educators: Miranda Miles (1st Grade), Erin McKenzie (1st Grade), Becca Hansen (2nd grade), Courtney Burgess (2nd grade)
EPiC Elementary is turning an underused outdoor space into a living classroom. Students will plant, care for, study, and eventually harvest fruit trees and edible plants while exploring science, sustainability, food systems, data collection, and environmental stewardship. Created in partnership with the EPiC PTA, the orchard will provide hands-on learning opportunities for approximately 300 students each year.
Opera Iowa | Manor Hill Elementary
Educator: Michelle Schwinger, Music
Manor Hill students will experience the magic of live performance when Opera Iowa comes to their school. Students will learn firsthand about the many elements that bring a production to life, from costuming and makeup to lighting and performance, before experiencing a live opera right in their own building.
THRIVE Badging | Discovery Middle School
Educator: Olivia Daley, Innovation and Learning Coach
Discovery Middle School students will have a new way to recognize and demonstrate the skills they are building throughout middle school. Using evidence of their learning, students will reflect on their growth and earn badges as they demonstrate proficiency in skills from the LPS Graduate Profile. The experience will help students build meaningful skill portfolios and learn to communicate how their experiences are preparing them for what comes next.
Mindfulness with Mrs. M | Lillian Schumacher Elementary
Educator: Sandra Meinders, CARE/Recovery Room
Through yoga and mindfulness, students at Lillian Schumacher will have opportunities to pause, recharge, and develop healthy strategies for managing stress and improving focus. The project is designed to help students build body awareness, confidence, and habits they can use both in and outside of school.
Tracks, Trails, and Tides: How Missouri Moved West | Kellybrook Elementary
Educator: Ashleigh Robinson, 3rd Grade
Third graders at Kellybrook will bring their study of Westward Expansion to life with a visit to the Arabia Steamboat Museum. By seeing authentic historical artifacts and exploring the role steamboats played in westward migration, students can make connections that go far beyond what they encounter in a textbook or on a screen.