WHEELING, W.Va. – The Community Foundation for the Ohio Valley (CFOV) is pleased to announce the recipients of the Fall 2026 Expand Energy STEM Grants, supporting innovative classroom projects that bring science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) learning to life for students across the Ohio Valley.
This grant cycle, CFOV awarded a total of $57,389.67 to 31 educators in Brooke, Marshall, Ohio and Wetzel counties. The grants provide teachers with resources to introduce hands-on learning opportunities, encourage problem-solving and spark student interest in STEM subjects.
The Expand Energy STEM Grant program is designed to help educators implement engaging STEM lessons and activities that often fall outside traditional school budgets. Since its launch in 2018, the program has continued to support creative classroom projects and expand access to hands-on learning throughout the region.
This year’s funded projects include robotics and coding, hydroponics, 3D design and printing, engineering challenges, agriculture, science exploration and much more. Grants support a wide range of grade levels and learning needs, giving students opportunities to put classroom concepts into practice.
The following educators and schools received Fall 2026 Expand Energy STEM Grants:
| School | Teacher | Project | Amount Awarded |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brooke High School | Christopher Mockbee | Search and Rescue and Some Other Great Futuristic Careers | $1,900.00 |
| Brooke Middle School | Kim Nielsen | Challenger Learning Center | $1,000.00 |
| Brooke Middle School | Amy Ludewig | Sphero RVR + Coding Cars | $2,000.00 |
| Center McMechen Elementary School | Dana Zambito | Good Vibrations | $392.41 |
| Hilltop Elementary School | Carrie Shipman | Hopping into Mathematics | $900.00 |
| Hilltop Elementary School | Allison Rine | Little Sprouts, Big Ideas | $2,000.00 |
| Hilltop Elementary School | Sheena Fisher | STEM Design & Creation Lab: A Mini Makerspace for Big Ideas | $2,000.00 |
| Hilltop Elementary School | Bethani Faulstick | Hands On, Minds On – Sparking Curiosity in Math and Science | $1,900.00 |
| John Marshall High School | Kathleen Loughman | Microbes Magnified: The Bacterial Scale & Design Challenge | $2,000.00 |
| Moundsville Middle School | Kellie Helmick | Decimal Star Store | $2,000.00 |
| Moundsville Middle School | Kim Ghaphery | Young Innovators | $2,000.00 |
| Moundsville Middle School | Suzanne Muncy | Science and Math in Lifeskills | $2,000.00 |
| Washington Lands Elementary School | Nikki Bellanco | Check Out Fun | $2,000.00 |
| Washington Lands Elementary School | Ashley Fecat | Story Book STEM Year Round | $2,000.00 |
| Bethlehem Elementary School | Genevieve Frye | From Ideas to Inventions: Exploring STEM Through 3D Design | $1,993.54 |
| Elm Grove Elementary School | Brittany Friend | STEM Classroom Store: Read It, Solve It, Shop It! | $2,000.00 |
| Madison Elementary School | Jennifer Davis | Building Connections: A Family Lego STEM Night | $1,803.72 |
| Middle Creek Elementary School | Jacqueline Hicks | Design a Habitat: From Real Animals to Invented Creatures | $2,000.00 |
| Warwood Elementary School | Amy Yost | Once a Reader, Always a Reader! | $1,500.00 |
| Warwood Elementary School | Christa Miller | STEM Visit with a Storyteller – Part 2 | $2,000.00 |
| Warwood Elementary School | Heather Puglisi | STEM Visit with a Storyteller | $2,000.00 |
| Warwood Middle School | Joshua Yost | Drone! Drone! Drone! | $2,000.00 |
| West Liberty Elementary School | Brandy Lackie | Growing Through Hydroponics | $2,000.00 |
| Wheeling Middle School | Amanda Kidd-Mason | Building Blocks of Science | $2,000.00 |
| Wheeling Middle School | Jenny Craig | Indoor Grow Lab | $2,000.00 |
| Wheeling Middle School | Vincent O’Leary | 3D Printer – For Chocolate! | $2,000.00 |
| Hundred Heritage School | Clinton Yost | Smart Farm App | $2,000.00 |
| Hundred Heritage School | Ted Sumner | TSA | $2,000.00 |
| New Martinsville School | Lakyn Parker DeGarmo | The Rise Up of Robotics | $2,000.00 |
| Paden City Elementary School | Kimberly Starkey | Are You a Bee? Exploring Pollination and Ecosystems | $2,000.00 |
| Short Line Elementary School | Jeannie Drake | TSA (Technology Student Association) | $2,000.00 |
| Total Awarded | $57,389.67 |
View Photos: https://flic.kr/s/aHBqjDakNH
