WHEELING, W.Va. – The Community Foundation for the Ohio Valley (CFOV) is proudly announcing the recipients of the Fall 2025 Expand Energy STEM Grants during a special reception held on October 29 at Warwood Elementary School. The event celebrates educators who spark creativity and innovation in local classrooms.
This grant cycle, CFOV is awarding a total of $16,999.97 to 18 teachers for projects that bring STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) concepts to life in public school classrooms across Brooke, Ohio, and Marshall counties.
The Expand Energy STEM Grant program is designed to empower teachers with resources to implement engaging STEM lessons and activities that fall outside traditional school budgets. Since its launch in 2018, the program has awarded a total of $97,512.17, directly impacting hundreds of students and advancing hands-on learning throughout the Ohio Valley.
“Every grant cycle reminds us just how creative and committed our local educators are,” said CFOV Executive Director Susie Nelson. “Their innovative ideas inspire curiosity and excitement in the classroom, helping students develop critical skills that will serve them well into the future.”
Funded projects range from age-appropriate experiments and engineering challenges to technology-infused learning tools—all aimed at enriching student learning through exploration and discovery. Grants of up to $1,000 were awarded for each selected project, prioritizing originality, student impact, and classroom integration.
| School | Teacher | Project | Amount Awarded |
| Brooke Middle School | Mrs. Amy Ludewig | RVR+ Coding for the Real World | $ 1,000.00 |
| Cameron High School | Annie Vopal | Play to Learn | $ 885.00 |
| Hilltop Elementary | Allison Rine | Beginning VEX Program | $ 1,000.00 |
| Hilltop Elementary | Dawn Kettler | RoboRookies | $ 1,000.00 |
| Hilltop Elementary | Chelsea Madden | Mini Makers: VEXplorers | $ 1,000.00 |
| Hilltop Elementary School | Bethani Faulstick | Chickens, and Owls, and Frogs (Oh My)! | $ 925.00 |
| Hundred Heritage | Jamie Snyder | Flight and Space (online) | $ 1,000.00 |
| Hundred Heritage School | Ted Sumner | TSA ( Technology Student Association), Robotics (VEX IQ), Drones (Aerial Drone Competition), and PLTW (Project Lead the Way) | $ 1,000.00 |
| New Martinsville School | Lakyn Parker | Coding Come Back | $ 1,000.00 |
| Sand Hill Elementary School | Tena Stricklin | Watching our Garden Grow | $ 1,000.00 |
| Warwood Elementary | Heather Puglisi | Pages to Possibilities | $ 989.97 |
| Warwood Middle | CJ Annett | Unlocking Genetics- DNA, Escape Rooms, and Microscopic Discovery | $ 1,000.00 |
| Warwood Middle School | Joshua Yost | Fly Me to the Moon – STEM | $ 1,000.00 |
| Washington Lands | Ashley Fecat | STEM ALL YEAR | $ 1,000.00 |
| Washington Lands Elementary | Mrs. Sheedy | Life Science Discovery | $ 750.00 |
| West Liberty Elementary | Brandy Lackie | See It, Learn It, Grow It! | $ 750.00 |
| Wheeling Middle School | Vincent OLeary | Delivering Science Inquiry through LEGO | $ 1,000.00 |
| Wheeling Park High School | Jennifer Hempelmann | BioSTEM club | $ 700.00 |
| $ 16,999.97 |
View images from tonight’s reception here.
