In a classroom at Ottumwa Community School District, fourth-grade teacher Ashlyn Cook at Liberty Elementary used the Legacy Foundation’s Classroom Champions Teacher Mini-Grant to teach her students about Social Emotional Learning (SEL) through a creative approach. The students learned about SEL by painting rocks and following a book called “Scribble Stones.”

This hands-on project allowed the students to engage with SEL concepts in a tangible way. They painted rocks and experienced the power of creativity and expression. As Ms. Cook, the fourth-grade teacher at Liberty Elementary, put it, “They loved it! Thank you again for supporting my classroom!” Her words highlighted the real-world impact of the grant.

Ashlyn recognized the importance of social-emotional learning when it comes to addressing students’ mental health needs and helping them develop emotional intelligence and resilience, skills that would benefit them beyond the classroom.

With the Legacy Foundation’s Classroom Champions grant, Ashlyn created a classroom of kind-hearted and emotionally resilient students, equipping them with essential life skills through the art of painting and storytelling.