Naomi Meredith  00:00

There’s something that I find super interesting in the elementary STEM space. Oftentimes, we are given these amazing spaces and we are tasked to do amazing and innovative things with our students. But we are given zero curriculum and zero budget to do so. Don’t get me wrong, you can do a lot of awesome stuff with recyclable materials, but you definitely want to level up when it comes to those amazing resources that we want our kids to get their hands on. I know that you are feeling it too. A little while back, over 70 of you filled out my podcast survey. Thank you so much for doing that. I got a lot of great insight as to what you’re feeling right now and what you’re needing, and to help me plan future episodes just like this one. There was a common theme when it comes to gathering materials in your space, and how this is definitely a struggle for you. Some of you even said that there is an issue with the budget, gathering materials, planning activities that won’t break the bank, and very little resources and materials. I completely understand and that’s why you are definitely going to love today’s expert, Jennifer Mahin. We have been chatting over the years over on Instagram, and I noticed that she was getting a lot of awesome supplies through grant writing. In fact, over the years, she has gotten funded over $32,000 worth of supplies, and combined grant writing to build up the space for her students. Yes, you heard that right, $32,000, not all at once, but just a bunch over time. She was a lot like you. She was given a brand new classroom with zero curriculum and zero tools to do these amazing things in STEM, so she took it upon herself to do all of this awesome grant writing. Jennifer Mahin is a K through five STEM teacher and technology integration specialist at East Elementary School in Kansas. Jennifer is a MIE expert, a flip trainer, a Pear Deck Coach and an Ozobots certified educator. Jennifer is also a blogger who’s passionate about rural education and the importance of STEM and computer science in the K through five classroom. You’re going to get a lot of information in this episode when it comes to gathering materials for your space, and some tips and tricks when it comes to grant writing. I hope after today’s episodes that you feel inspired and that you can start writing grants for your space, so that you can gather those awesome supplies that you know that you want your students to get their hands on, and really have them be a 22nd century learner. I can’t wait for you to listen. 

Naomi Meredith  02:54

Thank you so much, Jennifer, for being here. Okay, this topic that you’re going to talk about, I’m so excited about because before we hit record, you said a lot of people ask you about this topic. A lot of people ask me about this too. And I knew that you would be the perfect person for this when it comes to getting supplies for your classroom and writing grants. I’ve done a few over the years, but I know that you have a lot more experience. I know it’s really hard when we as STEM teachers are creating a program pretty much from nothing. It’s pretty rare that everything’s handed to us. We want to or expect to do all this cool stuff and then we don’t have stuff to do the cool stuff. So I’m really excited to hear all about that today. But before we jump into that, if you wouldn’t mind telling us about yourself, your teaching background, and then how you stepped into your role as a STEM teacher.

Jennifer Mahin  04:18

Yes. So my name is Jennifer Mahin. You can find me on social media @jennasuarustech. I feel like that’s usually what I’m known by. My name is actually Jennifer. I am in my 10th year of education, my fourth year of teaching STEM. Prior to that I taught fifth grade math and social studies for three years. I also taught special ed for three years, two years, severe profound disabilities sixth through ninth grade and then one year of just second through fifth grade special ed. I honestly never pictured myself as a STEM teacher, maybe like, I don’t even know like looking back from when I started teaching to where I am now. I’m like how did I get here? But I loved integrating meaningful technology into what I was teaching. I went to tech conferences and things like that, and I kept learning about STEM and learning about computer science. As a fifth grade teacher, I started integrating coding into my math curriculum. And my social studies was so boring. Like, if you don’t know, fifth grade social studies, it is like up to, I believe the 1800s.

Naomi Meredith  05:21

Oh, that’s good.

Jennifer Mahin  05:23

It’s like math. So what I did is I started integrating STEM into that and trying to make it more hands on, more fun, and just getting that cross curriculum in there. And that’s kind of what got me interested in STEM. And I was also getting my master’s in instructional technology. So like, all of these things happening at once. And that’s how I ended up here. 

Naomi Meredith  05:43

So I feel like I stories are very similar. And I think we’ve talked about this over the years. Also, I did not know you taught special ed. I had no idea. That’s super important too. I mean, teaching all the kids in the school, you have all the needs, all the IEPs that we still have to meet. So that’s actually really valuable experience in your STEM role. So I think that’s actually really common with a lot of STEM teachers listening. Whereas, oh, we like technology, we like STEM. All right, I think I’m qualified to be the STEM teacher. It’s kind of how it goes. That’s how it was for me for sure. So I don’t know how I’m still qualified. But here we are. Full of them. So when you stepped into your space, was there a STEM program before? Or was this something brand new to your building and your district?

Jennifer Mahin  06:36

So I’m really like the only STEM program in our district. Now we have a little bit for sixth grade, but like, there’s not much in our high school, literally at all. 

Naomi Meredith  06:45

Whoa!

Jennifer Mahin  06:46

It blows my mind. Like we have such a huge Makerspace and a STEM program here in our elementary, so like not to barely have it. And we have it in sixth grade, but not beyond that it’s like, mind blowing.

Naomi Meredith  06:58

Oh no! That’s sad.

Jennifer Mahin  06:59

I know, I know. I’ve been helping and working with that teacher to write some grants and get that one. But so I when I was teaching fifth grade math and social studies, you know, it kind of all started in a few different ways. We had a keyboarding teacher and kids, that was one of the specials, they would go to keyboarding, like twice a week. And that’s literally all they did was keyboarding in those 30 minutes. So at the time, I knew I wanted to start integrating more like STEM based stuff. So I also knew there was potential to be that a STEM program could be coming with tech integration. So that’s kind of like I wrote a grant, in hopes that this would be a position we were creating. And if we weren’t going to create it, I was just going to be this fifth grade teacher with like, the coolest STEM stuff. So it definitely, like we had nothing. And I’m from a small rural school district like, we have 250 kids in our preschool through fifth grade. 

Naomi Meredith  07:57

Whoa, small!

Jennifer Mahin  07:58

Like our town is so small, like I live in a town of 297 people. Yeah, the town I teach in is probably like, I don’t know, I would say like 1800. So again, not a lot of people. 

Naomi Meredith  08:09

Oh, wow! 

Jennifer Mahin  08:10

We did not have money for this program. So I was kind of like thrown into this program with literally nothing. I think they gave me like a stapler. And unlike the keyboard covers, but I mean, there was there was like nothing, except for maybe what I brought from fifth grade and teaching special ed but like I had, I had nothing to start a STEM program.

Naomi Meredith  08:32

Oh my gosh. And I think that’s very common. Sadly, that’s so true. It’s like, Hello, welcome to your job. But you don’t have curriculum, nothing. Yeah, you have to teach all the children with your imagination. I don’t know. It’s like pulling out of the Barney bag. Like what’s in it today? I don’t know if you know that song.

Jennifer Mahin  08:55

It’s so accurate, though. Because it’s like you’re being thrown in. And that’s I think when people talk to me, it’s like, how did you do what you’ve done? Because so often we’re thrown into this position with minimal STEM experience and, like, make magic happen with yeah, here’s $250. But now you teach every single kid and not just like 40.

Naomi Meredith  09:16

Yeah, yeah, you’re like good luck. Okay, thank you, like $200 can barely buy one LEGO Education Kit.

Jennifer Mahin  09:24

It can’t. Prices went up. 

Naomi Meredith  09:28

They have gone up. That’s true. So that’s why I asked you to be on here because you have stuff now. And so what successes have you had with writing grants over the years? So it’s your fourth year in STEM. I know you have a lot of stuff now. So what things have you been able to purchase and you can even just start from the beginning kind of the process of what you’ve done, because it’s really awesome what you’ve done.

Jennifer Mahin  09:52

Yeah, so that May I wrote a grant for $5,000. Like yeah, if I get the STEM program $5,000 I’m gonna, it’s gonna be awesome. And then I got $5,000. And I’m like, I need more. I mean, $5,000 didn’t even cover what I wanted or needed, or thought I needed. And then, so that would have been May. August, I wrote another one for $5,500. And luckily, I was awarded both of those. And then after that, I kind of kept writing grants. But I learned the hard way that you know, I didn’t always get them. And I didn’t always maybe research enough of what I ordered, so that I get some things and I’m like, looking back, I wouldn’t have ordered those things. But you know, as a new STEM teacher, I didn’t know what I would need, or I didn’t know what would like how, okay, those kids I started with in Kindergarten four years ago are now probably smarter than I am. And I need to push them.

Naomi Meredith  10:49

Yeah, that makes sense too. Yeah, because the gap. That’s another thing. I don’t know what I mean. What were some things you regretted purchasing. We’re not throwing any companies under the bus. But you’re like, oh, this wasn’t great.

Jennifer Mahin  11:01

So Well, I have like LEGO essential LEGO prime. We do 2.0 Brickey motion. I love all of those. Yeah, in the beginning, I ordered the LEGO boosts robot. Oh, yeah. It’s a great robot. If you’re like a child at home, ah, really lesson based as much as it is like coding, super fun to build, but it wasn’t conducive for our space. Like it took way too long to build. 

Naomi Meredith  11:28

I see. Yeah. 

Jennifer Mahin  11:30

And the other one that I wouldn’t purchase again, would be I think they’re like, Jimu robots.

Naomi Meredith  11:36

I don’t even know what that is. 

Jennifer Mahin  11:38

They’re really neat. I went to a tech conference. And they were like, Oh, these are great. And I was like, Oh, they’re great. But at the time, they didn’t have like a curriculum or a way to save student progress and things like that. And for me, that was important. And I also wouldn’t order things with 9000 batteries again.

Naomi Meredith  11:56

Yeah, yeah, that makes sense.

Jennifer Mahin  11:59

But I also think it’s hard. I think, like, as a new STEM teacher, you see STEM teachers who have a lot of followers, and a lot of people who kind of promote things. So I saw some things that teachers were promoting, like, oh, my gosh, I need that. And then I realized afterwards, I think it was an ad and not something, you know what I mean, they’re actually using. So I have like, these little critter robots, which I wouldn’t.

Naomi Meredith  12:25

I’ve seen those. Okay, Well, that’s good to know.

Jennifer Mahin  12:29

The reason I wouldn’t order them again, is because you know, your Bee bots, your robot mouse, they all turn like an angle. The critters go for like a y turn around. It’s so different than what you’re teaching and coding and things like that. So definitely research things before you purchase it. And if you see someone cool sharing it doesn’t mean you need it. Yeah, absolutely.

Naomi Meredith  12:50

I know. And I’m very, I think I’ve talked about on here various times, picky about specific things that I’ll buy, because I’ve had the same thing happened, like, Oh, why did I buy that? Or there were things that were kind of leftover in my classroom that were cool, but they were for older children. So like, I had things that were made for like middle school kids that were left in my classroom, like I tried. I tried with like, a GT class, they couldn’t even do it. And like, this isn’t, I can’t use this. Like, I was so bad. And I donate them to our middle school. But I think that’s good to keep in mind. Yeah, definitely want to research. So when you wrote the grants, did you have to list out what you were going to buy? And like, how did you find these grants? Because that’s a lot of money to ask for. Like, how did that all work out?

Jennifer Mahin  13:41

So altogether, I probably have been awarded over $30,000 over four years, which is a huge amount of money. But I started our STEM program, I started our Makerspace program, and now I’ve helped our sixth grade, kind of get like a STEM once a week thing. I’m trying to help them get it up and going. So at the time, Well, I don’t say at the time, but like my husband, he at the time, his role was economic development. So he kind of knew some grants too like a direction to steer me and he doesn’t do economic development anymore. But I mean, he’s still helped me with grants. Yeah. But where I’m located, we have like, it was called Dane Hanson. And it was a local foundation, like Republic County Community Foundation. You know, you have Donors Choose, you have some, like Bayer fund, large STEM grants. There’s so many different things like Duclos foundation for me personally, I think, looking like if I’m giving advice to people, I always tell them look at what your local community foundation is, look at what your local groups are, because there’s so many groups wanting to give money to education, especially if you’re doing technology or STEM or something hands on. Like if you’re showing how it’s real world connections. People want to support that. And I will say I definitely didn’t get all those grants and how was like heartbreaking Yeah, I remember I wrote a grant for $8,800 and Then when you write a grant, like if I want these 15 robotics kits, I have to list every one. Like, you know, when you’re writing grants, it does take time. So when I doing that, I don’t get them. I was so. But I had to really stop and look like, okay, my first few grants were super easy because I was building a program. But now when I wanted to do a Makerspace, it was like, Well, you don’t need this. Why should we give you the money? So I really had to stop and think, Okay, I live in rural Kansas, What sets me above other people that’s going to make you want to give me money. And for me, it was our fifth graders were going on a STEM based field trip, and they were driving two hours away to Manhattan, Kansas. Oh, and no school at the time, within probably a 45 minute drive, even has a STEM program. So showing, hey, this is a need, you know, yeah, we’re in rural Kansas, but I want our kids to be able to compete with bigger towns, I want them to like, make connections with industry here. Because you know, you can work remote, you can do so many things. So once I really keyed in like, Hey, this is what I want to do. Why I want to do it, I’m going to share it with other community members, like Hey, bring the Girl Scouts bring the four h people bring in other schools for free, because Alright, a grant for them to come do cool stuff. Like, that’s a good idea. When you identify your needs, it definitely plays plays a role in making it work more.

Naomi Meredith  16:26

Yeah. So instead of saying I need this stuff, like, here’s how it’s gonna make an impact. And that would be specific. Yeah.

Jennifer Mahin  16:35

Yeah, say, and for me, it was really tying in. I want my students in rural Kansas to have the same experience as kids in a big district. You know, I don’t want them to be held back because of where we’re located. And I don’t think so once I really played up that part. Yeah, play it up. And for me, it was even tying it into our industry. We have a lot of, like manufacturers here. But this is preparing students for the real world. This is how I can tie it in. And even some of those businesses will like donate to schools and donate to certain things like that. So I’m like, Hey, I’m writing a grant, so that my kids can work for you in the future, if you want to give me money. I’m gonna take it. Yeah,

Naomi Meredith  17:15

Yeah, like you said, they are looking for connections. Sometimes those companies don’t even know how to reach out. Like, it’s like where it’s opposite. We’re scared of them. Like, oh, we don’t want to ask, but then the company is like, we don’t want to ask, we don’t know how to ask. So it’s like kind of a two way street. We’re just kind of like, I don’t know where to start. So when you found the local partners, did they have grant opportunities already? Or did you reach out like blind like on an email like, Hey, I would like to write a grant. Here’s what I’m thinking, or was it kind of a mix.

Jennifer Mahin  17:46

So the the majority of the ones I’ve done like Dane Hansen, Donors Choose or republic County Community Foundation, they’re all local. Dane Hansen’s over a larger space in Kansas, but they were all ones that it was like a republic county is twice a year. The Dane Hansen’s once a month, the Duclos is like twice a year. So I knew I kind of researched it and found those. Like, when I saw the Bayer fund one that was maybe like, once a year or something, but certain people, like I reached out to them, or if it was, like some of them, you could just find them. Okay, so googling.

Naomi Meredith  18:20

Okay, so just like even Googling, that’s a good point. And, and yeah, you never know, when you asked are there? Do they ever give you like a template that you have to fill out? Or do you have, like a specific format that you use when you write a grant that works? So obviously, the storytelling and how it makes an impact? What do you do for that when you actually write it?

Jennifer Mahin  18:41

So for grants, so far, everything I’ve done, it’s like, you create an account. And then it’s like specific questions like, what’s your impact? And how is this going to impact your community? What are your goals? How are you going to reach your goals? How are you going to tell us if those goals were met? What’s like, what makes your air like what how do you stand out more in your area or something like that? It was very, like a template that they’re providing for you. And I just had to sell myself in 250 words or less sometimes,

Naomi Meredith  19:10

Okay. So that’s helpful having that template, because that’s hard to know where to start. Like, I don’t know what to write. And you can probably reuse some of them stuff, too. If you save it in like a Google doc on the side, I would totally reuse that.

Jennifer Mahin  19:24

So that’s what I do for most of them is I type them all out in Google Doc. And then I copy and paste them that way. You know, a lot of my answers I can reuse or even like, I have a lot of people who asked me for grant advice and like, Hey, here’s what I’ve done. And that way you’re not seeing like my school’s EIN number, you’re not seeing like our diversity or our you know that we’re a title one school so I’m not sharing that with like, those specific people or whatever they’re trying to find out. 

Naomi Meredith  19:49

Yeah, exactly. So for your grants, you mentioned you did like a Makerspace one and then some other things. Do you typically be like I need all this random stuff? Or now are your grants like I would like to do something like more focused? How do you format all of that?

Jennifer Mahin  20:08

So my very first, I would say two were building my STEM classroom. After that it was building my Makerspace classroom. Following that one, it was more of like, Hey, this is what we’ve done. And it’s great, and we appreciate you. But now I have these kids who are here, and the stuff that I have is like to hear. So I need something to still push those kids and challenge them. So I kind of just use that approach now. Or it’s just been something specific, like, this is what we would like. And this is why.

Naomi Meredith  20:40

Yeah, that’s a great way to put it. And that’s good, too. Like, if you already have things, where where are your kids going to be? Because I totally agree with you. It’s my fifth year instead, what my kids are doing now is way more advanced than than what they’re doing. At the beginning. I had fifth graders who could not log into their username and password. They did not know what to do. I can relate to that so much. Yeah. So now they can do it. Like yes, we can do this. So hooray. But totally different. Like the LEGO we do. 2.0 was hard enough for my fifth graders at the time, because they weren’t used to collaborating in that way. Now, it’d be like, Oh, piece of cake. like, Where’s, where’s the next thing? Where’s the next thing, but so important that what you’re doing? Because, like you said, you’re you want them to compete with other schools. And that’s so important. And some times we do need some cool stuff to do it. Like, I can’t do I mean, yeah, you can do cardboard every lesson that if that’s where you’re at, that’s where you’re at. But it is really nice to have some of the fancy stuff, too.

Jennifer Mahin  21:48

And especially for me, like in the beginning, you know, I didn’t know what I was doing. I didn’t make a chart or like a map of my curriculum that first year, because it was fine, because everyone could use the same thing. But now it’s like, okay, first grade has to do this second grade, you know, does this and it definitely different has to differentiate. Yeah, and I mean, I have things that I use, and I try to find things that I use with all the grade levels, that it like, breaks it down. Like I don’t know, if you have the spike, essential.

Naomi Meredith  22:14

I do. And I just bought more. I love them. 

Jennifer Mahin  22:17

I love them. And I don’t think they have like 20 lessons for groceries. 20 lessons for second grade, some that are third through fifth like that. They know what they’re doing with that kit, because Oh, yeah, it was so many grades. And I mean, I love the LEGO we do. But it’s so I feel like it’s so much more advanced now, because you’re using with more grade levels, and it’s challenging or easy. And it’s, I love it.

Naomi Meredith  22:40

You actually get that look, it got tougher. I agree. I totally get that kit. People don’t believe me. I’m like, No, it’s like multi grade. Like it really actually. It’s like, how am I I don’t know, they just like really thought through this. 

Jennifer Mahin  22:53

It’s all standard base. Like it’s not just literacy and computer science. But it’s also like, I think it’s NGSS science to you, which is great, because then you can get that buy in from other grade levels and other teachers like, Hey, I’m doing this for a purpose. 

Naomi Meredith  23:05

Oh, yeah, you’re like, we’re not just rebuilding, it’s actually like, really actually doing something. So that’s good to keep in mind too, when you’re writing your grants, like finding things that can be used for more than one grade. Has that helped you in your grant writing, I’m sure like it can be used for this great blah, blah, blah.

Jennifer Mahin  23:20

Yes, I think I think my grant writing from year one has evolved so much now like I still will do like Donors Choose and some of those things, or even like a local one every now and then. But in the beginning, I was asking for like five to $8,000 every time. Now, I’m like, can I just get like $1,000 a lot, or, you know, I’m asking for more of like a specific, like, I just got the spike essential at the beginning of this year. So which the price went up. And they were kind of expensive, but it’s like I just needed something new to add. So probably for me, I’m at the point where if I just add one thing new every year, I’m gonna be happy. I mean, I don’t have to, but I really like to.

Naomi Meredith  23:55

I know. And there are new things that come out. And we want the kids to kind of experience that to not kind of we want them to experience that, too. So it is important to kind of just keep your eye out of not every bright and shiny item like you said like not everything’s good. There are some staples that you really want. But yeah, with the upgrade, like we know LEGO education kits are good. And so they this upgrade is worth it. So just kind of being mindful and talking to STEM teacher friends and podcasts or whatever and doing all that.

Jennifer Mahin  24:26

And save money for storage containers because you never think of that you can use for all of the stuff you’re about to start to buy. Yeah, I’m gonna be like, where do I store this? I don’t have a container and go for the expensive ones because they’re better. 

Naomi Meredith  24:38

Yes, they are better. Dollar Tree containers don’t work. Wow. They break. That is really good advice. Actually. Speaking of advice, so you’ve went through the process. Is there anything else like kind of like a checklist like what you should do when you’re writing your grant and like things you would recommend?

Jennifer Mahin  25:00

So one thing that I have learned is things that work across grade levels, definitely minimum batteries, or at least a rechargeable battery, align it to other standards. So teachers don’t think you’re just playing. And the last one is probably my favorite, I look for things with replacement pieces for free, like Osmo is fabulous. So we do that a lot. Or like teachers use it in stations. But if you if something like breaks for them, they replace it for free. And that’s fabulous. Because when you’re investing in some of this stuff, like I don’t want the spare pieces, I don’t want to spend 50 bucks to buy something that just breaks in wear and tear, or like Snap Circuits. Sometimes they’ll replace pieces, things like that. So I would say definitely look into replacement parts, or like what’s the replacement plan is for education before you purchase it, because that I mean, that helps me sway a little bit. Like, if you’re if you have good customer service, and you’re going to support educators, I’m gonna give you my money.

Naomi Meredith  25:59

That’s a really good point, like the longevity of a tool, I would never have thought about that like that you could do right that in your grant, like, I know that they have this replacement plan.

Jennifer Mahin  26:10

I have. Like when I was doing 3D printing, I kind of put in there, you know, I’m choosing this 3d printer, because it has someone who does every single thing is everything every single Thursday, they’ll do like a two hour zoom. And if you hop on you hop on and they’ll help you and if not me who had no knowledge of 3D printing or how to fix them. And obviously, I’ve we’ve chatted about 3D printing before.

Naomi Meredith  26:35

I thought you built your printer. Didn’t you build that to build them? 

Jennifer Mahin  26:38

I had to build these three massive 3D printers, like had no idea what I was doing, and then making them work. I mean, I knew how to print but I did not know how to assemble, fix to do all the things. So that’s important, like find you a company who can help you when you’re stuck. Like if you send them an email, and they don’t respond to you. Nope, move on to a new company.

Naomi Meredith  27:02

Yeah, it’s true where, like, that’s something people don’t think about in this role, is you’re not trained to do anything. And there’s all these different products that some have support, and some don’t. And so were responsible of learning how to use that tool. So that is great to add to your grant. Like I live by this because they have support my 3D printers came with teacher training for you. I can’t remember I did not have to build them. I remember watching you like on Instagram, like Oh, no. Or you like you brought them home?

Jennifer Mahin  27:35

Not because I brought them home. Because I was like, I don’t even understand these directions.

Naomi Meredith  27:40

It’s like ultimate IKEA, like, oh, no, it’s like AP, IKEA building.

Jennifer Mahin  27:45

What was so great, though, is like later on when I had issues with them, which were issues that I just didn’t know how to like fix, or I put something together wrong. They they were like, if it’s a time, because the Thursday time didn’t end up working for me. Sometimes they’re like, we’ll meet with your kids, we would actually love to train your kids to pull this for you. So you don’t have to be like so let’s meet with your kids. Let’s do this. And I’m like, yes. 

Naomi Meredith  28:08

Did it work? 

Jennifer Mahin  28:09

Yeah.I mean, they met with my kids wants and helps me fix it. And after that it was more of me, like logging on in summer trying to just do some stuff like that. But it was nice having to meet with my kids and trying to fix it with them and troubleshoot and like talk about the skills they learned from that.

Naomi Meredith  28:25

Yeah, and that’s like stuff, that’s real STEM actually, that’s like for fixing the 3d printer. That’s real life learning that in the grant, like if it breaks, the children will learn how to fix it. And if they don’t, then they have to stay with me another year. But anyway, anything else that I missed when it comes to grant writing or anything else you want to share? Because I think this is so so insightful, and also encouraging that you have done this, you are a teacher, you have done this and it has worked.

Jennifer Mahin  28:58

Thank you. I just think the biggest thing is like, you’re not going to get every grant and that’s okay. But don’t get discouraged. Because you know, I got two and then I didn’t get two, I got three and then I didn’t get one. You know what I mean? Like, definitely identify your need, and you have to prove why you need this why it’s important. So identify your need and just don’t give up like you’re not going to like instead keep trying. 

Naomi Meredith  29:23

Yeah, I think that’s great. That is super great advice. And probably like it sounds like to spread your wings don’t do just one. Put your feelers out there from multiple because you never know. 

29:34

Reach out to other STEM teachers on social media because they’re gonna help you like I that’s that’s a question like you said, you get a lot. I get a lot. I get emails about it all the time. And you know, I think that’s what’s great about St. Peters is we’re so willing to help. And we want like we want to tell you what works and what doesn’t work because we went through it and like learn from our failures.

Naomi Meredith  29:52

Yep, yep. 100% Yes. Maybe don’t get a printer you can build. I’m just kidding. Maybe it worked out. It worked out. Don’t get them Jimmy robots. Yeah, I guess those were some of the I don’t know what I’ve bought those bad. I’m sure I’ll think about I have bought some bad stuff. Oh, you know what I did. I did a grant for video production tools. So I bought tripods super cool. All this other stuff. And I added in like costume props, because they had a vision, like the little kids could be like community helpers in the videos. But like, The costumes were so tiny. They’re like for a two year old. And like, nobody can wear them. It’s super awkward and like, weird stuff. I was like, Why did I put that in there? This is so dumb.

Jennifer Mahin  30:39

I love that. I’m glad I’m not alone. But I think mine was more expensive.

Naomi Meredith  30:44

I don’t know, those costumes are extended. I think they’re in my closet. They make me mad every time I look at that.

Jennifer Mahin  30:50

You have to leave them there. Because obviously you got them. Look at them. And think about that when you you know, apply for money next time had like.

Naomi Meredith  30:58

Maybe if I teach pre K STEM, they can wear it? I don’t know.

Jennifer Mahin  31:03

But good luck with pre K STEM if you teach it.

Naomi Meredith  31:05

Let’s say I don’t know, maybe? Well, I appreciate your time and all your knowledge. And I’m sure people will use you mentioned your handle at the beginning. But where can people find and connect with you?

Jennifer Mahin  31:18

Yeah, so definitely I am on Twitter, Instagram. You know, I think my week looks the same. It’s all Genesis tech, very responsive. And I like to help others because you know, people have helped me along the way. So reach out, find me there or you know, jennasaurustech@gmail.com. I am available.

Naomi Meredith  31:34

And she’s super helpful. We’ve chat over the years. Yeah, she’s great. I’m so glad and she is knowledgeable about a lot of other things too. So definitely check out his stuff. Yeah. Well, thank you so much again, and I appreciate your time, and hopefully everybody’s grant writing is way better off now.

Jennifer Mahin  31:56

Yes, thank you so much for having me. It was fun.