FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - March 31, 2008
Kathleen Carpenter, Director of Promotions
Phone: (888)430-TEACH
E-mail: kathleen@teachers.net
"If you can develop a lesson plan for your class, then you can write a grant," says money-magnet LaVerne Hamlin
SAN DIEGO, CA-- Educators seeking grants to fund school classroom projects and programs now have access to free consultation with an expert grant writer via the Teachers.Net Grant Writing email group. LaVerne Hamlin, author of a grant writing tutorial, "Show Me the Money" in the March 2008 Teachers.Net Gazette, has signed on to be the resident expert on the Teachers.Net Grant Writing mailring.
Hamlin qualifies as an expert by way of his list of more than $1 million in successful grant proposals, the result of efforts prompted by a shortage of funding for his science classroom. "I started working in a public school system that allowed only a 200-dollar budget for a science department of 5 teachers," he says. "I was very troubled because I needed - but lacked - so much for my students, but the school was running on a deficit. I had to find another source of support for the needs of my students."
Necessity mothered intervention. "I spent many nights in university libraries, learning how to tap into the market of grant writing. I was skeptical because I thought one had to be an experienced writer in order to have a winning proposal selected for funding. But I tried my hand at grant writing and as of today I have been fortunate in winning over $1,000,000 in classroom grants and awards!" That money flowed in from a diverse representation of public, private and corporate groups including Toshiba, Honda, Bayer Aspirin, the Michael Jordan Foundation, Capitol One, Richmond (VA) Public Schools, National Science Teachers Association, and the U.S. Departments of Energy and Agriculture.
Having enjoyed such success, Hamlin wants to help other educators tap into the financial support available through grants. "I've been very fortunate in receiving numerous grants, and now in my semi-retirement role I would like an opportunity to direct, train and guide other teachers in securing support for their classes." His participation in the Teachers.Net Grant Writing mailring is part of that mission.
Accessing the assistance of Hamlin (and hundreds of other educators interested or experienced in the pursuit of grants) is as easy as typing an email address into the simple form on http://teachers.net/mailrings, then responding to a confirmation message.
Mailring members post messages to the group email address and those messages are distributed to the email boxes of all subscribers, and a copy preserved for later reference in the permanent archives. Members can choose to receive individual messages as they are posted, or a daily digest version containing a compilation of that day's posts. LaVerne Hamlin promises to check in and respond regularly to advise and encourage educators as they search out then apply for funds.
The Teachers.Net mailring network offers almost two hundred email groups and is just one component of a vast peer support system for educators that has grown steadily since its debut in March 1996. The site's recipe for success lies in the support and content contributed by internationally known experts in the field of education alongside the wisdom and experience of the other experts, those - like Hamlin - who work directly with students.
Hamlin is currently teaching physical science, earth science and astronomy on-line at Columbia Southern University in Orange Beach, Alabama. He has taught a variety of science courses including biology, chemistry, botany, human anatomy and physiology, physics, earth science, astronomy, physical science and also math in the Chesapeake Public Schools, Maryland Public Schools, Howard University, Richmond Public Schools, J. Sargeant Reynolds Community College, and John Tyler Community College.
LaVerne Hamlin prepared for teaching with a B.S. degree from Norfolk State University and M.S. from Howard University. He earned an M.A. degree in physics at the University of Virginia and is currently pursuing a PhD from George Washington University in Washington, D.C.
Hamlin says, "In order to expose students to unique and highly motivating lessons, a teacher must have the necessary supplies and equipment to accomplish this objective." He is only a mailring message away from members of the education community who wish to benefit from his expertise.