Phase I

Phase I

Phase I: Coal Study Units in Classrooms

Grants are made available to teachers in all grades in schools in Western KY coal-producing counties: Henderson, Hopkins, Union, and Webster. Teachers may apply for funds to present a unit in their classrooms that may cover areas of study such as:

1) Science of coal

2) Mining methods

3) Coal preparation

4) Transportation of coal

5) Uses of coal, including technologies for coal-to-gas, coal-to liquid, carbon dioxide capture for electricity generation

6) Economics of coal

7) Culture changes affected by the coal industry

8) Environmental concerns

9) New clean coal technology

10)Careers in the coal industry

January 17, 2025 – Teachers’ Grant Application and Budget Form Due

Teachers submit a grant request for a coal study unit they propose to implement in their respective classrooms. Grants are based off of number of students involved, extent of student involvement, number of coal topics to be studied, creativity, and cost-effectiveness of the unit.

January 31, 2025 - Funds will be awarded on or before this date. The funds will be sent to the finance director of each school system for disbursement to each teacher. Teachers will follow school procedures for using the funds. Teachers need to save all receipts, which will be submitted along with the financial report when the unit is completed.

January-April 2025 – Grant Funded Coal Study Units Implemented in Classrooms.

It is the teacher’s decision how long the unit will last.

April 25, 2025 – Teachers electronically submit a one-to-two-page summary report, including the number of students involved in the unit, the number of days/hours the unit was taught, along with a description of the coal unit and how the students’ knowledge of coal improved. The financial report, along with receipts, is also due at this time.

Cash awards totaling up to $3,000 will be presented to teachers with the most effective units, grouped by grade levels (K-2, 3-5, 6-8, 9-12), at the annual banquet dinner.

1st place prize $300

2nd place prize $200

3rd place prize $100