1st Place Winners – Group Submission
Sandoval Jr./Sr. High School, 6th grade
Sandoval, IL
April 10, 2017
The 6th grade class at Sandoval Elementary School was named winners of Funding Illinois’ Future’s “Fix the Formula” Video Contest.
Adam Hanks, who teaches all subjects to the 21 sixth graders, says that after a tough week of PARCC testing, this was great news to hear. Hanks has been a teacher in the Sandoval School District for 6 years and has become a mentor to many Sandoval students.
“This week, I made a big shopping cart on Amazon, full of STEM stuff for my class, and the total was over $240. I told myself I would wait until after spring break and then buy it myself, Hanks said. Now I can get my shopping cart off Amazon.”
Hanks is used to buying his own supplies for school projects, especially for STEM-based projects. “Our school has been hurting for years, says Hank. I’ll buy beakers, potassium, iodine, stuff kids can experiment with. But once you get into the motorized parts and robotics—that gets expensive.”
Before creating the video, Hanks had the students research the topic of school funding in Illinois. He explained to the class that where you live has a lot to do with how much money your school will receive. “But my kids already know their school is poor. Lawmakers don’t think our kids know, but they do,” Hank said. ”Fundraisers are a monthly thing at our school.”
The class will receive a $500 VISA gift card that Hanks plans to put towards STEM projects.
—
1st Place Winner – Individual Submission
Alexis, Franklin Middle School
Springfield, IL
—
2nd Place Winners – Group Submission
Southeast High School Book Club
Springfield, IL
—
3rd Place Winners – Group Submission
Manual High School
Peoria, IL
