Retired Teachers Foundation Gives Grants to Local Educators

Long-time supporter Greg Horn honored with legacy award.

Photos Provided

(Dearborn Co.) - More than a dozen area teachers started off the 2026-2027 school year by receiving classroom innovation grants totaling $9,190 thanks to the Dearborn County Retired Teachers Foundation and their partners. Also, at their annual awards ceremony and dinner held on August 18th at Greendale Middle School the group honored long-time supporter Greg Horn with the Legacy Award.

Selected teachers from Aurora Elementary, Bright Elementary, Dillsboro Elementary, East Central High School, Fiat Classical Academy, Lawrenceburg Primary School, North Dearborn Elementary, St. John Lutheran School, St. Lawrence Catholic School, and South Dearborn Middle School received mini grants to conduct new, creative, and innovative instruction in their classrooms. Projects include creating a classroom safe space, a STEM learning center, a printmaking station, a cooking school, a sensory corner, a pop-up shop to reward positive behavior, and other beyond-the-curriculum projects. Recipients included Amy Deaton, Sheri Detmer, Jesika Hostetler, Janet Ingle, Neysa Lows, Jessie McBroom, David McCarty, Beth McClamroch, Dena Peterson, Lynda Ross, Julia Stewart, Allison Riesenbeck, Lauren White, Amy Whitney, and the Second-Grade Team at Lawrenceburg Primary School. Dinner was provided courtesy of Greg Horn of Horn Wealth Management.

In 2008 the Dearborn County Retired Teachers Association created a committee to choose one educator teaching in Dearborn County to receive a grant of $500. This became an annual program which grew each year. In 2013 the Dearborn County Retired Teachers Foundation, an affiliate of the Dearborn County Retired Teachers Association but a separate 501(c)3 charitable organization, was formed. The grants are awarded to support classroom teachers with funding not provided by their schools.

Since 2008, the group has awarded more than 100 grants totaling $75,000 for educator grants as well as grants for librarians, paraprofessionals, and school nurses. The Foundation is operated by a local board of retired teachers under the direction of Christelle Middendorf and supported by the Civista Charitable Foundation, Dearborn County Retired Teachers Association, the Knights of Columbus, Los Primos Mexican Restaurant, the Betty McLaughlin Endowment, Maxwell Construction, Eric Oatman of SEI Wealth Management, the Sunman Dearborn Education Association, and Valley Rural Utility Company, and other anonymous benefactors. Each year all classroom teachers in any Dearborn County accredited school are eligible to apply for the grants. For more information contact Director Christelle Middendorf at DearbornCoRTF@gmail.com.