Design Your Own Professional Development Program

With a fellow grant from the Fund for Teachers (FFT), preK–12 educators with at least three years of classroom experience who work at eligible schools can custom-design a summer experience that enriches their professional lives and helps them affect students on a daily basis. Grant fellows have designed a wide variety of learning experiences—from exploring volcanoes in Hawaii to studying the effect of chemicals on the island of Vieques, Puerto Rico; from a hands-on study of Beluga whales to a trek across Laos to learn about Hmong culture; from studying Islam through Morocco’s political, social, and economic development to sharpening Spanish skills in Guatemala.

Grants fund up to $5,000 in expenses for individuals and $7,500 for teams of two or more. But here's the catch: because of funding limitations and availability of administrative partners, grants are not available in all areas. To find out if you work for a participating school or district, visit www.fundforteachers.org. The deadline for submitting an online application is January 16, 2007.