Lori Cimburek has dedicated her service, time, and heart for over 40 years as a Special Education Teacher. Her passion for providing students with an exceptional educational experience and supporting them in their academic and personal growth is commendable. Since second grade, Lori wanted to be a teacher; however, her interest in special education began in junior high, “As a member of the student council in junior high, we went on field trips to the old AJ Woods School and State training school in Lander. I was interested in working with special needs kids from that day forward.”
Ms. Cimburek used the Helen Pouch Memorial Fund Classroom Grant to take her students on field trips out into the community, “Without the DAR grant, we would not have been able to take any field trips this year. The students work on generalizing skills from the classroom to the community with these field trips.” Students visited the Corn Maze and Vibes Fine and Performing Arts, ate out in restaurants, and even saw a movie in theaters. “They really enjoyed the movie. It was the first time in a theater for some of the students!”
NCSD is committed to working with our community to develop and engage community partnerships at the school and district levels to foster a climate of high expectations for all. We are grateful to our local community partners and businesses for their support in creating exceptional learning environments for all students.
For more information, see the full release from the Daughters of the American Revolution below:
Casper, Wyoming (December 1, 2021) – The Fort Caspar Chapter of the National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution (NSDAR) is proud to announce that a Casper teacher is this year’s recipient of Wyoming’s only 2021 Helen Pouch Memorial Fund Classroom Grant. One of the primary missions of the DAR is Education, and the Pouch Grant is a tangible example of that. Up to two teachers from each state and the District of Columbia receive this financial award from the National DAR Headquarters in Washington, D.C. yearly. It is to be used to improve the educational experiences of students in the recipient’s care.
This year’s recipient is Lori Cimburek, a Special Education teacher at Crest Hill Elementary in Casper. She will use the $500 grant to bring her students with special needs out into the community for real-life experiences that build on lessons they are taught in the school setting. According to Cimburek, “[This grant will allow me] to provide opportunities for my significantly disabled students to generalize skills learned in the classroom to a variety of community settings.” Many of these life skills are basic, everyday tasks that most of us take for granted such as such as eating, dressing, toileting, and enjoying leisure activities. These simple activities are challenging for her kids at school and at home, but they are even more so when performed in unfamiliar and public venues.
This grant program is supported by the fundraising activities of the DAR’s Junior Membership Committee. A Junior Member is a woman between the ages 18 to 35 who has a full membership within the society. The Committee is made up of women of all ages, and they raise money year round through activities such as sponsoring an annual national 5k walk/run, selling DAR-inspired products, and sponsoring the National Jr. Doll each year. By distributing the grants to recipients in each of the fifty states and the District of Columbia, the Juniors are better able to see the impact of their fundraising at the National, State, and local levels.
Are you a teacher in Wyoming interested in applying for this $500 grant? Applications will become available in February 2022. Please contact Kristen the WY State Jr. Membership Chair at [email protected] for more information.
For more information about DAR chapters in Wyoming, go to wydar.org, or see how the NSDAR is making a difference throughout our country, by visiting the National Headquarters’ website at dar.org.