SPANISH FORT, Ala. — In a year marred by systemwide financial uncertainty, Spanish Fort Middle School netted three grants totaling nearly $4,000 recently that will expand the school’s library and improve classroom instruction.

The funds, awarded in March by the Spanish Fort Educational Enrichment Foundation, were part of the organization’s annual mini-grant program that distributed 19 grants totaling more than $25,000 to the feeder pattern’s four schools.

“I am very grateful to SFEEF and their continued support of SFMS,” said Principal Carol Palumbo of the total $3,881.44 awarded.

One of the three grants awarded will fund “Let’s Bring Learning into Focus,” submitted by Marsha Coker and student Mark Helms for the sixth- and seventh-grade family consumer science classes. The funds obtained will be used to purchase a Dukane visual presenter and document camera for use in classroom presentations.

The second grant, submitted by Sandra Bryant and student Chase Riley, was titled “Let All Students See Your Work,” and approves the purchase of two additional document cameras to be shared among all eight sixth-grade teachers.

“The SFEEF grants are extremely important to me as there are not funds to buy the extra technology that has been so helpful to my students,” Bryant said.

The cameras, she said, will be used to share student work, printed material and three-dimensional projects, allowing “a much better way to interact with students.”

Librarian Gloria Nelson, in collaboration with students Sarah Carrico and Ashley Tippen, submitted the winning application for “Shaping the Future with Books.” The funds will be used to purchase 62 titles for the library, benefitting students in all three grades.

“With the state cutting all library enhancement money we would not be able to buy any new books for our library,” Nelson said.“These titles are so important because they are the most popular books with the students, and let’s face it, if children like certain books they will read more, and that is what we want.”