RICHMOND, Va. -- A Richmond Public School teacher is on a mission to keep learning fun. Rhonda Hawley just won a $30,000 CIA Mission Possible Prize to help with the task.
Learning is hands-on in Ms. Rhonda Hawley's class at Linwood Holton Elementary School. She teaches every grade, so all students in the building get to experience her room.
"They've told me that when they come into this class they know they are going to get to do something so that makes me happy," Hawley said.
Hawley said the work encourages creativity, ingenuity and confidence.
"I give them challenges. They work cooperatively together and those are some skills they really need to work on," Hawley said.
Her students are using new tools thanks to a $30,000 nationwide contest Ms. Hawley entered and won this year.
"I've entered contests before. This is the first time I've won," Hawley said.
The money was used to buy her class robots, computers and so much more.
"We invested in technology, number one. We got the 3D printers and we've got a Cricut and we've got storage," Hawley said.
Her students played a big role in securing the classroom upgrade.
"The benefits of winning are so gigantic," Hawley said.
Ms. Hawley is happy that the big win will keep the kids excited, engaged and learning and it will likely continue benefiting the students years after they leave the classroom.
"My hope is that they will understand the things they do in here and fall in love with what they can do as a career," Hawley said.
Hawley is one of three winners in this year's competition. The other teachers were from Baltimore and Washington D.C.
