An East Ridge Elementary special education class will benefit from funding received from the University of Tennessee.
The institution and its College Football Playoff Foundation gave a $700 check on Tuesday to the school's exceptional education teacher Kali O'Neal as part of the Extra Yard for Teachers project.
The school district, through a news release, said the donation will completely fund two of O'Neal's DonorsChoose projects that will benefit the sensory area inside her special education classroom.
DonorsChoose.org is a national crowdfunding educational resource that has impacted more than 40 million students since its founding in 2000.
O'Neal's students work on their communication skills through pictures, gestures and eye gazes through her 'Let's Explore the Sensory World' project. The money will give students updated educational materials that will include seating, lights, textures and soft sounds.
O'Neal said through a news release that the improvements will "help my students stay calm and be certain that they have a safe and comfortable place to go. The project will also give them a variety of settings to help them know their personal space."
The funds will also fund O'Neal's HCS At Home Learning Material project. Materials will include journals, scissors and manipulative items the students can use at home when school is closed.
Contact Monique Brand at mbrand@timesfreepress.com.