Daphne Utilities held their annual grant day on Oct. 19 and awarded teacher grants at five schools in the city.

The grant funds assist teachers with STEM, utility-related, and environmental projects.

"It could be wastewater, water, natural gas, or STEM related," said Daphne Utilities Communications Manager Samantha Coppels. Grants were awarded at the following schools:

Daphne East Elementary

Mrs. Nolfe's class: Cool kids coding. Sphero BOLT robots will allow each student to work with their own robot and at their own level during the gifted class time. The students will grow in their development of coding skills by working with the user-friendly, student directed site. Using creative problem solving with endless coding possibilities.

Daphne Middle School

Mrs. Marshall's class: Sun Makes it Run. Project plan is for students to create a solar energy business and have their teams present findings from their challenges. The grant would cover the materials and books for the students.

Daphne High School

Mrs. Anderton's class. Erosion Control at Watershed Acres, DHS farm. Funding would provide the gravel to remedy issues caused by a construction project at the school. This will continue their efforts with stormwater management.

Belforest Elementary School

Mrs. Beard's class: Belforest Amusement Park STEAM Challenge. The funds will allow students the challenge to build an amusement park for their school using K'nex building system.

Mrs. Lanuza's class: Sensory Butterfly garden. The project would create a sensory butterfly garden for the students with exceptionalities and it would be a learning center for all students. Teaching gardening, conservation and biology.

Daphne Elementary School

Mrs. Kidd's class: Go green garden and grounds club projects. Student lessons will include pollinator garden and rain barrels. Monitor rain barrels, planting seeds and collect produce and flowers from the garden.