NJEA Hipp Foundation awards more than $97,000 in new grants 

NJEA believes that educators’ ingenuity should not be stifled by lack of funds. That’s why the NJEA Frederick L. Hipp Foundation for Excellence in Education has awarded another 17 grants, including one continuation grant to support creative projects by public school educators totaling $97,406. This total is possible thanks to an additional $10,000 from Visions Federal Credit Union. 

Continuation grants are additional grants for programs that had previously received funding within the previous 24 months. 

Established in 1993, the Hipp Foundation is dedicated to supporting projects that will enhance and improve the learning environment in schools. Since its creation, more than $2.6 million dollars has been awarded by the foundation in support of 487 innovative educational projects that represent a bold, fresh approach by public school employees.  

For information about a grant in your area, contact information for the Project Coordinator is provided at the end of each linked project description.   

You can learn more about the history of the Hipp program at njea.org/hipp-history.

2025-26 Frederick L. Hipp Grants 

Atlantic 

Heather Haggerty-Woolslayer 
Children’s Literacy, Part of Our School Culture – $7,565 
Egg Harbor City Education Association 

Burlington 

Dr. Ryan Lafferty 
Middle School Robotics Club – $4,030 
Northern Burlington County Regional Teachers Association 

Camden 

Jaime Cream 
Raku Pottery – $8,000 
Cherry Hill Education Association 

Essex 

Ellen Fishter 
Arcade Reboot: Crafting with Cardboard – $3,000 
Livingston Education Association 

Hunterdon 

Erin Evans 
Building Brighter Futures: LEGO SPIKE Innovation for K-2 – $4,000 
Clinton Township Education Association 

Taryn Romanczak 
Deep in Sheep – $7,840 
Hunterdon County PolyTechnical Education Association 

Sharon Ernst 
Hydroponic Growing and Learning Systems – $2,899 
East Amwell Education Association 

Middlesex 

Ashley Yanchuck 
KIDO Classroom – $6,200 
Spotswood Education Association 

Monmouth 

Josh Langenberger 
Seed to Sanctuary – $6,767 
Howell Township Education Association 

Lauren Zodl 
Growing Environmental Activists – $1,641 
Freehold Regional Education Association 

Morris 

Susan Charlton 
SEL LEGO Wall – $1,216 
Mine Hill Teachers Association 

Angela Klein 
Bringing Ideas to Life in 3D – $5,963 
*Jack Bertolino Grant 
East Hanover Education Association 

Ocean 

Penny Burr 
Inclusive Sensory Space – $3,185 
Lacey Township Education Association 

Sussex 

Mary Houghtaling 
Sustain and Expand Holocaust & Genocide Research Center – $10,000 
Visions Grant for Social Justice 
Kittatinny Education Association 

Cathryn Weiss-Connors 
You, Me, and Robots: Coding through Collaboration – $8,600 
Sussex Wantage Education Association 

Union 

Jennifer Barbera 
SEL Through Art in the Self Contained Classroom and Beyond – $6,500 
*Continuation Grant 
Clark Education Association 

Warren 

Faith Roncoroni 
Sequential Storytelling – $10,000 
Phillipsburg Education Association

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