Limeade lovers across northeast Oklahoma have helped Wagoner and Muskogee teachers fill their classrooms with learning tools.

The Sonic Limeades for Learning program has presented classroom resources to 11 Wagoner teachers and one Muskogee Public Schools teacher. The teachers are among 214 teachers who received supplies for being the top-voted project on the drive-in chain’s LimeadesforLearning.com Web site last week.

At Ellington Elementary, 10 teachers have won $10,600 in classroom supplies and have enjoyed watching them be delivered.

“It’s become like Christmas,” said Renee Miller, a speech pathologist at Ellington. “Every day, the UPS guy has brought something new.”

Ellington first-grade teacher Angie Lancaster received more than $3,193 in supplies for six projects. They include a mobile book organizer, a sit-together learning center with a colorful bench, a flip video ultra HD camcorder, a Canon Powershot digital camera and video camera and a “Cruisin’ Around Town” carpet showing different buildings in a community.

“I couldn’t afford these supplies otherwise,” Lancaster said.

“Teachers often dip into their personal funds to provide supplies for their students and classrooms, and Limeades for Learning was created to help those teachers,” Sonic Corp. chairman and chief executive officer Clifford Hudson said in a media release. “These teachers now have supplies to inspire their students learn and really make a difference in their classroom.”

Other Ellington teachers received science materials such as a hands-on volcano kit and bug habitat, a play parachute, science discovery boxes, a puppet theater, a photo printer and a Boomwhacker Boomphone.

Julia Blankenship at Lincoln Preschool in Wagoner received a set of dramatic play costumes.

At Tony Goetz Elementary in Muskogee, third-grade teacher Sarah McWilliams received all sorts of “literacy station” projects to help her students with reading and writing.

Projects include a listening/reading station with earphones and a set of colorful sentence strips and personal boards, in which students write with erasable markers.

McWilliams said she applied for the grant program through the Web site Donorschoose.org.

“People can vote for the projects they want funded,” she said. “Kids can vote, their friends can vote. And there’s a Sonic somewhere that decided to fund us.”

People were able to vote in the Limeades for Learning program by buying specially-marked Route 44 fountain or frozen drinks from Sonic. Each marker had a code, which enabled the customer to vote online for the project they liked.

“Mrs. Lancaster was very interested at getting stuff,” said Ellington Principal Janet Dotson.

She said Lancaster collected the special cups from friends and others.

Although this year’s grants have been awarded, teachers such as Tony Goetz kindergarten teacher Renee Hukill already are planning and campaigning for next year’s awards.

Reach Cathy Spaulding at 918-684-2928 or Click Here to Send Email