Five teachers serving in schools affiliated with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) have been awarded grants of $1,000 each to help provide financial relief from educational loans incurred during undergraduate work. This year's recipients and the schools they represent are:

Marti Packman, Westchester Lutheran School, Los Angeles, CA

Jennifer Leary, Grace Lutheran School, Malverne, NY

Michelle Mathson, Oak Grove Lutheran School, Fargo, ND

Leana Tsue, First Evangelical Lutheran School, Torrance, CA

Greyson Grenz, Luther Academy Lutheran High School, Rockford, IL

The "Founders Grant" is awarded by the School and Early Childhood Ministries Team of the ELCA Division for Higher Education and Schools. The grants are awarded through the Lutheran School Endowment Fund, which is maintained in the ELCA Foundation.

The endowment fund, established when the ELCA was formed in 1988, was created to assist teachers with repayment of college loans. It was designed to encourage young teachers to remain as teachers in Lutheran schools. Founders Grants are given in honor of the four school leaders who established the endowment fund. They are Glenn Bracht, Coon Rapids, Minn., Mel Kieschnick, Rancho La Costa, Calif., the late Donald Vetter and the late Rev. Delbert Schulz.

Founders Grant recipients are distinguished in the vital areas of teaching effectiveness, Christian influence in the spiritual formation of students and their positive witness in the school’s community. Their schools and the students are blessed by the presence of their teaching ministry.

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