WTEF Support Helps Students Learn About Gerrymandering

John Dimmick is a teacher with a great focus on student engagement – he loves finding creative ways to get his students interested in sometimes complex topics.

So when Mr. Dimmick decided he wanted to buy a class set of “Mapmaker: The Gerrymandering Game,” WTEF stepped in to help.

“I use this game in my government class,” said Mr. Dimmick, who teaches social studies at Ben Davis University High School. “It helps explain the rather complicated topic of gerrymandering, which is the idea that political parties sometimes divide up areas in order to give themselves more votes.”

Mr. Dimmick says the “Mapmaker” game allows students to have a good time while they’re learning to grasp the finer details of this aspect of the American political system. Funding from WTEF and DonorsChoose allowed him to purchase nine of the games.

“It’s a really fun educational tool,” he said. “We get a lot out of it. We’ve used it several times. I’m really grateful to the foundation for helping me get this set.”

To learn more about WTEF funding opportunities, visit the Teacher Innovation Grants page on the WTEF website.

ABOUT THE WAYNE TOWNSHIP EDUCATION FOUNDATION
The Wayne Township Education Foundation (WTEF) provides community leadership to enrich, engage, and stimulate teaching and learning in the Metropolitan School District of Wayne Township. WTEF accomplishes this by supporting school programs and resources, while recognizing excellence among students and staff. To learn more about WTEF, call 317-988-7966, visit wtef.wayne.k12.in.us, or follow us on Facebook or Twitter @WayneTwpEdFound.