KAYLA WISDOM, RMS TEACHER, AWARDED MRTA REGION 7 GRANT

Congratulations to Kayla Wisdom, Rolla Middle School Music Education Teacher for grades 4-6, who won one of the PSRS grants awarded in MRTA’s Region 7! 

Kayla’s grant was entitled “Harmonizing the Future: Digital Music Composition with Soundtrap”. The purpose of the grant is “to empower students to become creators of music through digital composition and exploration, to compose original music (loops, podcasts, or songs) using MIDI and live recording tools, and to facilitate collaborative projects where students can contribute to the same musical file simultaneously, fostering teamwork”. The grant would fund Soundtrap and four studio-quality USB microphones for high-fidelity recording.

Region 7 MRTA representatives traveled to Rolla, MO on Tuesday, September 1, 2026, to present the grant to Ms. Wisdom. Those in attendance at the grant presentation were Georgia White, MRTA State Vice President and Region 7 Vice President; Linda Orschelin, Region 7 representative on the MRTA Foundation Board; and Martin White, Region 7 Legislative Chairman. Phelps County Unity members in attendance were President Gayle Bodenhamer, Vice President Vickie Bates, and member Susan Bates. From the Rolla 31 School District: Superintendent Dr. Kyle Dare, Assistant Superintendent Dr. Monica Fulton, Assistant Superintendent Dr. Mandy Welch, Rolla Middle School Principal Mrs. Kim Davis, Assistant Principal Dr. Heather Light, Assistant Principal Dr. Gwen Fleming, and Communications Director Mrs. Gina Zervos.

All members of MRTA and MRTA-F congratulate Kayla Wisdom on winning the grant for her classroom. She is to be commended for this excellent grant application that judges deemed worthy of the $500 PSRS award.

Missouri Retired Teachers Association is an association of retired educators whose purpose is to promote the welfare of all retired school employees with a constant interest in supporting those who are currently in the public schools. Missouri Retired Teachers Association Foundation (MRTA-F) is a tax-exempt organization for raising funds to carry out certain charitable, educational, scientific, and literary purposes of MRTA. This year, MRTA-F in Region 7 is giving seven $500 classroom grants to teachers, and one grant to PEERS. (This includes any support personnel on staff.) All fourteen MRTA regions of the state are giving out $500 grants across the region. In Region 7 alone, winners are receiving $4,000, and MRTA members proudly raise this money themselves to present to those currently in the classrooms or in service areas across the state.