July 14, 2025 Local Stories in and Around St. Joseph, Illinois

Sorority gives grants to teachers

Psi Iota Xi is a National Sorority with local chapters in various midwestern states.  This philanthropic group helps people.  The main focus is on music, art, literature, speech, and hearing but this can branch out in many directions.  Membership is open to women who wish to enrich libraries and local philanthropic events in their area.

Iota Sigma is a chapter of Psi Iota Xi that is chartered in St. Joseph, IL.  Locally we support the Summer Reading Program at the Swearingen Memorial Library in St. Joseph as well as in Homer, IL.  We make donations to Feed the Need at the St. Joseph United Methodist Church.  We have sponsored a music student who has traveled to Florida to present with his school.  

This year we decided to offer grants to teachers at the St. Joseph Grade and Middle Schools to teachers who have special projects that expand their curriculum.  These projects were required to focus on music, art, literature, speech, or hearing.  Teachers were asked to present us with information on their goals and how they would use the money if their project was selected.  

A committee from Iota Sigma read through the materials sent to us and have decided that these three teachers’ projects would each be partially funded:

Allison Schuette Speech and Hearing for grades preK – 8th

Amber Garrison & Stephanie McCall Literature – Grade 8

Maria Wilson, Lady of the Library Literature – Middle School Librarian 

On November 7, 2023 the members of Iota Sigma presented awards to those projects selected at the St. Joseph Middle School.

Left to Right:  Alisyn Franzen (Middle School Principal), Jill Robbins (Iota Sigma Member), Amber Garrison (8th Grade Literature Teacher), Stephanie McCall (8th Grade Literature Teacher), Rita McCannon (Iota Sigma Member), Maria Wilson (Lady of the Library),  Allison Schuette (Speech and Hearing Teacher), Michelle Wagner (Grade School Principal).

Submitted by:  Jill Robbins

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