Melissa Galvan

Galvan’s innovative teaching idea, “Free To Be Me,” focuses on helping students at Lincoln Elementary School navigate today’s often challenging world through the use of video. Through this project, Galvan aspires to unveil student concerns and mitigate bullying through open conversation and create a step-by-step action plan to include research, interviews, script writing, editing, video production, publishing and distribution. With the Voya grant, Galvan plans to purchase the necessary video equipment for the finished product to be distributed in digital format to the school at large. After completion of the first project, students will continue to build leadership skills, learn from their first experience and seek to involve students in other classes and grades in order to get the entire school community involved.