January 2026 News

Lilly Teacher Creativity Fellowship Grants

Wednesday, January 28, 2026

The Lilly Endowment recently released the list of the 2026 Lilly Teacher Creativity Fellowship grant recipients. This program provides $15,000 grants to K-12 educators in Indiana to engage in educator renewal projects. We are excited to announce that grants were awarded to two Indiana Academy faculty/staff.

Chris Buczek – “Elements of Discovery: A Personal Odyssey to Chemistry’s Historic Heartlands for Educational Renewal” – travel to Europe to explore chemistry through history’s greatest scientists (Curie, Rutherford, and Copernicus) and discover how historical context transforms scientific understanding.

Dain Kavars – “Recapturing Wonder: How Minor League Baseball Can Transform Educational Vision” – attend minor league and semi-pro baseball games across America to better understand how to sustain community, inspire achievement, and bring people together.

Indiana Academy faculty/staff have been awarded eight Lilly Teacher Creativity Fellowship grants in just the last four years!