Mary Sutterluety has turned the library at Kempsville Middle School into a wonderland of sensory walls and STEM tactile toy stations for all students.

“It helps them with their soft skills by socializing and verbalizing what they’re doing with the toys,” said library media specialist Sutterluety, who was recently named the statewide librarian of the year by the Virginia Association of School Librarians.

Students in Wendy Malone-Fulton’s class have a standing appointment to visit the library to color, design, fidget, podcast and have fun. Library time – also known as a brain break – is the students’ favorite moment of the school week.

“It’s so great to hear the laughter,” Malone-Fulton said. “Some of them aren’t verbal when they’re walking in the hallways, but they’re very vocal in here.”

Kempsville Middle has been awarded nearly $50,000 from the Virginia Beach Education Foundation grants in the past few years that have helped students of all abilities learn and thrive. Over the past several years, the funds have gone toward an outdoor garden, wobble chairs, podcast equipment and STEM tactile toys that make learning and physical education accessible to students with disabilities — all thanks to Sutterluety, says Dr. Tamara Cornick.

“Every year that I have been her principal, she has come to me with grant ideas,” Cornick said.

Malone-Fulton’s students were finalists for the divisionwide podcast competition last year. Malone-Fulton works with Sutterluety and a team of valuable teacher assistants to make sure every student is engaged at the library.

During a recent brain-break session, Sutterluety helped direct the students to their favorite activities.

“Ethan will you help me sharpen some pencils?” Sutterluety asked.

“Yes,” Ethan Conner said.

Jay Lewis loves to play Connect 4, while Daniella Padaro likes to create winter scenes with foam toys.

“It’s snowing,” she said. “White snow!”

Landon McCurdy worked with special education assistant Lloyd Whitehurst to use a circuit board to send a current to a light bulb.

“He’s going to get it to light up,” Whitehurst said.

“Switch on!” Landon said, as the bulb brightened.

“I like how they tell make believe stories about what they’re working on,” Cornick said. “They’ll build something at an activity station and describe how it’s a construction site or something else.”

Sutterluety appreciates how the foundation and its supporters have helped Kempsville Middle students over the years.

“The VBEF has been an integral sponsor of the activities in which we participate, the field trips we take, and the materials we can provide our students,” she said.

The Virginia Beach Education Foundation recently awarded 67 grants totaling more than $222,000. These grants — made possible through the generosity of annual sponsors and underwriters — support projects that bring fresh, engaging ideas to the classroom and strengthen community partnerships. Visit vbef.org for more information.