If you’re wondering how to bring $300,000 into a rural school district without raising taxes, ask Julie Heyen. Just don’t expect her to call herself an expert.

“I’m not a grant writer,” she said. “I’m a science teacher. But I care. And I’ve just learned how to find money when we need it.”

Over the past 20 years, Julie—who teaches sixth through eighth grade science—has quietly become one of Mount Olive’s most effective behind-the-scenes problem solvers. Her work has helped fund technology upgrades, student transportation, community Wi-Fi access, and even gas gift cards for students commuting to vocational programs in neighboring towns.

It’s not flashy. But it’s transformational.

“I just have a passion for filling in the gaps,” Julie said. “Our district offers so many amazing opportunities for students. I just try to help them get there.”

One of her most recent successes came through a $52,000 grant from the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity, part of the state’s Energy Transition Community Grant program. The funds—offered in response to coal and power plant closures in economically impacted communities—were awarded based on district need. Julie saw an opening and applied.

With that money, Mount Olive Schools was able to:

• Improve district-wide internet infrastructure

• Provide evening Wi-Fi access for students and community members

• Cover tuition and textbook costs for students enrolled in off-site vocational programs

• Offer gas gift cards to help students access training opportunities

• Award $1,000 scholarships to students participating in before- and after-school care

All of it, rooted in the idea that access shouldn’t be limited by geography.

“There are students who’ve told us, directly, that without those gas cards, they couldn’t have taken these courses,” Julie said. “Education doesn’t matter if you can’t get to it.”

Julie’s commitment to equity runs deep. During college, she worked at the now-closed Area 5 Learning Technology Center, where she was first exposed to grant writing. There, she helped districts craft technology plans and secure funding for what was then a cutting-edge idea: putting desktop computers in classrooms.

Those early experiences stuck with her.

“I’ve just always believed that when there’s a need, there’s probably a grant out there to help meet it,” she said. “You just have to look—and be willing to do the work.”

Now a veteran teacher, Julie has worked under multiple administrators and adapted to evolving classroom needs, all while continuing to find new ways to support students beyond her role as an educator. She doesn’t get extra pay for writing grants. She doesn’t do it for recognition.

She does it because she believes in what schools like Mount Olive can be.

“There’s a resilience here,” she said. “This is a place where people pitch in. We care about each other. We find a way.”

And while she modestly downplays her role, it’s clear that Julie Heyen is more than a teacher—she’s a connector, a steward of resources, and a quiet force helping her school stretch further than its footprint.

“I’m always on the hunt,” she said with a grin. “Always.”