Education Foundation Awards $360K to 63 APS Programs

Grants support innovative learning opportunities for students.

The APS Education Foundation has awarded 63 grants totaling more than $360,000 to foster innovative and enhanced learning opportunities for students across APS.

The Foundation handed out the $361,068 in grants on Dec. 5 following a review process. APS educators submitted 113 grant applications seeking close to $1 million during the grant period.

Superintendent Gabriella Blakey said she’s grateful to all the donors who made the grants possible.

“I am excited to see the planned innovative programs and projects come to life and, most importantly, the positive impact they will have on our students' outcomes,” she said. 

The APS Education Foundation partners with the community to invest in learning opportunities that help APS students reach their full potential. Because of the generosity of donors, grantors and event sponsors, the Foundation was able to celebrate the start of new programs and projects with a group of dedicated educators. 

This year’s grant recipients include Hawthorne Elementary for “Social-Emotional Learning Classroom Centers.”  Principal Melissa Chavers received a $25,000 Schoolwide Impact Award to establish dedicated spaces where students can learn and practice important life skills, such as understanding their emotions, working through challenges, building positive relationships and solving conflicts peacefully. 

These centers will be safe, calming environments equipped with tools and activities that help kids manage stress, express themselves and develop strong social skills. The SEL centers will provide students with critical tools for managing their emotional responses, coping with adversity, and developing resilience. 

“Teachers and staff believe in the benefits of SEL and see its impact on students,” Chavers wrote in her application. “Engaging families through informational sessions and workshops will help build broader support for SEL initiatives, creating consistency between school and home environment.”

Highland High received a $10,000 Students Clubs and Activities award for its NM Family, Career and Community Leaders of America interns to head to New York to spice up the culinary scene from the Big Apple! Maria Herrera, A Career Technical Education teacher, will accompany 10 students on their “Culinary New York Experience.”

“FCCLA is a student run organization that equips members with real-world skills and prepares members for careers through four Career Pathways,” she wrote in her application. “They strengthen skills by participating in competitive events, serving in leadership positions and attaining essential college and career ready skills”.

Rachel Funk, a special education teacher at Atrisco Heritage Academy, will work with students in a garden that focuses on teaching valuable life skills, in addition to promoting emotional well-being.  

“The students will use gardening activities to help develop practical vocational abilities, such as planting, maintaining plants, and care for the environment,” she wrote in her application. The garden will also provide a calming and therapeutic space where they can practice teamwork, responsibility and patience.

Extracurricular athletic offerings are proven to increase student engagement and academic achievement at school by promoting a positive and inclusive school culture. Jennifer Tyson, a teacher at Harrison Middle School will provide the foundational equipment needed for students to participate in games such as volleyball, track and field, flag football, and basketball through an award for the “Foundations for Fun, the Alchemy of Athletics”. 

“While extracurricular activities such as these team an character building sports happen outside the classroom, their effects are seen directly in academic outcomes,” Tyson wrote in her application.

Grant funding also went to Outcomes Coffee, a fully operational coffee shop that serves as a work-based learning site for young adults in the APS Transition Services program. It offers hands-on job training in customer service, money handling, Point of Sale operation and coffee preparation using an automatic barista machine. Students gain practical experience in a real-world environment, building communication skills and confidence as they interact with customers. The coffee shop provides a supportive space and teamwork while equipping them with real-world skills to succeed in any career. 

“Outcomes Coffee serves as a vital resource in our department, empowering students to thrive in their careers and contribute positively to the community,” wrote Aleisha Abeyta, the community support liaison/Outcomes Coffee manager.