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PEF Teacher Grants 2022-23
Read about all of our amazing 2022-23 grant recipients below, or click here to see pictures from our 2022 Drive-Thru Award Ceremony:
Special Awards
Calvin Hunt Arts Award
In memory of Calvin Hunt who, as Director of the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre, took dancers all over the world as cultural ambassadors. This award promotes and supports dedicated teachers enhancing arts education in PUSD.
Cynthia Lake ~ John Muir Early College Magnet
Use it Again!
Jarratt Brunson Memorial Award for Literacy
Honoring the late Jarratt Brunson, the PEF founder who initiated the Teacher Grant Program, this award goes to the proposal that best reflects Jarratt’s passion for reading and early literacy.
Elizabeth Beaumont ~ Willard Elementary
Literature that Circles the Globe
Kathy Onoye Principal Award
This award goes to the PUSD administrator whose proposal best exemplifies their role in inspiring leadership.
Kristin Forrest ~ Webster Elementary
Innovation through Exploration: A STEAM Experience
School-Wide Grants
Michael Bell ~ Focus Point Academy
Supporting Students on a New Campus
Maricela Brambila ~ Willard Elementary
Social-Emotional Learning through Enhancing IB Student Agency and Action
Kristin Forrest ~ Webster Elementary
Innovation through Exploration: A STEAM Experience
Karrone Meeks ~ Washington Elementary
The Calming Corner
Garrett Newsom ~ Sierra Madre Middle
Mapping U.S. and World History
Elisa Perez ~ Madison Elementary
Fostering Learning, Fun, and Wellbeing at Madison
Rudy Ramirez ~ San Rafael Elementary
Growing Trees and Minds
Brian Stanley ~ Rose City High
Student Internships
Lawrence Torres ~ CIS Academy
Elements and Energy Garden
Charlene Tucker ~ Field Elementary
Student Wellness, Empowerment, & Recognition
Teacher Grants
Altadena Arts Magnet
Thitaporn Acosta, Karina Karakhanian
Sensory Play in the Great Outdoors
Vivian Alfonso
Fluency Practice Class Book Sets
Kylie Horan
Full STEAM Ahead!
Meghan Livengood
Flexible Seating
Regina Major, Victoria Camargo
Imagine ~ Create ~ Clean ~ Art Studio Portable Sink
Pauline Rouat
French and Math Resources
Blair IB
Michael Birnbryer-Lao, Monica Benson
Condenser Mic Pair
Richard Carbajal
Teambuilding through Cooperative Games – The Pipeline Set
Johanna Castro
Safe Haven
Diana Cervantes
Books For Ms. Cervantes’ Class & Beyond!
Raul Delgado
The Viking Fitness Center II
Stephanie Fonseca, Kevin Wang
PE Uniforms for Foster Youth/Homeless/Students in Need
Maria Teresa Garcia, Luis Escalante
Promoting International Academy Students and Families.
Mary Ann Kelly
Arduino Boards for Experienced Robotics Students
Ashley Lau
Real-Life Application of Mathematics
Pearl Lee
Year End Portfolio
Esmeralda Lomeli
Keeping History Alive with Art
Vilma Martinez
Printed Artistic Expressions
Elizabeth Najera
Continuing Our Garden Project and Growing Our Classroom Library in Spanish Language Arts
Jessica Volpi, Joshua Sharpe
Build Up the Theatre at Blair!
Child Welfare, Attendance, and Safety
Elsa Gutierrez
Restorative Justice Circles in a Flexible Seating Environment
Don Benito Fundamental
Yvonne Davis, Kristina Andrews
The Power of Mindfulness – Empowering Our Students to Focus, Stay Calm and Make Good Choices
Eliot Arts Magnet
Vanessa Alquijay
Novels are for Everyone!
Derrick Bangle, Jeffrey Kazanjian
Ceramic Fossil Wall
Dr. Jane Lambert
Using Scholastic News Math Magazines to Integrate Math & LIteracy in 8th Grade Math
Erika Moore, Felicia Lee
Leadership Takes Action!
Robert Moya
Portfolio Preparation Project
Erica Peters
Even More Fabulous Fab Lab Expansion
Liane Shih
A Seat at the Table
Summer St. Pierre, Scott Di Lorenzo
Dramatic Literature Library Collection
Field Elementary
Starene Cruse
Technology in the Classroom
Jing Gao, Anqi Deng
Hands-on Math Games and Manipulatives for Math Workshop
Deirdre Jess
Wordly Wise Vocabulary Workbook for Third Grade
June Kiesel
Let It Grow! Creating an Edible & Sensory Garden
Wanyi Wu
Seating for Success!
Wai Yan Wu
SEL in the Classroom
Yifei Yuan
Math Small Group Centers
Shu Zhang
Help Building a Bilingual Classroom Library
Yiyuan Zhang
Workshop Model in Mandarin Immersion Classroom
Focus Point Academy
Madelyn Gittens
Art Therapy through Kumihimo, Rock Tumbling and Neurographic Drawing
Jermaine Love, Maisha Jeffery
The Quiet Corner
Hamilton Elementary
Anna Cacioppo, Alden Denila, Crystal Anguiano
Wellness Room
Marion Yamada
Just Breathe – Calm Down Corner
Jackson STEM Dual Language Magnet
Debbie Ayala, Erica Nellessen
Jackson Wellness Library
Cristina De La O
New Classroom Setup
Jennifer Fernandez
Learning with Art
Elizabeth Holle, Rachel Black
Cooking Class Supplies
John Newell
Science Lab Outdoor Classroom
Corrine Parker
Kinder Needs to Wiggle-Wiggle
Whitney Reese, Janneke Verhoeven, Salvador Reyes, Larry Snyder
Playground with a Purpose
Diana Suarez, Melissa Ruiz
Connecting to Self, Books, and Others!
Jefferson Children’s Center
Dolores Lopez
Multi-Cultural Awareness
John Muir Early College Magnet
Janet Hart, Joe Auch
The Secret Garden
Cynthia Lake
Use it Again!
Longfellow Elementary
Joane Copeland-Muro, Jessica Pink, Patricia Rubalcava
Playground Equipment
Patricia Ortiz-Rubalcava
Time to Explore!
Kaiulani Sallas Venable, Candice Cooper Horn, Sophie Mejia
Creative Curriculum
Mary Shimazaki
Calm Room
Madison Elementary
Helena Alves, Angela Chavez
Students Treasure Becoming Publishers
Nancy Cruzat
Calming Corner
Margarita Dominguez
Developing Social-Emotional Skills through Hands-on
Donna Irie
Our Wonderful World
Aysia Lynch Rodriques, Amparo Magalong
Calming Space for Students with Special Needs
Kathryn Marquez, Cheryl Hinojosa, Flor Manzano, Diane Salson
Hocus Pocus, Help Us Focus!
Mary Roper
Let’s Make Two Years of Academic Growth in One Year!
Marshall Fundamental
Zara Agvanian
Expanding Students World Through Math
Marjani Elgenedy
Building The Choral Program
Bethel Lira
Museum of Medieval Masks
Marti MacInnes
House on Mango Street
Michael Millan, Stephen Kooshian
DBQ Project
Marysia Narvaez
Journey through the Silk Road
Veronica Serrano
Soaring to Success with Reading
McKinley School
Cynthia Beale
The Environmental Art and Serenity Garden
Norma Bracamonte
Take-5 Spaces
Nicholas Bruno
McKinley Therapeutic Classroom
Jasmyne Callum
Social Emotional Learning RSP
Topaze Fraser-Lake
McKinley 5th Grade Garden
John Lira
The McKinley 4th Grade Garden Farm to School
Norma Coombs Elementary
Debbie Breitenstein
Building an At Home Library
Wendy Giang
Reading Our Way Through Preschool
Barbara Ishida, Alma Cielo
Native Plants
Kyle Kennelly, Sally Sebenius
Math in 3D
Octavia E. Butler Magnet Academy
Cindy Abbott, Jason Trapp, Kevin Gaul
Aladdin
Andrew Driffill, Robyn Wehrly
Robotics Supplies
Patricia Fontenot-Hughes
Positive Behavior Intervention Program–Incentive Program
Mary Lauderdale, Jenny Lai
ASB Supplies to Host and Record Events at the School
Frances Werking, Robyn Wehrly, Jensine Lucas
The Science of Project Based Learning
Pasadena High
Richard Chung
Role Playing Activities to Support Students with Disabilities
Amy Marmol
Television for Digital Curriculum Access
Kyle Michealsen
Green Club Vegetable Beds
Darlene Osmonson, Mayte Hernandez, Janet Silverman, Starr Gomez, Evan Narasky, Israel Arauz, Melissa Lorenz
“Break Out” of Boring Lessons
Marian Pena
Board Game Final Projects
Hillary Temple
It’s Time for TAP!
PUSD Health Programs
Frania Rodriguez
Adapted Text with Picture Storyboard for Students with Severe Disabilities
San Rafael Elementary
Andrew Medina, Priscila Leon
1-3 Resonator Bells for San Rafael
Juana Orozco, Carla Landaverde
La Vida En Libros!
Maria Veronica Parra, Stephanie Kaul, Diana Marquez
The Just-Right Book for School and Home
Lizet Rodriguez
Reading and Writing Spaces
Anne Stuart
Keva Planks
Rose City High
Eric Gothold
Student Voices
Richard Lightner
Planning Today For My Career Future Tomorrow
Scott Simon
Computer Lab Accessories
Christopher Tolosa
Physics And Chemistry Equipment and Lab Kits
Sierra Madre Elementary
Carolyn Halpern
Science Buddies
Barri Messersmith
STEM-sational Students!
Dany Richey, Kristina Keck
First Grade Robot Engineers
Sierra Madre Middle
Bryon Lanagan
Student Leadership Reading Club
Chad Prado
Giving Students a Voice – “Hawk Rock”
Yolanda White
Academic Intervention
Jun Yu
Mandarin Immersion Graded News and Culture Experience
Washington Children’s Center
Maria Baker
Teaching Diversity and Inclusion in the School-Age Program
Washington STEM Magnet Elementary
David Earnhart
How Does a Plant Grow without Soil? Hydroponics in the Classroom
Tina Minkler
Learning Through Play
Monica Rosales
Hands on Math: Build, Create & Engineer
Webster Elementary
Yanira Munoz
STEAM Art
Willard Elementary
Elizabeth Beaumont
Literature that Circles the Globe
Marineh Fstkchyan
Wellness Room
Lauren Partma
Every Child Deserves to Read
Julie Van Der Heide
Savvy Scientists
Linda Wittry
Creating Theater and Performance Experiences for all Willard Students while Improving the Quality of Sound Through the use of New Headset Mics.
“Every year I am awed by the creativity and passion that our district’s teachers and principals share in their grant proposals.” Patrick Conyers, PEF Executive Director
Thank you to the Pasadena Tournament of Roses Association, College Football Playoff (CFP) Foundation, and the generous support of the community
Support creativity in our schools!
Teacher Grants are one of the many ways the Pasadena Educational Foundation helps to create a vibrant and enriching educational experience for all public school children in Pasadena, Altadena, and Sierra Madre.