Pasadena Educational Foundation Awards More Than $206,000 in Grants to Pasadena Unified School District Educators
PASADENA, CA – Pasadena Unified (PUSD) teachers and principals received more than $206,000 in grants thanks to the Pasadena Educational Foundation (PEF), College Football Playoff (CFP) Foundation, and Pasadena Tournament of Roses Association at this year’s PEF Teacher Grants Celebration & Parade. The grants, awarded annually, benefit thousands of students in the public schools of Altadena, Pasadena, and Sierra Madre.
This year, 148 Teacher Grants and 10 School-Wide Grants were awarded to 238 educators–including representatives from each PUSD school–for innovative projects that bring learning to life. From enhancing school gardens and hatching steelhead trout to exploring culturally relevant stories and producing engaging theater performances, these grants provide vital resources for teachers to create meaningful educational experiences. While Teacher Grants are awarded for use in a classroom or at a grade level, School-Wide Grants are awarded to principals for projects that benefit all students at their school.
“For more than 50 years, PEF has empowered educators with the tools they need to inspire creativity, spark innovation, and enrich the classroom experience,” said Dr. Patrick Conyers, PEF Executive Director. “We’re deeply grateful to our donors and to our partners at the College Football Playoff Foundation and the Pasadena Tournament of Roses for their support in making this program possible.”
PEF also recognized three exceptional projects with special awards:
- Calvin Hunt Arts Award: Awarded to Dany Richey, Sirvard Ogtanyan, and Christina An of Sierra Madre Elementary for their project, Superhero Social-Emotional Learning & STEAM. Inspired by the book Tar Beach by Faith Ringgold, students will imagine themselves as superheroes and create their own sidekick pal robots to support them on their life journey.
- Jarratt Brunson Memorial Award for Literacy: Awarded to Lauren Partma of Don Benito Elementary for her project, Novel Notions, which will build a culturally diverse classroom library. Students will engage with the books through small reading groups and read-aloud sessions.
- Kathy Onoye Principal’s Leadership Award: Awarded to Maria Toliver and Patricia J. Gwinn of McKinley School for the Arts for their project, McKinley Library Revitalization (Phase 2). This initiative builds on last year’s library renovation by expanding the collection of student-centered books to further enhance student learning. The McKinley Library renovation was made possible with support from PEF, College Football Playoff Foundation, the Tournament of Roses
These awards highlight the dedication, creativity, and leadership of PUSD educators who continue to bring transformative ideas to their classrooms.
A complete list of awardees is available at pased.org/teachers.
About the PEF Teacher Grants Program
For more than 50 years, the Pasadena Educational Foundation has supported teachers and principals by funding innovative and creative classroom projects. With the generous support of community partners, PEF ensures that students across Altadena, Pasadena, and Sierra Madre benefit from enriched learning experiences that inspire and empower.
