Celebrating the Norman Schmidt Visual Arts Scholarship in 2020 by Brianna Chu The Norman Schmidt Visual Arts Scholarship is named after the beloved Director of Art and art teacher, recognized by fellow teachers and students alike for his deep love of art, great smile…and his signature moustache and red socks!…...
Teacher Grants Spotlight: Nurturing Communication Skills with STEM and Storytelling
by Brianna Chu Technology can be used for many different purposes, not just scientific ones. Washington Elementary STEM Magnet third grade teacher, Janice Sandberg, thought it would be great for her third grade class to collaborate with the kindergarten class to create their own stories by coding using KIBO. KIBO…...
Teacher Grants: Chemistry in Action at Pasadena High School
by Brianna Chu Pasadena High School chemistry teacher Roger Baar wanted a way to physically demonstrate an essential technique in chemistry – determining melting points of elements – to his five chemistry classes. To do so, he purchased two melting stations with which his classes could perform labs. These melting…...
Teacher Grants: Adventures in 2D and 3D Art Techniques
by Brianna Chu Art instructor Violeta Lerma wanted to branch out into different art media with her students, so she introduced watercolor Impressionism and basket weaving into her curriculum with support from her PEF Teacher Grant. The first new assignment incorporated Impressionist and watercolor techniques into a landscape painting, allowing…...
Teacher Grants: Reading Matter(s)
Reading Matter(s) with La Libreria and the Blair Dual Language Immersion Program by Brianna Chu The value of books and reading is never underestimated by teachers, and their impact on Blair’s dual language immersion program perfectly demonstrates the power of a good book. Teacher Elizabeth Najera for Blair’s Dual Language…...
Teacher Grants: Raising Rainbow Trout for Project STREAM
Reconnecting an increasingly urbanized population of youth to the systems of streams, rivers, and watersheds that sustain them. by Brianna Chu At Sierra Madre Middle School, science teacher Ravi Dev Anandhan (aka Mr. Dev) wanted to help his students better connect with the concepts of water quality and ecosystems, especially…...
PEF Awards $200,000 to PUSD Teachers & Principals
The Pasadena Educational Foundation was founded in 1971 by the late teacher Jarratt Brunson to support Pasadena Unified School District schools. Jarratt wanted to dole out grants to community educators for special projects not covered in school budgets, and from there the Teacher Grant Program was born. For the past…...
Little Free Libraries at Jefferson
Jefferson Elementary School parents, students, and staff assembled, painted, and placed the three Little Free Libraries around the school. The little libraries will be stocked with books in English and Spanish since Jefferson Elementary is home to one of Pasadena Unified’s Spanish dual language immersion programs. The little libraries were…...
2016 Edison Scholarship Winners
“Higher education can transform lives. We’re committed to helping young people build better lives—and bright futures—through careers in STEM fields” – Edison Thank you Edison International for supporting our PUSD students by working through PEF to provide $2,500 scholarships to two Muir High School students through the Edison Scholars program…...
