Did you know you can directly support Sahuarita School District teachers and students through the Sahuarita Unified School District Educational Enrichment Foundation (SEEF)? Donations enable SEEF to meet teacher needs that would otherwise not be funded due to the district’s budget limitations.
Teacher Mini-Grants are awarded by SEEF to teachers each year for special projects and materials. The grants enable teachers to go beyond the basics, create innovative programs, or provide for specialized needs.
In 2023, SEEF awarded $11,000 for 25 mini-grants to teachers in support of varied projects and classroom needs – from STEM class equipment to marching band drum heads and special education or English Language Learner materials. Those projects will impact 37% of the students in the district (2,365 students out of the 6,376 in the district), and that’s just this year! Most of the materials purchased by the grants have a life span of several years, which means these grants will continue to benefit students for several years to come.
Wrightson Ridge teacher Shannon Holz, emphasized that the magnetic poetry materials she has purchased with a 2023 grant benefits more than the children in her classroom. She explained that, “because my current grade level is departmentalized, a single grant benefits more than 100 students, which compounds to many hundreds of students in just a few years’ time.” Holz also pointed out that the art supplies she purchased with a mini-grant the previous year are being used again this year, as well, for her “remake your favorite book” project. (See photo above.)
At Walden Grove High School, band teacher Jacob Buchen was thrilled, and very grateful, to receive a grant that allowed for the purchase of new drum heads, which weren’t in the school budget. According to Buchen, “drum heads should be replaced every 5 years. [Through use] some drums get more worn than others, so replacing all the heads gets us back to ‘ground level’ as far as tuning goes.” As far as Buchen is concerned, it is a privilege for his students to be able to use such well-maintained instruments, and as a result the students “take pride and responsibility for their equipment,” he said.
Holz also expressed her appreciation for the funds from mini-grants. “To know that the funding comes from within our community makes me feel supported as an educator,” she said. “I have been so appreciative of the times I have been granted funds from SEEF.”
Teachers apply each fall, providing specifics about how the funds will be used, and how funding the grant will make a difference in student outcomes (See “Grants” page on this site). The SEEF committee charged with selecting grant recipients is impressed each year with the breadth and creativity of the projects and dedication of teachers to promote learning for all their students. Up to $500 is awarded per grant.
SEEF invites members of the community to support this valuable funding source for classroom teachers. A donation in any amount is helpful. SEEF is a recognized non-profit 501(c)(3) organization for tax purposes. You can add your support for teachers at: https://sahuaritaeef.org/donate/
Read details of other SEEF teacher grants on the Blog page of the website.
