The Education Foundation is pleased to award four grants totaling $5,586 to district teachers and staff.

“Our organization has concentrated on supporting our marginalized and disadvantaged students over the past year, and many of our 2021 grant recipients reflect this focus,” said Amber Kiggens-Leifheit, executive director of the Education Foundation. “This is the eighth year we’ve awarded inspiration grants to teachers and staff for innovative and unique programs that complement MCPASD’s educational goals, and we’re honored to continue this tradition.”

Counting the 2021 recipients, the Education Foundation has awarded 114 grants worth more than $120,000 since 2013.

To announce the grants, Foundation board members attended virtual staff meetings at recipients’ respective schools. In previous years, Foundation board members and members of Middleton High School’s marching band traveled via school bus to grant recipients’ respective schools to honor them with presentations in their classrooms and a band performance.

 “Our 2021 recipients are going above and beyond for our students, and we’re grateful for their efforts during this especially tough year for students and teachers,” said Carl Frederick, Education Foundation secretary and chair of the grants committee. “It’s a privilege to recognize their efforts and to fund inspiring experiences for students that go beyond those provided in a traditional learning environment.” 

Below are brief summaries of each grant: 

• High School Period Poverty Project: School social workers Sarah Estrella, Alex Garcia Jack Koskinen, Jordyn Riemer and Kristin Wilson received a $1,000 grant to purchase period products for all bathrooms in Middleton High School and Clark Street Community School. The grant will help the team expand the program they introduced as a pilot project two years ago with funding from the Education Foundation.
• Middle School Period Poverty Project: School social workers Nichole Carlisle and Susan Sims Mormino received a $1,086 grant to expand the high school program to both middle schools, providing period products for Glacier Creek and Kromrey’s female and all-gender bathrooms.
• SAGE Middle School Mentorship Program: English teacher and SAGE (Sexuality and Gender Equality) advisor Chundou Her received a $2,500 grant to expand the SAGE Middle School Mentorship Program. The program brings high school student mentors, who identify as LGBTQ+ or identify as allies, together with middle school students to provide social-emotional and academic support through group activities as well as one-on-one mentorships.
• Voices of Color Community Justice Project: English teacher Chundou Her received a $1,000 grant to fund student projects that address systemic social issues within our community as part of the Voices of Color class at Middleton High School. Students will conduct scholarly and on-the-ground research to select an issue to address and use grant funding to bring in guest speakers, plan workshops and discussions, and host community events.