Santa Barbara Education Foundation awards $100,000 in grants to local teachers

SANTA BARBARA COUNTY, Calif. – The Santa Barbara Education Foundation announced it will award $100,000 through 71 grants to Santa Barbara Unified School District teachers to help meet the needs of their students.

SBEF said this year's grants will help SBUSD afford a wide variety of items, including Spanish language books, field hockey equipment, printmaking supplies, a field trip to the La Purisima Mission and a music recording studio.

Organizers said the grant also allows teachers the opportunity to bring tech into the classroom with subject-specific funding, such as the Gretler Foundation STEM Grant.

SBEF said this year, the grant will fund an LED Light Project for 6th graders at Adams Elementary and robots for a coding project at McKinley Elementary School’s STEAM lab.

Diana Hemsley, an art teacher at Goleta Valley Junior High School, said the grant will fund a project to teach students that their ideas have a place on their campuses and community.

"This grant will provide the funding necessary to purchase the materials and supplies needed to complete a mural for the school," said Hemsley. "The mural will be designed, painted, and installed by students. This project was designed to involve all students in beautifying and creating pride and spirit in their school and contributing to their community."

SBEF said it will host an awards presentation to celebrate the Teacher Grant recipients on Jan. 11, 2023.