Category: Programs

AEF Celebrating Art Across the Island

We’re Celebrating 10 Years of Art Across the Island!

AEF Celebrating Art Across the IslandWHEN: Wednesday, September 30, 2026 from 4:30 – 6:30 pm

WHERE: Books, Inc. Alameda – 1344 Park St, Alameda, CA 94501

Join us for this free event celebrating 10 years of AEF’s Art Across the Island program (AATI), bringing student art to our community! Light refreshments provided.

For the past decade, Pam Riley Chang has been showcasing art by Alameda students across our island at city libraries and commercial venues.

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Academy of Alameda Mini City

3D Mini City Project and More

Here’s a great story from Kristen Smeal, Middle School Technology (Grades 6-8) teacher at the Academy of Alameda:

“What a fun year! We were able to purchase 3D printers for our Technology program and they provided so many fun opportunities. I had students who were not even in my classes stop by just to look at the printers. It was really cute!

I thought I’d send along a photo of the 3D mini city ‘Olympianville’

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Beanbag chairs for calming in the classroom

Chairs for Calming in the Classroom

Marissa Nowlan, a Nea Community Learning Center 1st Grade Teacher, was in need of special seating for some of her students. She wrote “I have four students, two of whom have extremely high needs, that enjoy being in beanbags in the library. I’d wanted to purchase some as a means to give a calm and safe place for regulation for when these students have overstimulating moments. The beanbags have been the biggest blessing this school year!

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Multilingualism is my Superpower

Multilingualism Rocks!

Ms. Candice Camp is an Instructional Coach working with K-5th, multilingual English learners across the District. She wanted to help English learners at school reclassification ceremonies celebrate and be proud of the hard work it takes to become ‘reclassified’ with a t-shirt that says “Multilingualism is my Superpower”.

Reclassification for English Language Learners (ELL) means that a student is officially recognized as having achieved sufficient proficiency in English to no longer require special language support services.

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Ruby Bridges Kindergarten class whiteboard

First Year Kindergarten Teacher Gets Classroom Supplies

New Kindergarten teacher at Love Elementary School, Jana Lee, applied for funds to help set up her classroom as a first-year teacher. She wanted to purchase an easel to do whole-group activities at a level closer to students, and games, read-alouds, and more to supplement targeted intervention. For example, she wished to buy rhyming and other phonemic-based activities for small-group interventions. Ms. Lee needed help facilitating both whole-group instruction, so students can be engaged and are able to participate themselves,

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New color printer at Ruby Bridges

A Color Printer to Build Community Around Art

Margarethe Olsson, Grades TK – 5 Art Teacher at Ruby Bridges Elementary, put in an application for an AEF Teacher Mini Grant to purchase a color printer, paper and inks to fund several projects in the art room. One project would be a community wall where all students could see themselves represented in the larger school community. Students would take photos, print them and embellish them with frames or backgrounds, so each photo represented the way students wanted to be seen. 

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