Calming Corner to Help Students with Anxiety
Students frequently experience emotional challenges such as anxiety, frustration, and...
Category: Teacher Mini Grants
Studying Earthquakes with STEAM Kit
Courtney Yarbrough, a 2nd grade teacher at the Academy of Alameda, applied and was awarded a grant to purchase a DreamBox STEAM kit for her classroom to do various science experiments. She knew her class responded well to hands-on learning experiences, and she was eager to provide an opportunity to include some hands-on, NGSS aligned science exploration in class. These projects were above and beyond her regular science curriculum and would allow students to enrich their learning in a fun way.
Students Experience Shakespeare
Because of a grant from AEF (and the school’s Dads Club), all the students at Maya Lin Elementary were able to see a professional, age-appropriate production of Shakespeare’s play Julius Ceasar, performed by SF Shakes, a San Francisco-based theater company. Every Maya Lin student, regardless of their family’s ability to pay for theater tickets, had the opportunity to have a front-row seat at a world-class cultural experience!
SF Shakes goes to great efforts to encourage BIPOC,
Jodi McCarthy and Her Perspective on Teen Mental Health
by Eleanor Hahnel, The Echo (Encinal Jr/Sr High School News Site)
March 24, 2026
Read the original article here.
Teen mental health is an important topic to discuss, yet it is not talked about often due to social stigma, and because it is deeply personal. Many teens struggle with their mental health, though this can appear in different forms. According to the National Council for Mental Wellbeing,
» Read more about: Jodi McCarthy and Her Perspective on Teen Mental Health »
Making a Difference in Daily Life at School
Counseling Enriched Classroom Program (for grades 9-12) counselor, Emma Elliott recently received an AEF Teacher Mini Grant and wrote:
“The students in the Counseling Enriched Classroom (CEC) program at Alameda High School have greatly benefited from the Educator Mini-Grant provided by the Alameda Education Foundation. Our students face a range of mental health challenges that can make it difficult for them to make it difficult to come to school, interact with peers,
» Read more about: Making a Difference in Daily Life at School »
Encinal High Students Visit Sacramento State
For many of our students, visiting a college campus is not always an option. Having the opportunity to tour a campus often has a transformational impact on students’ knowledge and awareness of college life, and helps inspire their future educational path.
Lee Kaplan, Encinal High School College & Career Counselor wrote:
“Forty-four Encinal students visited Sacramento State on March 4th. We were able to take a campus tour, visit the recreation center,
» Read more about: Encinal High Students Visit Sacramento State »
Rubber Ramp Tower
My name is Mike Holman and I am a TK Teacher at Paden Elementary. I received an AEF grant to purchase a Rubber Ramp Tower set for my new TK classroom. Please see below for photos of some students using the new awesome material!
The Rubber Ramp Tower set has allowed my TK students to explore and experiment in so many unique and interesting ways! They have learned how to work together to setup the rubber ramps on the tower.
A Classroom Where Students Feel Valued
I am a first-year teacher at Love Elementary. I’m applying for a mini-grant to continue setting up my classroom. My goal is a culturally responsive classroom setting where all students feel represented, valued, and academically and emotionally supported. I would use the funds to purchase books and materials that represent the diverse group of students in my classroom and our district. My goal is a culturally responsive classroom setting where all students feel represented, valued,
