The Alexandria Education Foundation (AEF) is awarding nearly $20,000 in teacher grants to fund eight enrichment projects in the Alexandria Public Schools for implementation in the 2026-2027 school year. The Education Foundation’s mission is to fund initiatives that ignite passion, unlock potential, and foster engagement for all learners and staff within Alexandria Public Schools.
Projects funded include:
Project Title: Weaving Knowledge: Hands-On Learning of Tribal Nations and Indigenous Cultures
Teachers: Carlos Staff
School: Carlos Elementary
Students Impacted: 100+ students in grades K-5
Amount Funded: $1,682
The ‘Weaving Knowledge’ project provides hands-on yarn weaving experiences, connecting students to Indigenous fiber traditions like Ojibwe and Dakota practices, to align with updated social studies standards on Tribal Nations and Indigenous perspectives. This culturally responsive project integrates social studies, art, and math, developing cultural awareness, practical skills, patience, and appreciation for storytelling. Durable, reusable classroom looms will be used as a long-term resource for students.
Project Title: From Cardboard to Creation
Teacher: Megan Denne
Schools: All Elementary Schools
Students Impacted: District-wide, approximately 1,450 students in grades 1-5
Amount Funded: $5,378
The Elementary Art Department’s “From Cardboard to Creation” project will use cardboard and safe cutting systems to help elementary students create 3D sculptures, fostering skills in art, engineering, and design thinking, while ensuring equitable, cross-curricular creative learning.
Project Title: Vertical Learning
Teacher: Kelley Barvels
Schools: Voyager Elementary
Students Impacted: Initially 30 fourth-grade students in year 1, with the number increasing as subsequent groups of fourth-graders participate.
Amount Funded: $627
This project implements vertical learning strategies and collaboration to create a more cohesive instructional approach by connecting prior knowledge to standards. Aligning curriculum and instruction across subject areas will result in students developing a deeper understanding and improved academic performance.
Project Title: Heavy Equipment Career Readiness: Truck Driving Simulator Integration
Teacher: Matt Zimmerman
Schools: Alexandria Area High School
Students Impacted: Grade 12 students
Amount Funded: $5,000
The grant will provide an additional $5,000 in funding to purchase three American Truck Driving Simulators for the Heavy Equipment course. The simulators will be integrated into the school day to provide students with safe, hands-on, real-world experience operating large trucks while preparing for their Commercial Driver’s License (CDL). This initiative aims to enhance career readiness, reinforce classroom learning, and expand career and technical education opportunities.
Project Title: Precision in Action: Powering STEM Practices, Inquiry, and Innovation in 8th Grade Science
Teacher: Haley Kalina
School: Discovery Middle School
Students Impacted: 330 grade 8 students
Amount Funded: $1,000
The “Precision in Action” project will equip 8th grade Physical Science classrooms with additional electronic balances and physics cart tracks to enhance phenomena-based investigations. This will give students improved access to precise tools for exploring concepts like mass, force, motion, energy transfer, sound, and chemical reactions through real-world problem solving. The project aims to expand hands-on opportunities and test stations, ensuring equitable participation, strengthening data accuracy, and promoting rigorous, three-dimensional learning aligned with new standards.
Project Title: Graphing with Building Thinking Classrooms
Teacher: Jana Ludwig
School: Alexandria Area High School
Students Impacted: All students taking math grades 9-12
Amount Funded: $2,000
The “Graphing with the Building Thinking Classrooms” project involves 9-12 math teachers at Alexandria Area High School (AAHS) implementing the “Building Thinking Classrooms” teaching method, which encourages students to make their thinking visible on vertical whiteboards. Instead of passively listening to teachers, students work in groups on prompts at the whiteboards to investigate concepts. This approach improves collaboration, engagement, and attention to the process. To support the growth of this learning method, the project requests funding to purchase Coordinate Plane Cling Graphs for AAHS math classrooms.
Project Title: Podcast Studio
Teacher: Melissa Bloch
School: Discovery Middle School
Students Impacted: Approximately 75-150 students as digital creators, primarily grade 7
Amount Funded: $3,000
The Podcast Studio project will create a student media production studio for podcasting and digital storytelling. The studio will support authentic learning in the Our Community: Voice in Change course and interdisciplinary projects in history, Student Leadership, and the Music in Media class. Students will research issues, develop scripts, and produce high-quality, student-led podcasts, including news segments, to connect learning to real audiences. Grant funds will be used to purchase audio recording equipment, a dedicated editing workstation, and production software, establishing a hands-on environment that develops communication, collaboration, and critical thinking skills.
Project Title: Cooking in the Classroom/Cook a Book
Teacher: Andrea Jones
School: Woodland Elementary School
Students Impacted: Initially 68+ first-grade students in year 1, with the number increasing as subsequent groups of first-graders participate.
Amount Funded: $750
The project, “Cooking in the Classroom/Cook a Book”, will provide for experiential learning that integrates multiple subjects in a meaningful, practical way. It provides a unique setting for students to actively apply math (measurement, fractions), literacy (following sequenced directions, building vocabulary), and science (changes in matter) skills simultaneously. Additionally, the project fosters a deeper understanding of the curriculum while teaching basic life skills, promoting healthy habits, and strengthening social-emotional competencies like collaboration and communication.
Annually, AEF invites the district’s teachers to submit grant applications for projects and programs that will have a meaningful impact on students.
Since 2009, AEF has awarded nearly $585,000 in grants to teachers in Alexandria Public Schools.
Funding for the AEF Teacher Grant Program is made possible by donor contributions to the Alexandria Education Foundation. Donations can be made online at www.alexeducationfoundation.org, or by mail to AEF, P.O. Box 308, Alexandria, MN 56308.