2020 Scholarship Awards
The Foundation wants to build a financial cornerstone for investing in students and teachers in Alexandria Public Schools. One of the ways we do that is by helping students attain college degrees. Through a competitive scholarship process, the Foundation financially supports students in the transition from high school to 2 and 4-year colleges.
Since 2009, the Foundation has awarded nearly $46,000 in scholarships to 51 students. Download Scholarship Report here.
The Seeds for Future Learning Klimek Family Scholarship provides for two $400 scholarships to students who have an interest in pursuing a college degree in business, education, manufacturing, or agriculture.
2020 Seeds for Future Learning Klimek Family Scholarship Recipients:
The Class of 1988 Scholarship fund was created through a generous 1988 Jefferson High School graduate. These scholarships in the amount of $2,200 each are awarded to one male and one female who plan to pursue a degree in education, health care, or the arts.
2020 Class of 1988 Scholarship Recipients:
The Kim Jenson "Lift Her Up" Scholarship provides a $1,000 scholarship to a young woman who will be attending the Alexandria Technical & Community College.
2020 Kim Jenson "Lift Her Up" Scholarship Recipient:
Teacher Grants
We support classrooms
Annually, AEF invites the district’s teachers and staff to submit grants for projects and programs that will have a meaningful impact on students. The grant requests are primarily in the areas of engineering, core curriculum subjects, technology, and arts programs. The Foundation’s goal is to grow the endowment to $1 million, making it possible, with the coupling of annual giving, to fund $100,000 in education-enhancing grants annually.
Grants would go directly to support:
• Students in developing essential knowledge and skills
• Students in every building and every grade level
• The Arts and Academies of Alexandria
2020-21 Teacher Innovation Grant Program
AEF is pleased to announce the opening of the 2020-21 Teacher Innovation Grant program. District staff are encouraged to apply for a 2020-21 AEF Classroom Innovation Grant of $500 (min) - $10,000 (max) to support student-engaged projects that enrich learning and encourage classroom innovation. AEF is making $50,000 available this year – another large grant round to Alexandria Public Schools' classrooms!
How to apply
To eliminate requests that will not be considered, usually due to other available sources of revenue or not meeting the grant criteria, persons wishing to apply for a grant from the Alexandria Education Foundation (AEF) are asked to submit a Letter of Intent to AEF as a first step.
If after reviewing your Letter of Intent, you receive an invitation from the Foundation Board to submit a full application, please complete the Teacher Innovation Grant Application Form (either MS Word or PDF) and submit by the stated deadline.
(MS Word download) Teacher Innovation Grant Application Form
(PDF download) Teacher Innovation Grant Application Form
Refer to the Instructions for Completing the Grant Application for support.
Classroom Innovation Grant Awards
Teacher: Leigh Mattox
School: Woodland Elementary
Students Impacted: 450 students in grades K-5
Amount Funded: $6,535.20
Students will be able to use the climbing wall to improve physical skills such as upper body and core strength, balance, endurance and flexibility. It also provides opportunity for teamwork, problem solving and building confidence.
Teachers: Shari Petersen, Molly Taylor, Lori Hochhalter and Amy Borden
School: Lincoln Elementary
Students Impacted: 80 students in 3rd grade
Amount Funded: $2,000
The core of this program will be character education centered around a theme of “Super Hero Students” and the Code of Conduct model. Innovative team building activities and social thinking curriculum will be incorporated.
Teacher: Chad Gilbertson
School: Miltona Elementary
Students Impacted: 150 students in grades K-5
Amount Funded: $3,590
This grant will engage students in learning that will highlight how they can apply STEM principles to real world scenarios involving sports. Through hands-on activities students will see the connections between sports and STEM.
Teacher: April Larson
School: Early Education Center
Students Impacted: 250 students in PreK
Amount Funded: $2,500
These funds will help to create more outdoor learning space as well as expanding the current playground space.
Teacher: Sarah Golden
School: Alexandria Area High School
Students Impacted: 6-8 students in grades 9-12
Amount Funded: $500
Funding of this grant will allow to purchase necessary materials to start up a Potato Bar that will be offered to school staff on a weekly basis. Students in the Life Skills Class will work on a variety of skills related to running a potato bar including shopping, money management and food preparation.
Teacher: Megan Jacob
School: Alexandria Area High School
Students Impacted: 64 students/semester in grades 10-12
Amount Funded: $1,900
Students in Entrepreneurship class will receive a loan of $25 to start a small business. This grant provides real-world experience and will be ongoing and self-sustaining since students will be required to pay their loan back with $1 interest at the end of the semester.
Teacher: Barb Walswick
School: Woodland Elementary
Students Impacted: 450 students in grades K-5
Amount Funded: $1,000
Six cameras will be installed in the woods behind Woodland Elementary. Students will be able to track the wildlife present and record data for longitudinal analysis of patterns in migration, adaptation and hibernation.
Teacher: Kayla Noble
School: Lincoln Elementary
Students Impacted: 470 students in grades K-5
Amount Funded: $1,344
These funds will be used to purchase bass bars for the xylophone and will complete the set of Orff instruments at Lincoln Elementary. This allows for more creativity and more hands on musical experiences for students.
Teacher: Amy Staples
School: Discovery Middle School
Students Impacted: Grades 6-8
Amount Funded: $800
Funding will be used to purchase a coffee cart and organizer. Students in the classroom for Development/Cognitive Disabilities/Autism at DMS have been running a coffee cart for the past 3 years. This provides students with hands on learning through real work experience.
Teacher: Meg Simon
School: Alexandria Area High School
Students Impacted: 350 students in grades 11-12
Amount Funded: $4403.01
ZSpace offers a unique opportunity for students to work with science concepts in a three dimensional world. This technology will allow students to visualize, compare, measure, build, dissect and manipulate 3-D models in hands on fashion.
Teacher: Jeff Pokorney
School: Alexandria Area High School
Students Impacted: 60-90 students in grades 10-12
Amount Funded: $2,100
Funding of this project will purchase quality binoculars for students to observe birds within their natural habitat. Binoculars will assist in better observation and identification to develop accurate reports and communicate with Cornell Lab of Ornithology to submit their findings.
Teacher: Brenda Hintermeister
School: Voyager Elementary
Students Impacted: 500 students in grades K-5
Amount Funded: $3,606
The Safari Jungle Gym will be added to the existing traverse climbing wall (also funded by AEF) to bring obstacle courses to a new level. Students will challenge themselves while developing upper body and core strength, balance and coordination.
Teacher: Lukas Gotto
School: Discovery Middle School
Students Impacted: 1030 students in grades 6-8
Amount Funded: $8,652.96
Funding will provide 30 VR/AR kits, a classroom set, that will be utilized by many different classes. This technology expands learning opportunities far outside of classroom walls. Just a few examples are: traveling to places all over the world, exploring the depths of the ocean, explore within the human body, time travel to key events and places from the past, and much more!
Grant Archives
View all current and past grants by clicking here or using the search function.
Alexandria Area High School Capital Campaign
In September, 2011, voters showed solid support for building a new grades 9-12 high school in a special election. The cost to residents for the project was reduced thanks to a Capital Campaign conducted prior to the bond referendum vote. This Capital Campaign was a joint effort between the Alexandria Education Foundation and the Alexandria School Board that represented a unique public-private partnership. This partnership raised over $4 million in pledged contributions from individuals, businesses and other entities in the community to help reduce the tax impact for district residents.
Every gift, large or small, helps sustain the tradition of educational excellence in Alexandria public schools.