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
Classroom Innovation Grant Awards
Teacher(s): Megan Paulson, Kimra Kirksey, Shelly Wevley
School(s): Garfield, Miltona, Carlos Elementary Schools
Students Impacted: 350 – Kindergarten through 5th grade
Amount Funded: $6,500
This grant will fund the purchase of portable carts complete with hands-on activities materials to provide students with opportunities to unleash their passions and creativity weekly during genius hour. Students can choose from many activities such as: bee bots – programmable bee robots, knitting kits, Legos, videography equipment, K’nex, etc. Maker Spaces encourage blending core curriculum skills with 21st century skills in an authentic way and helps students see connections across academic subjects.
Teacher(s): Kelley Swan
School(s): Woodland Elementary
Students Impacted: 230 – 4th and 5th grade
Amount Funded: $3,812
Funding will support the purchase of Chromebooks to enable 3D Printer programming, access to Google Docs, Webquests and Gizmos to support elementary science programming.
Teacher(s): Ben Kettler
School(s): Voyager Elementary
Students Impacted: 90 – 2nd grade
Amount Funded: $1,431
Funding will provide for the purchase of a MacBook Pro computer to enable students to upload Green Screen story videos to KidBlog.
Teacher(s): Kari Johnson & Elizabeth Billberg
School(s): Voyager Elementary
Students Impacted: 75 – 3rd grade
Amount Funded: $1,245
Funding will provide for the purchase of three iPad Minis to enable students to design and record book summaries with videos.
Teacher(s): Chad Gilbertson, Denise Jorud, Donna Evink, Christi Converse, Kimra Kirksey, Amy Revering
School(s): Miltona Magnet Elementary
Students Impacted: 138 – Kindergarten through 5th grade
Amount Funded: $5,000
This grant will allow students to experience “360 degree tours” to places such as the Great Pyramids of Giza, the Amazon Rainforest, and travel into our solar system for a virtual realistic simulation. Students will be able to learn about and connect topics in all content areas in ways previously only possible by actually traveling to all of these places.
Program: Community Education
Grade(s):9-12
Staff:Mackenzie Webb
Amount Funded:$500
Funding will support a workshop on February 6, 2016 for students led by the Chicago-based improvisational and sketch comedy company, The Second City. Following the workshop, a public performance of The Second City’s sketch comedy and improvisational show, “The Best of The Second City” will be given.
School: Miltona Magnet Elementary
Grade(s):K-5
Teacher(s):Chad Gilbertson
Amount Funded:$1,750
Osmo is an innovative device that engages students in the learning process by transforming an iPad into an interactive learning tool. Students participate in many collaborative activities that encourage critical thinking to help strengthen understanding of their current learning objectives. This tool improves spatial relationships, problem-solving skills, and understanding of geometric patterns.
School:Miltona Science Magnet Elementary
Grade(s):K-5
Teacher(s):Chad Gilbertson
Amount Funded:$2,940
Sphero 2.0 robots will be purchased enabling teachers to integrate an understanding of basic programming into the current math and science curriculum. This device sharpens students’ math and science skills while encouraging collaboration among peers and grade levels in a project-based learning environment.
School:Discovery Middle School
Grade(s):6-8
Teacher(s):Kelly Lewis
Amount Funded:$3,000
IPads will be purchased and used to record skills and gameplay situations for the purpose of assessment and skill building.
School:Woodland Elementary School
Grade(s):Kindergarten
Teacher(s):Jennifer Erickson
Amount Funded:$3,550
To establish hands-on literacy centers to meet kindergartners’ developmental needs.
School:Voyager Elementary School
Grade(s):2
Teacher(s):Benjamin Kettler
Amount Funded:$2,350
Grant support will provide for technology integration of iPads and Kidblog supporting collaboration and peer review on literacy projects.
Discovery Middle School
Grade(s): 8
Teacher(s):Heidi Fischer
Amount Funded:$4,800
Funding will provide for the purchase of graphing calculators for 8th grade math classrooms. Through ongoing use of the calculators within all units of the current 8th grade mathematics curriculum, students will be able to investigate, explore, and manipulate data in new and engaging ways.
School: Alexandria Area High School
Grade(s) 11-12
Teacher(s):Meg Simon
Amount Funded: $5,110
Health Applications is an upper-level elective course in the Health Sciences and Human Services Academy which is focused on practical learning experiences in the healthcare field. Funding will provide for the expansion of the manikin lab by creating a manikin control room allowing the instructor to run pre-programmed patient scenarios from an adjoining room while still being able to observe and evaluate students working within the manikin lab.
School: Alexandria Area High School
Grade(s): 10-12
Teacher(s):Ty Granning
Amount Funded: $6,000
This grant will provide for additional equipment to enhance the media production department’s current technology and support a student produced news program.
Teacher(s): Tom Ellison, Todd Dahlseid
School(s): Alexandria Area High School
Grade(s): 10-12
Amount Funded: $10,000
This grant will enable selected math and science classrooms to initiate an effective way to utilize face-to-face time with students. Students engage with direct instruction outside of class through online video and spend class time working through problems, advanced concepts and collaborative learning.
Teacher(s): Christi Converse
School(s): Miltona Magnet Elementary
Grade(s): K-5
Amount Funded: $7,649
The SMART table is a mobile tool (on wheels) that allows teachers to adapt quickly to meet the needs of students at varying academic levels, supports standards-based education, engages students, and encourages collaboration among students.
School:Miltona Magnet Elementary
Grade(s):3
Teacher(s):Chad Gilbertson
Amount Funded:$2,300
Grant dollars will enable students to collaborate with peers, analyze and synthesize information and utilize technology skills to create digital stories. Using an iPad for video recording, a green screen, and an iMac for video editing, students will bring science, social studies, and literacy to life as they share what they have learned.
School:Early Education Center
Grade(s):Pre-K
Teacher(s):Connie Good
Amount Funded:$3,300
This grant will provide preschoolers with technology tools like iPads and ProScope handheld digital microscopes in order to explore materials, record information, and take pictures, promoting scientific thinking and problem solving skills.
School:Discovery Middle School
Grade(s):7-9
Teacher(s):Caroline Petefish
Amount Funded:$3,500
Grant dollars will provide for updating sewing technology by purchasing computerized machines, curriculum and design software to support family and consumer sciences (FACS) curriculum. It will also allow for the use of unconventional materials to learn production skills, technical reading, entrepreneurship, vocational skills and teamwork.
School:Voyager, Garfield and Miltona Elementary Schools
Grade(s):6
Teacher(s):Nathan Knick
Amount Funded:$3,500
This grant will allow for a more challenging and rigorous level of glass fusion for 6th graders; introduce glass blowing and glass fusion for high school curriculum; and continue and expand glass fusion through District 206 Community Education. Grant dollars will allow for the purchase of kilns, glass accessories and supplies, along with glass blowing training.
School:Jefferson High School
Grade(s):10-12
Teacher(s):Tom Smith, Mary Beth Farrow
Amount Funded:$7,400
Grant dollars will provide for the purchase of ultrabooks, tablets, iPads, and iPad minis in order to expand on the secondary instructional and learning process in select math, science, social and world language classrooms.
School:Jefferson High School and Discovery Middle School
Grade(s):7-12
Teacher(s):Caroline Petefish
Amount Funded:$630
Grant dollars will provide for updating resources to comply with current food and nutrition information. In addition, monies will provide for hands-on classroom labs and demonstrations to promote locally grown food and connections to good health and nutrition.
School:Miltona Magnet Elementary
Grade(s):3-6
Teacher(s):Amy Revering
Amount Funded:$1,600
This grant will provide for collaboration between 3rd – 6th grade classes by evaluating and engaging students with SMART Response interactive response systems. This technology tool gives teachers the ability to instantly assess student learning – increasing student engagement and improving learning outcomes.
Teacher(s): Kathy Johnson
School(s): All Elementary
Grade(s): K-6
Amount Funded: $6,770
Funding will enable all elementary students to access books 24/7 with various devices through the establishment of an electronic book library. The use of eBooks enhances the curriculum and can be used with computers, interactive whiteboards, and iPads.
Teacher(s): Dave Harstad, Pam Pearson
Program: High Potential Learners
School(s): All Elementary Schools
Grade(s): 4th through 6th grade
Amount Funded: $7,000
Funding will purchase the LEGO Mindstorms robotics program, supporting hands-on delivery of science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) concepts to students.
Teacher(s): Tom Smith
School(s): Jefferson High School
Grade(s):
Amount Funded: $9,000
This grant will enable selected math and science classrooms to initiate an effective way to utilize face-to-face time with students. Students engage with direct instruction outside of class through online video and spend class time working through problems, advanced concepts and collaborative learning.
School:Lincoln Elementary
Grade(s):3
Teacher(s):Shari Petersen, Julie Hatlestad
Amount Funded:$5,868
This funding will support and expand upon the NEO technology currently in place with the purchase of a NEO 2 Smart Option Mobile Lab, an all-in-one solution for transforming any classroom into a fully functional computer lab. The mobile lab would be rotated between the third grade classrooms to support academics in the areas of writing, math, guided reading, test preparation and the Accelerated Reader program.
School:Woodland, Lincoln, and Miltona Elementary Schools
Grade(s):5
Teacher(s):Leanne Miller
Amount Funded:$5,760
This grant will equip each elementary Classroom of the Future (COF) with a document camera. Primarily, the document cameras will enhance literacy lessons – specifically in writers’ workshops and interactive read aloud activities – however, the cameras can be used across all curricula areas including math, science, and social studies.
School:Carlos Elementary
Grade(s):2
Teacher(s):Stephanie Groetsch
Amount Funded:$7,000
Funding will purchase Nook Color e-reading tablets for use as an interactive technology tool to help children hear stories, increase vocabulary, listen to correct grammar, and motivate children to read.
School:Miltona Magnet Elementary
Grade(s):1
Teacher(s):Donna Evink
Amount Funded:$4,700
This grant will provide each classroom at Miltona with a set of digital cameras. This will enable teachers to integrate nature photography into the school’s environmental curriculum; incorporate writing activities to promote an appreciation of the environment through the lens of a camera; and integrate photographs taken by students into science notebooks as a means to document observations and outcomes of investigations.
School:Woodland Elementary
Grade(s):2
Teacher(s):Zelda Redfield, Michelle Redmond, Rita Vanderwerf
Amount Funded:$2,000
Funding will provide for the purchase of two wireless laptop computers and the Discover Intensive Phonics Program to service approximately 24 at-risk readers at a second grade level. This software program supports district curriculum, balanced literacy, and has a built-in assessment to measure student growth.
School:Discovery Middle School
Grade(s):7-9
Teacher(s):Rick Larson
Amount Funded:$1,000
This grant will allow 25-30 middle school students the opportunity to continue to grow their interest in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) through an after school club. The club expands on Project Lead The Way (PLTW) classroom instruction by providing students an experience in hands-on, real world environments in pre-engineering.
School:All Elementary Schools
Grade(s):K-6
Teacher(s):District LLI Teachers
Amount Funded:$1,865
This grant will fund the purchase of take-home books and book bags for children in the Leveled Literacy Intervention (LLI) program. The Leveled Literacy Intervention program is a small-group, early intervention program designed for young children who struggle with reading and writing. This project could potentially serve 80-100 kindergarten students each year. In addition, it would provide information sessions for parents on how to use the materials and become engaged in their child’s literacy progress.
School:Discovery Middle School
Grade(s):6-8
Teacher(s):Rick Larson
Amount Funded:$1,000
Funding will support the Heatwave Club that provides pre-engineering enrichment opportunities for middle school students with an interest in engineering challenges.
School:Washington [Woodland] Elementary
Grade(s):1
Teacher(s):Heather Timm, Megan Paulson
Amount Funded:$1,000
This grant will provide emerging readers with a means of using current technology as a new learning tool. Teachers will integrate the technology into the reading instruction as a tool to help improve reading comprehension, fluency and guided reading levels of first grade students, especially at-risk students.
Grant Archives
View all current and past grants by clicking here or using the search function.
2026 Scholarship Awards
The Foundation wants to build a financial cornerstone for investing in students 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 Alexandria Education Foundation’s donors have awarded $96,800 in scholarships to 90 students.
The Seeds for Future Learning Klimek Family Scholarship provides two $1,000 scholarships to students interested in pursuing a college degree in business, education, manufacturing, or agriculture.
2026 Seeds for Future Learning - Klimek Family Scholarship Recipients:
Alexandria Light & Power "Above and Beyond" Scholarship
One $3,000 scholarship will be awarded to a student whose family is an ALP Electric Utility customer.
2026 ALP "Above and Beyond" Scholarship Recipient:
Bill Flaig was a lifelong Alexandria resident. He worked for many years as the CEO of the Douglas County Hospital. He had a deep commitment to Alexandria and Douglas County and was involved in innumerable community service activities throughout his life. This $1,000 Scholarship is to recognize a graduating student who demonstrates great commitment and leadership in community service.
2026 Bill Flaig Community Service Scholarship Recipient:
Ken and Jeanne Howell have established a scholarship fund to encourage students interested in pursuing a career in a medical profession. This $1,000 scholarship is awarded to one student who plans to go into a health care field.
2026 Ken and Jeanne Howell Scholarship Recipient:
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.