2026 SEF Grant Awards
Springfield Education Foundation is proud to award 31 SEF Grants to educators in the Springfield Public School District for the 2026-27 academic year, for a total of $55,197 in funding! These awards will fund exciting projects that will impact all 21 schools in our district.
Three types of grants given to educators this year are as follows:
Innovative Educator Grants
This grant program is to empower students through the enrichment/enhancement of current programs; provide new learning opportunities to keep students engaged; encourage positive behavior; increase a sense of belonging at school, reach underserved populations; and/or promote career opportunities and college connections.
Social Emotional Learning Fund (SELF) Grant
The purpose of this grant program is to offer funding for educators that wish to implement sustainable social-emotional learning opportunities for students attending school in the Springfield School District.
Frank Sherman Grants
The purpose of this grant are to promote and support health, physical fitness, and outdoor education activities and curriculum offered at Springfield Public Schools.
District-Wide Awards
“Orchestra Instruments“
Innovative Educator Grant
Educator: Charlotte Booren, Elementary Music Teacher on Special Assignment
Impact: 200 students
Award Amount: $2,325.00
This project will provide properly sized string instruments for 4th and 5th grade orchestra students, improving comfort, technique, and accessibility while helping more elementary students successfully participate in orchestra and continue music education into middle and high school.
“Black Student Union Conference“
Innovative Educator Grant
Educator: Xavier Davis, Teacher on Special Assignment for Equity and Inclusion
Impact: 75 students
Award Amount: $2,000.00
A student-led conference that brings middle and high school students together to build community, connect with mentors, and explore career pathways through workshops, performances, and interactive networking with local organizations.
“Joyful Math Intervention: Building Skills and Confidence Through Math Games“
Innovative Educator Grant
Educator: Tanisha Horton, K-12 Math Teacher on Special Assignment
Impact: 200 students
Award Amount: $2,000.00
This project will develop a library of board and card games that can be used to bring joy to math intervention. These games will help students develop more positive relationships with math while supporting unfinished learning and developing fluency.
“Book Club“
Innovative Educator Grant
Educator: Ayanna Moriguchi, Student Success Navigator
Additional Educators: Taylor Madden, Equity & Inclusion Coordinator
Impact: 30 students
Award Amount: $3,000.00
This monthly book club will strengthen literacy, cultural belonging, and community for elementary students in Black Student Success Groups through monthly culturally relevant books, family engagement events, hands-on learning activities, and opportunities to build lasting home libraries and peer connections.
Elementary School Awards (K-5th grades)
“Story Champs for Language intervention“
Innovative Educator Grant
Educator: Marybeth Canny-Burke, SLP/AAC specialist
Impact: 60 students
Award Amount: $499.00
This project will provide Story Champs curriculum materials to support language and literacy intervention through engaging, structured, and multi-sensory activities that improve communication skills, student confidence, classroom skill transfer, and positive learning experiences for young and complex communicators.
“Designing a Reading Room Conducive for Student Learning“
Frank Sherman Grant
Educator: Sarah Whisler, PE Teacher
Impact: 100 students
Award Amount: $500.00
My project will bring the Healthy Moves Jump Start program to our school in order to provide before school access to physical education activities four out of five school days each week.
“The Art of Resilience: Supporting Students and Families for School Success”
Innovative Educator Grant
Educator: Josh Donaldson, Principal
Impact: 75 students
Award Amount: $1,000.00
By pairing therapist-led caregiver workshops with a Lane Arts Council student art lab, this project provides families with shared strategies for success. Participants gain practical tools to reduce household stress, improve student attendance, and strengthen emotional regulation.
“Every Voice Matters: A Bilingual AAC Initiative for Inclusive Play/
Cada Voz Cuenta: Una Iniciativa de AAC Bilingüe para el Juego Inclusivo”
Innovative Educator Grant
Educator: Armando Garcia, Assistant Principal
Impact: 350 students
Award Amount: $3,000.00
The installation of a bilingual communication board on an elementary school playground fosters inclusion, kindness, and independent play. This weather-proof communication tool ensures every child, regardless of language or ability, has a voice and the opportunity to build friendships.
“Exploring History Through Music“
Innovative Educator Grant
Educator: Monica Tapia, 5th Grade Dual Language Teacher
Wayne Strong, Music Teacher
Impact: 60 students
Award Amount: $940.00
Students will work with clay to create their very own instrument, a rattle. Besides creating a musical instrument, students will learn about the history of indigenous communities and their use of clay instruments.
“Let’s Dance – Vamos a Bailar“
Frank Sherman Grant
Educator: Monica Tapia, 5th Grade Dual Language Teacher
Impact: 25 students
Award Amount: $299.00
This project will provide salsa dance instruction for 4th and 5th grade students, promoting physical activity, cultural appreciation, teamwork, social-emotional growth, and student engagement through movement-based learning integrated into physical education classes.
“From Manipulatives to Mastery – Unlocking Mathematical Thinking”
Innovative Educator Grant
Educator: Audrey Davids, Instructional Coach
Impact: 230 students
Award Amount: $2,945.78
Serving 230 students in a Title I setting, this project will expand access to essential math manipulatives in every grade level. Hands-on learning experiences will strengthen foundational skills, promote mathematical discourse, and accelerate progress toward our schoolwide achievement goals.
“Supplement Healthy Moves Program in Elementary School”
Innovative Educator Grant
Educator: Megan Knight, Principal
Impact: 120 students
Award Amount: $500.00
Funding for Healthy Moves Program that brings physical activity to students before the school day begins.
“Equipping Elementary Violin and Viola Students”
Innovative Educator Grant
Educator: Andrew Strietelmeier, Music Teacher
Impact: 38 students
Award Amount: $1,000.00
This project will provide adjustable shoulder rests and storage bags for elementary orchestra students at one SPS school, improving comfort, posture, technique, and instrument support while making violin and viola participation more accessible and sustainable for young musicians.
“STEAM in the Spheres 2026-27”
Innovative Educator Grant
Educator:Sara Burgin, 5th Grade Teacher
Additional Educators: Lindsey Dennis and other 5th grade & ELD Teachers
Impact: 70 students
Award Amount: $1,000.00
STEAM in the Spheres 2026–27 brings learning outdoors. Students explore Earth’s systems through hands-on field experiences that build scientific thinking, strengthen collaboration, and connect classroom learning to the natural world.
“Washer and Dryer“
Innovative Educator Grant
Educator: Brittney Cook, Family Resource Education Assistant
Impact: 380 students
Award Amount: $2,000.00
This funding provides a washer and dryer to quickly clean student clothing and belongings, improving comfort and dignity for students in need while reducing ongoing costs for replacement clothing and essential items.
Middle School Awards (6th-8th grades)
“Mind and Body Divergent Alliance“
Social Emotional Learning Fund (SELF) Grant
Educator: Wakerobin Gendel Sattler, Teacher
Impact: 450 students
Award Amount: $1,000.00
The Mind and Body Divergent Alliance was formed to provide a space for students impacted by disabilities to be themselves and be accepted for who they are. Our group honors and accepts students with diverse learning styles and physical needs.
“Every Brain is Beautiful”
Innovative Educator Grant
Educator: Laura Scruggs, 7-8th Grade ELA/SS Teacher
Additional Educators: Ashley Cary, Counselor
Amy Brooks, SpEd teacher/team lead
Amber Morris, Library Support
Karen Babcock, SPS District Librarian
Susan Coleman, Middle School TOSA
Impact: 407 Students
Award Amount: $1,400.00
This program will help neurodiverse students feel more understood, accepted, and confident by growing awareness among students and staff, strengthening adult support through professional learning, and creating a culture where every learner feels safe being themselves each day.
“Create, Design, Print: A 3D Innovation Project”
Innovative Educator Grant
Educator: Jason Dixon, Special Education Teacher
Impact: 83 students
Award Amount: $2,000.00
Students will use a 3D printer to design and create real-world solutions in class projects, building skills in problem-solving, creativity, and engineering. This project turns student ideas into tangible products they can test, refine, and share.
High School Awards (9th-12th grades)
“Integration of Anatomy and Physiology with Willamalane Rock Climbing“
Frank Sherman Grant
Educator: Katie Ryan, Teacher
Additional Educators: Jared Mills, Co-Teacher
Impact: 30 Students
Award Amount: $700.00
Rock Climbing and Anatomy/Physiology would be an integrated learning experience for students in an anatomy class January of 2027. Using the rock wall at Willamalane would provide access for students to connect their learning to their bodies.
“Marine Science Overnight At the Aquarium”
Innovative Educator Grant
Educator: Katie Ryan, Science Teacher
Impact: 60 students
Award Amount: $3,000.00
Students from a marine science class will participate in an overnight aquarium experience, exploring marine ecosystems and animal behavior while sleeping in an underwater tunnel. This immersive trip will inspire curiosity, environmental awareness, and future interest in STEM careers.
“Cake Decorating Club”
Innovative Educator Grant
Educator: Ruxandra Westra, Educational Aide
Impact: 12 students
Award Amount: $2,765.00
Cake Club is a safe, welcoming place full of new ideas taking shape in frosting & fondant. Expanding access to culinary arts through SkillsUSA, this program helps students develop creative, technical, and career-ready skills while removing financial barriers to competition participation, professional attire, materials, and hands-on learning opportunities.
“Repairing for the Future”
Innovative Educator Grant
Educator: Jon Bridges, Teacher – Band/Orchestra/Mariachi del Sol
Additional Educator:Conor Egan, THS Band/Orchestra
Impact: 200 students
Award Amount: $3,000.00
This project will establish an in-school instrument repair clinic to reduce maintenance costs district-wide, speed up repairs, improve instrument reliability, and provide students with hands-on technical training and career-ready skills in music instrument repair and maintenance.
“A Distraction Free Environment”
Innovative Educator Grant funded by the Springfield High School Rotary Interact Club
Educator: Belle Caracol, Testing Coordinator
Impact: 1,000 students
Award Amount: $500.00
To support and promote better focus for classroom learning and better performance for testing, this grant would allow the purchase of good quality headphones with microphones for a distraction free environment for testing and classroom lessons embedded in technology.
“Book Love: Building Classroom Libraries to Support Independent Reading”
Innovative Educator Grant
Educator: Caleb Kostechka, Instructional Coach
Additional Educators: SHS ELA Department, ELA teachers
Impact: 1,300 students
Award Amount: $3,000.00
This project will build rich classroom libraries to support daily independent reading. Students will have immediate access to high-interest books that promote reading volume, engagement, and belonging through the Book Love framework.
“Finding the Book that Fits the Reader: Library Design through Genrefication”
Innovative Educator Grant
Educator: Danielle Scheider, Library Manager
Impact: 1,100 students
Award Amount: $3,000.00
This project transforms the library through organizing books by student interests to improve access and engagement. New shelving and displays will support browsing, while student recommendations foster community, increase motivation, and encourage more frequent and meaningful reading.
“Professional Lighting & Cinematography Upgrade for Film & Video Production – Part Two”
Combined Frank Sherman & Innovative Educator Grant
Educator: Bren Bovee, CTE Video Production Teacher
Additional Educators: Crystal Martorano, Culinary Teacher
Chris Peppin, Life Skills Teacher
Impact: 150 students
Award Amount: $2,940.00 ($1,650 in funding from Frank Sherman Grants, $1,290 in funding from Innovative Educator Grants)
This project aims to further bolster the offering of lighting/cinematography equipment for film/video production students for the purposes of enriching learning opportunities and improving efficiency & quality of program publications such as a weekly video news program & marketing projects.
“Light Box for Photographing Artwork”
Innovative Educator Grant
Educator: Casey Leonard, Art Teacher
Impact: 200 students
Award Amount: $250.00
This collapsible light box will provide ideal lighting to capture high-quality photographs of student artwork for use as in-class examples, applications for colleges or contests, and to build personal portfolios.
“3Emriver (Em2) Stream Table”
Innovative Educator Grant
Educator:Andy Petersen, Teacher, Forestry, Watershed, Natural Resources
Additional Educators: Annin Ramsing-Nissen, Learning Specialist, SPED Program
Stephanie Lawless, WELL Project Coordinator, Springfield Public Schools
Impact: 270 students
Award Amount: $3,000.00
Integrating this Emriver stream table into our classwork will enable students to model and assess the impact of a wide range of activities that significantly influence watersheds, floodplains, wildlife, and water quality, vastly increasing student access to hands-on, multi-sensory applications.
“Greenhouse Garden Beds”
Innovative Educator Grant
Educator: Annin Ramsing-Nissen, Special Education Teacher
Additional Educators: Andy Petersen, Forestry/Watershed Teacher
Amy Burdge, Thurston EA
Austin Jones, Thurston EA
Aiden Cramer, Thurston EA
Chris Peppin, Life Skills Teacher
Tanya Ray, Life Skills IA
Impact: 30 students
Award Amount: $2,000.00
This project funds garden beds for the greenhouse. Two of the beds will be elevated to allow individuals with physical disabilities access to the garden. Flowers and vegetables will be grown and supported by students.
30 Students Impacted
SEF Grant Tour, May 27, 2026
We are deeply grateful to the organizations whose support made these grants possible: Weyerhaeuser Giving Fund, Sierra Pacific Foundation, SELCO Community Credit Union, Columbia Bank, and OnPoint Community Credit Union. Thank you for your support!
To support life-changing programs like these, donate at SEFLane.org/Give or reach out to Sona Hodaie, SEF Executive Director at Sona@SEFLane.org.
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