MINI-GRANTs

Mini-Grant Awards for Fall Semester 2025

Trevor Browne – Nick Valdez

Bambu Labs Printer 

$1000

Students will be using 3D design to connect ideas of volume and surface aera and their

uses in geometry. This mini-grant impacts 600 students per year.

Camelback - David Benton

West Fork Trail Photography Field Trip

$1000

The West Fork Trail trip will allow students to practice environmental and landscape photography, connecting art with the natural world and fostering critical thinking and

storytelling skills. This mini-grant impacts 35 students.

PXU Comprehensive Libraries – Monica Lourenco

Districtwide Literacy Award Program

$1000

The American Library Association reinforces that reading programs, among many other

factors, encourage reading becoming a lifelong habit, reluctant readers can be drawn in by the activities, and the program can generate interest in the library and books. This mini-grant impacts 143 students.

Academies at South Mountain – Carly Bacha

Candle & Jar Open Business for Upward & Onward Program

$1000

The Upward & Onward Program has curriculum that is based on learning workplace skills in job settings which connect to following checklists, working in a team, completing specific tasks in a given order, and putting effort into their work. This mini-grant impacts 13 students.

Camelback Montessori – Jianni Labato

Hydroponic Systems

$1000

The project will engage students in a collaborative process of planting, maintaining, and harvesting fruiting plants while also building a sense of cross-communal and collective achievement. This mini-grant impacts 200 students.

Trevor Browne – Rebecca Rhodes

Food Consumer Greenhouse

$1000

Experiments will bridge the gap between theoretical science education and practical

hands-on learning. These experiments will introduce students to how technology can

enhance sustainable food systems in a changing environment. This mini-grant impacts 120 to 150 students.

Phoenix Coding Academy – Joseph Grether

Materials and Consumables for Makerspace Learners

$850

Materials and consumables for Makerspace projects will help reinforce the problem and

inquiry-based learning projects for the students. This mini-grant impacts 250 students per year.

Academies at South Mountain – Ted Combs

Lock Kits for Escape Rooms

$520

Academic escape rooms meet several literacy and social studies standards. Multiple sets will allow for smaller groups working on completing the escape room at the same time and more student involvement with the academic materials. This mini-grant impacts 100 students.

Camelback – Holly Finch

Vertical Shade Gardens

$1000

This vertical gardening project will be a collaboration between STEM classes and clubs on campus (Sustainability, Engineering, Science Club, etc). Students will be involved in examining the problem, designing the structures, building the structures, and maintaining them. This mini-grant impacts 2000 students per year.

Academies at South Mountain – Melissa Scroggins

Demidec Booster Kit

$475

The Demidec booster kit will give students access to mock competitions, essay prompts, super quiz relays, impromptu speech topics, and music listening quizzes to prepare for all levels of academic decathlon district scrimmages, regionals, or state. This mini-grant impacts 15 students per year.

Mini-Grant Awards for Spring Semester 2026

Luis Raul Castaneda Perea - North

Lactometers & Cylinders

Science Curriculum

Grant - $950

Students will be using lactometers and cylinders to enhance the science curriculum

through practical, hands-on learning experiences that connect abstract scientific

concepts to real-world applications. This mini-grant impacts 120 students per year.

Samantha Enrique - North

Coffee Cart Collaboration 

Special Education Practical Skills

Grant - $600

The coffee cart business provides a practical and meaningful avenue for students in the

Special Education Practical Skills program to engage in work-based learning that increases independence, builds vocational readiness, and supports the transition to post-secondary adult living. This mini-grant impacts 10 students.

Jaxinta Shaffer - Camelback

Art Heals: Express. Release. Restore.

Grant - $700

This program using art for self-reflection through drawing, painting, collage, and nicho

boxes is designed to increase student participation in school activities while indirectly supporting academic achievement through improved focus, self-efficacy, and social- emotional skills. This mini-grant impacts 100 students.

Trisha Drake- Linda Abril

Student Art Projects

Grant - $350

This program gives students the chance to design and produce wearable art, building

motivation, pride, and participation as they see their ideas come to life. This mini-grant

impacts 40 students.

Carly Bacha - Academies at South Mountain

Real World Experiences

Upward and Onward Students

Grant - $300

This experience focuses on overall skills related to life skills and independence. It gives students critical life skills on how to budget for a preferred activity, choose recreational tasks and show manners in a real-world setting. This mini-grant impacts 12 students.

Isabel Clauhs - Camelback

Calculators for Algebra

Grant - $1,000

This program allows students to apply mathematical operations more consistently, which will lead to improved academic achievement not only in Algebra, but across content areas that require problem-solving and logical reasoning. 150 students per year.

William Stalker Highsmith -Alhambra

3D Printer Geometry Concepts

Grant - $1,000

With this program, students will design prisms, nets, tessellations, and transformation models. They will see congruence, rotations, and symmetries come to life in manipulatives they create. This mini-grant impacts 160+ students per year.

Cassandra Fernandez - Carl Hayden

Yoga Club Equipment

Grant - $800

Yogo and meditation will support our the students’ mental health, self-confidence, focus, and engagement in the classroom. This mini-grant impacts 200+ students.

Mario Malaby - Franklin Police and Fire

Bumper Plates for Strength Training

Grant - $1.000

We are building first responders. For barbells to be loaded the they should, bumper plates are needed. This allows students to train with confidence. This mini-grant impacts 400 students per year.

Matthew Arenas - Central

Incentives Freshman House Program

Grant - $800

Many Freshmen face academic, social, and emotional challenges that can hinder their

progress. This program provides a structured incentive program that recognizes and

rewards students who meet key benchmarks like attendance, GPA, behavior, and credit

accumulation. This mini-grant impacts 290 students per year.

Mario Malaby - Small Schools

Solar Power Car Kits

Grant - $1,000

Through the Engineering class, the solar power car kits allows the students to use hands on tools which let them feel the grit of building, wiring, and experimenting. This mini- grant impacts 200 students per year.

Bernadette Moreno - CEE4

Show Up and Shine At Risk Freshmen

Grant - $700

This program provides incentives to boost attendance among the most at-risk freshmen

student with 50-70% chronic absenteeism. This mini-grant impacts 1,100 students per

year.

Monica Lourenco - Camelback

Board Games Library at Lunch

Grant - $300

Board games can help reduce stress, improve cognitive abilities like problem solving, improve social and emotional skills, and even help increase attention and focus abilities.

This mini-grant impacts 150-200 students/day.

Maria Chacon - Central

Banda Music Books

Grant - $500

Having a class set of popular banda music books so that students have direct access to

culturally relevant and engaging materials is expected to translate into increased commitment to practice with stronger performance outcomes. This mini-grant impacts 1700+ students per year.

Mini-Grant Awards for Fall Semester 2024

Hayden - Spencer Freeman

Standing Whiteboards for Math

$1050

With standing whiteboards, the students can learn according to Building Thinking

Classrooms. This mini-grant impacts 150+ students per year.

Chavez - Hara Fineberg

Rolling Whiteboards for AVID

$800

These boards are used for AVID students in English, Math, Science, and History. They

are also used for AVID Schoolwide Tutorials for ACT prep in all areas. This mini-grant

has a schoolwide impact.

Camelback - David Benton

Immersive Field Trips for Camera Club 

$500

The immersive field trips for photography will provide invaluable opportunities for hands-

on learning and real-world application of photography techniques, thus fostering a

deeper understanding and appreciation for the art of photography. This mini-grant

impacts 50 students.

Camelback - Monica Lourenco

Award Program to Support Literacy Districtwide

$1500

Implementation of a districtwide award program for PXU students supports literacy by

reinforcing reading habits in every student and encourages the development of reading

as a lifelong habit. This mini-grant impacts 143 students.

Trevor Browne - Stephanie Burke

Portable Monitor Screens for AP Capstone Program 

$1000

The AP Capstone program develops students’ skills in research, analysis, evidence-based arguments, collaboration, writing, and presenting. Having two screens so they can see their research on one screen and create their papers on the other would be ideal. This mini-grant impacts 60 students.

Hayden - Jaxinta Shaffer

Literacy Garden 

$1000

The literacy garden provides a living laboratory for science, technology, engineering and math education as well as a practical tool for teaching students about nutrition, healthy eating habits, and fresh produce. Garding fosters important life skills such as responsibility, patience, and teamwork. This mini-grant impacts 500 students.

Franklin - Rosario Gaytan

Headsets to Support World Language Learners 

$900

Headsets will increase participation and improve listening and speaking skills. This mini- grant impacts 200 students per year.

North - Kylee Jackson

Educational Field Trip to Phoenix Zoo for Bilology 

$1000

The trip is designed to enhance freshman biology students to enhance their

understanding of ecology, biodiversity, and conservation. This mini-grant impacts 50

students.

Hayden - Bianca Valencia

STEM Makerspace Educational Robot Kit 

$800

The Makerspace will allow students to learn in new ways while allowing them to experiment and fail in a safe environment. It will also provide students with opportunities to develop critical thinking and problem-solving skills. This mini-grant impacts 220+ students.

CEE - Kristine Cunningham

Dry Erase Books for  EAI Education Districtwide 

$1500

Funding would provide teachers with whiteboard pages to use in their classrooms to support students in engaging and thinking with each other. This mini-grant impacts

7000 students.

Bioscience - Ryan Heisel

Computer Software & Hardware for Practical Application 

$1000

This program will allow seniors with an interest in this field to work with fully functional

computers, diving deep into the modification, understanding, and operation of computer

hardware and software systems. This mini-grant impacts 380 students.

Betty Fairfax - Theresa Reigadas

Compost Tumbler & Cart for Environmental Class

$1000

Students will learn the conditions for the growth and nurturing of plants and how they

can have an impact on the creation of soil for their plants. This mini-grant impacts 162

students.

Trevor Browne - Elise Kohli

Ceramic Bats for Potter's Wheel Development

$850

The bats will be used to further the students’ development and understanding with the

potter’s wheel. This mini-grant impacts 60 students.

Phoenix Coding - Joseph Grether

Tools & Consumables for Creator Space

$1000

These tools will allow students to make their own projects using wood, metal, and cloth.

This mini-grant impacts 250 students.

Trevor Browne - Brian Morales

Instruments for Percussion Program

$1000

The percussion program gives students a chance to learn valuable life skills such as

teamwork, leadership, and time management. This mini-grant impacts 30+ students.

Mini-Grant Awards for Spring Semester 2025

Academies at South Mountain – Nidhi Mehta

Enhancing ELL through Hydroponics Introduction 

$1000

By incorporating hydroponics, students are educated about sustainable agriculture, water conservation, and the importance of reducing carbon footprints, while also supporting language development and engagement in ELL students. This mini-grant

impacts 75 students per year.

Camelback - David Benton

Photo and Video Equipment 

$1000

Providing students in Photography 1-2, Journalism 1-2, and Camera Club with access to high-quality, state-of-the-art photo and video equipment will enhance their technical skills in photography and video production. This mini-grant impacts 180 students.

North – Jana Jackson

Gizmo-Supplemental Resource in the Classroom 

$1000

Incorporating Gizmo into the classroom will enhance student achievement in alignment

with the Universal Design for Learning, improving students’ understanding of space

science concepts, and helping students recognize the importance of studying Earth and space. This mini-grant impacts 150 students.

Academies at South Mountain – Vicki Burkhart

NumWorks-Graphing Calculators 

$1000

Graphing calculators help students build connections between algebraic representations and graphic representations causing a stronger understanding of mathematical concepts. This mini-grant impacts 147 students.

Fairfax – Gary Mattevi

Multilingual Learners Headsets 

$1000

Headsets will assist multilingual learners in growing speaking and listening skills through

practice and formative assessments. This mini-grant impacts 40 students.

PXU City – Cara Wright

Graduation Regalia-Chick-Fil-A Leadership Academy 

$600

Chick-Fil-A Leadership Academy prepares students to be leaders in their community and

encourages students to use 21st century problem solving skills to help with a community service project. This mini-grant impacts 35 students.

Hayden – Bianca Valencia

Bambu 3D Printer and Filament-World Language Learners 

$1000

Incorporating a 3D printer and fostering a collaborative learning environment, the

program will empower students to explore new possibilities, develop critical thinking

skills, and achieve greater academic success through hands -on learning. This mini-grant

impacts 300 students per year.

Metro Tech – Nicholas Estes

Prep fro AP Government and Politics Exam 

$800

The exam preparation services will allow for a more robust preparation for the AP Government and Politics exam. This mini-grant impacts 40 students.

Franklin – Mario Malaby

Strength Training for First Responders 

$1000

This mini-grant provides essential strength training equipment supporting the development of future police and fire responders. This mini-grant impacts 400 students per year.

Phoenix Coding Academy – Mario Malaby

Gardening Education and Sustainable Living 

$1000

Students learn to make conscious decisions regarding food production and resource

management, empowering them to take ownership of their ecological footprint. This

mini-grant impacts 70 students per year.

Academies at South Mountain – Carly Bacha

Budgeting Skills for Upward and Onward Program 

$1000

Funding this project will allow the students in the Upward and Onward Program to practice budgeting, ordering, communication, and independence in real-life situations that will help them gain critical life skills. This mini-grant impacts 13 students per year.

Chavez – Hoanchau Nguyen

Graphing Calculators and Whiteboard 

$1000

Graphing calculators allow students to explore mathematical concepts more

interactively, enabling students to visualize functions and in real-time. Using whiteboards in math class encourages collaborative learning as students can share their ideas and solutions during group work. This mini-grant impacts 125 students per year.

Chavez – Jill Smith

Language Translator Devices 

$600

The goal of this initiative is to reduce our dependence on translators by equipping the

counseling team with real-time communication devices that can facilitate immediate and clear conversations with families who speak different languages. This mini-grant impacts 300+ students per year.

Academies at South Mountain – Jan C. Altmann

Exam Writing Grading Services for AP US History 

$1000

By implementing AP quality writing grading services, the students receive detailed feedback on their writing which builds the students’ abilities to write in an academic

format that demonstrates their knowledge of the material while also demonstrating their

composition skills. This mini-grant impacts 61 students per year.

Browne – Raquel Diaz

AI Robots and LittleBits Kits 

$1000

The integration of AI robots in the classroom addresses the critical need for 21 st -centrury

skills development, preparing students for futures careers in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) fields. This mini-grant impacts 150 students per year.

Alhambra - Jackson MacDonald

US and Japanese Plane Models/Battle of Peral Harbor 

$750

This project allows students to discover how the political desire to remain neutral

impacted military readiness. It enables students to understand the relationship between politics, history, and how we can anticipate and prepare for possible future events. This mini-grant impacts 60 students per year.

Chavez – Rashada Anderson

Social-Emotional Walking Club 

$450

The Social-Emotional Walking Club addresses a growing need for programs that support students’ mental health while promoting physical activity. It provides a platform for students to engage socially and emotionally, encouraging a balanced approach to education that prioritizes both mental and physical health. This mini-grant impacts 50 to 60 students per year.

Camelback – Leah Eckroth

Sewing Machines and 3-D Printer/Fashion Design and Cultural Expression 

$800

Having sewing machines and a 3-D printer will give students the ability to engage in practical, inquiry-based learning and allow students to create and complete fashion

pieces and accessories that can be worn with pride at the Cultural Fashion Walk. This mini-grant impacts 50+ students per year.

Hayden – Torunn Anderson

Art Museum Field Trip/World History and Literature Students 

$600

The goal of the field trip is for students to express their true selves by both discovering

interpretations that are similar to and different from themselves. The art museum will expose the students to expressions and perspectives. This mini-grant impacts 83 students per year.

Mini-Grant Awards for Fall Semester 2023

Betty Fairfax - Gary Mattevi

Headphones with Noise Cancelling Mics

$1000 supporting English language learners by providing these headphones to

effectively practice their listening and speaking skills. This grant impacts 84

students.

Carl Hayden - Jaxinta Shaffer

Community Building through Games and Activities

$1000 supporting building relationships and socialization through games and

participating in Adopt-A-Street clean up events. This grant impacts 900

students.

Alhambra - Jackson MacDonald

Build Kits for Simple Machines – STEM/BMS

$1250 supporting opportunities to put engineering, mechanical, leadership and

communication theories into practice through creating simple machines.

Collaborating with other teachers as well. This grant impacts 70 students per

year.

Bostrom - Jonathan Eddy

Guitars

$1000 supporting a Guitar Class allowing students to be able sign out guitars

to practice at home. This grant impacts up to 25 students.

Bioscience/Districtwide - Britny Delp

Physics Field Day – STEM/BMS

$2500 supporting Physics Field Day at Castles n Coasters to compete in

engineering challenges. This grant impacts 110 students.

Bioscience -Britny Delp

Dragon Robotics Team – STEM/BMS

$2500 supporting the Dragon Robotics team with supplies to participate in

FIRST robotics. This grant impacts 50 students.

Linda Abril Educational Academy - Danny Lazcano

Wire Art Construction – STEM/BMS

$1250 supporting students to create a Spanish flamenco dancer or matador

pose using wire. Art, Spanish, and Geometry come together in this project. This

grant impacts 50 students.

Wilson College Prep - Jorge Ambriz

TI Innovator Hubs and Rovers – STEM/BMS

$1250 supporting students learning how to program using TI-Nspires

technology to apply the skills learned. This grant impacts 60 students.

Alhambra - William Highsmith

Practical Math Project – STEM/BMS

$1250 supporting practical math skills learned through beads, wire, and tools

and a color printer for a variety visual aids including diagrams and charts. This

grant impacts 60 students.

Phoenix Coding Academy - Lori Bohr

3D Printers – STEM/BMS

$1250 supporting project-based learning and access to 3D printers. This grant

impacts 300 students.

Trevor Browne - Raquel Diaz

Technologies on Automation and Robotics – STEM/BMS

$1250 supporting the use of robotic automation. This grant impacts 150

students.

Mini-Grants for Spring Semester 2024

Central - Hae Kyung Lee

Calming Zone Creation in the Classroom $1000  

The Calming Zone is located in an English language learning classroom where an environment is created for students learn how to cope with anxiety and stress. This mini-grant impacts 80 to 100 students per year.

Carl Hayden - Immaculate Gomes Robinson 

Manipulatives & Kits for Chemistry Class $1000

The manipulatives and kits will help students to visualize concepts, use their motor-sensory skills and engage inquiry to build strong conceptual knowledge. This mini-grant impacts 150 students.

Trevor Browne - Francisco Rangel

3D Printers 

$1000

Use of 3D printers to make a product will assist students with their business plans and marketing mixes. This mini-grant impacts 200 students. 

The Academies at South Mountain - Carly Bacha

Wildlife Zoo Experience  

$1000

Upward and Onward transition program students will have animal experiences that may lead to finding jobs in this area of interest. This mini-grant impacts 12 students. 

Phoenix Coding Academy - Gwendolyn Paulsen 

Art Education Supplies 

$600

Implementation of art education to improve school climate, empower students with a sense of purpose and ownership, and enhance mutual respect for their teachers and peers. This mini-grant impacts 50 students. 

Alhambra - Jackson MacDonald

JROTC War Modeling Kits  

$1000

Students will learn about the military equipment involved historically and how it impacted military readiness. This mini-grant impacts 75 students.

Alhambra - William Highsmith

Sewing Supplies for Math Concepts $1000

Hands-on learning experience for special education math class will help visualizing algebraic and geometric principles, enhance participation, collaboration, and problem-solving skills. This mini-grant impacts 168 students per year. 

Trevor Browne - Raquel Diaz

Robotics for Engineering Class  

$1500 

Robots will allow more students to compete and learn engineering principles and physics dynamic properties. This mini -grant impacts 130 students. 

Mini-Grant Awards for Fall Semester 2022

Bioscience - Milton Johnson 

STEM Maker and Coding Initiative

$1000 supporting computer coding and hardware skills through hands-on

training and application. This grant impacts 350 students over multiple years.

Metro Tech - Maggie McGraw

Biology Research Projects

$ 700 supporting long-term research project monitoring water quality and

biodiversity in the Salt River and a second project researching a possible

connection between environmental exposure to copper and the development of

Alzheimer’s disease. This grant impacts 345 students.

South Mountain - Dana Beadle

Edmark Reading Program

$ 700 supporting teaching students with intellectual disabilities how to read

and comprehend with the added benefit of retaining mastered material after

extended breaks from school. This grant impacts 14 students per year.

Phoenix Coding Academy - Emily McCall

Solar Panel Electronics Project

$ 500 supporting an opportunity for students to learn how solar panels work and embed solar panels into an electronics project. This grant impacts 90

students.

Trevor Browne - Matthew Burke

New Robots for Robotics Program

$1000 supporting new robots to build interest in the robotics program and start a competitive robotics program. This grant impacts 40 students.

Mini-Grant Awards for Spring Semester 2023

Academies at South Mountain - Dr Donald Mitchell

Lunchtime SCRABBLE Club

$ 500 supporting a lunchtime Scrabble Club for students that provides

students with the opportunity to play with words in a structured environment

that will encourage communication skills, increase word development, develop

critical thinking skills, and develop intellectual abilities. This grant impacts 40

students.

Camelback Percussion Program – Joe Goglia

Barriles de Bomba

$ 700 supporting students to able to perform on authentic instruments.

This grant impacts 90 students.

Desiderata Hands- Joni Welsh

On Algebra

$ 200 supporting use of tiles that give a visual hands-on account of positive

and negative numbers and how to use variables with hands-on application and

understanding. This grant impacts 24 students.

Camelback - Monica Lourenco

Reading Award Program

$1500 supporting the implementation of an award program that reinforces

reading habits in every student and would give encouragement for the

development of a lifelong habit. This grant impacts 165 students.

Academies at South Mountain -Nichole Goff Creative Writing Program

$ 500 supporting building a classroom library for the Creative Writing Class,

English classes, and Creative Writing Club. This grant impacts 120 students.

Trevor Browne - Raquel Diaz

Arduino Boards

$ 600 supporting the use of Arduino boards for students to create digital and

analog signals. This grant impacts 150 students.

North - Samantha Enrique

Coffee Cart

$1000 supporting an effective way of building vocational and employability

skills for students. This grant impacts 15 students per year.

Wilson College Prep - Sandra Dahlen Trashcan Art

$1000 supporting a way to create a welcoming campus environment by

installing student works of art that are functional and will help the campus stay

clean. This grant impacts 15 students creating and the whole school impacted

by the visual installation.

Carl Hayden - Victoria Robertson

Cameras for Yearbook

$ 780 supporting cameras that are easy to use for students working on the

yearbook, social media posts, and school website content. This grant impacts

24 students.

Bioscience High School Yearbook Committee

$800 supporting digital cameras and camera equipment for students to

utilize for production of the yearbook. This grant impacted 50 students.

North High School-AVID Demonstration School Hallway Signage

$800 supporting 26 custom street signs and a framed display board to

enhance the hallways and highlight and build a culture of achievement and

success. This grant impacted 2800 students.

PUHSD District-wide Art Show

$900 supporting prizes for the student winners of the Art Show. This grant

impacted 108 students.

Betty Fairfax High School Freshmen Experience Intervention Program

$1000 supporting this program to run effectively and supply organizational

materials and peer leader recognition. This grant impacted 250 students.

North High School Freshmen Connection to Community

$1000 supporting connecting freshmen to community organizations. This

grant impacted 900 students.

PUHSD District-wide Curriculum/Native American Education Program

$1000 supporting leadership training at United Native Indian Tribal Youth

(UNITY) conference. This grant impacted 7 students who attended training

and 100+ students who are trained by those who attended.

PUHSD Art Making Workshop

$950 supporting a day-long workshop for PUHSD students to meet and learn from professional artists. This grant impacted 8 adults and 32 students.

South Mountain High School Theatre Program

$790 supporting theater students through providing a Childsplay teaching session which will engage them in kinesthetic learning, connecting themes and classroom curriculum to the content of the their upcoming production. This grant impacted 260 students.

Trevor Browne High School Musical

$1,000 supporting the annual musical by helping to provide scenery, costumes, lighting, props, etc. This grant impacted 33 High School students and 102 2nd grade students.

Cesar Chavez Senior Portfolio

$588.61 supporting the annual student showcase. This grant impacted 522 students.

Carl Hayden Sensory Room

$500 supporting the sensory room.