Santa Barbara Education Foundation Distributes $203K for S.B. Unified Teacher Projects

Casey Cleland’s classroom just got a brand-new 3D printer. 

The Santa Barbara Community Academy teacher was able to buy this expensive gadget thanks to the Santa Barbara Education Foundation (SBEF), which distributed $203,000 for innovative teacher projects across the Santa Barbara Unified School District this year. 

“Our annual grants ease the burden on teachers who often spend personal funds on classroom essential supplies and implement creative teaching that would otherwise be financially out of reach,” the foundation said in a statement.

Cleland’s was one of 96 grants given out this year for things like project supplies, instructional tools, and field trips, out of a total of 121 applications from 21 schools. Her classroom’s new 3D printer will allow 208 students in transitional kindergarten through 6th grade to bring their ideas to life.

“During our recent stop-motion animation unit, students requested different props than what I had on hand. One of the suggestions was to print some alligators,” Cleland said. “The students were ecstatic when they saw the alligators the following week. Our 3D printer didn’t just create props for student-created animations — it unleashed a wave of creativity, turning our classroom into an academy of animators with our school mascot as the star!”

Other grants are supporting teachers like Carlos Estrada at Alta Vista Alternative High School, who is creating a garden with his students to support their mental health while centering native ecosystems. Or like Ann Galbraith at Monroe Elementary, who is creating and caring for a school butterfly sanctuary with Monroe’s students. Or like Mika Burkett at Harding University Partnership School, who is buying a giant chess set for the school’s chess club.

The foundation was also able to establish the new, $2,500 Margie Yahyavi Grant for Excellence in Music Education, named after SBEF’s former executive director who passed away in January. Carissa Corrigan, a teacher at Harding, is using the grant to buy hand chimes for her students to make “music as a team.”

The Teacher Grants program is supported by private donors, including local foundations, businesses, and individual donors. This year, it even received a $50,000 donation from Google.org, Google’s philanthropic arm. 

“We are truly grateful for the tremendous community support for our teachers,” said Pedro Paz, SBEF executive director. “Their support is critical to the success of this high-impact program. These grants will go a long way in providing educators with the tools they need to inspire a love of learning and directly impact Santa Barbara Unified students.”

Overall, since creating the program in 2018, SBEF has awarded 483 grants, distributing more than $888,000 to local educators. For more information, visit santabarbaraeducation.org.