Teacher Grants
With our roots as an educator’s credit union, we remain committed to supporting teachers, students, and our local K-12 public and private schools. Our teacher grant program is just one way we support education in the communities we serve.
Help us celebrate our 2024 Maps Teacher Grant winners!
We received a record number of applications this year and selected 54 local K-12 public and private school teachers who are Maps members to receive funding for their innovative educational projects that we know will make a difference for students and their schools.
In total, Maps Community Foundation awarded $50,000 to support classroom, school-wide and afterschool projects in the Mid-Willamette Valley region for the 2024-25 school year. We are so grateful for ALL of the teachers in our region. Read more about each of the exciting projects we funded below.
2024 Maps Teacher Grant Winners
Salem-Keizer School District
- Tannis Sink of Gubser Elementary School will purchase books, book bins and a transportable cart to help students become enthusiastic and successful readers.
- Chelsea Thomas of Keizer Elementary School will purchase high interest hands-on math manipulatives to engage students during small group math instruction.
- Sean Williams of McNary High School will use funds to support students in attending the 2025 Oregon Coast Youth Symphony Festival to learn through innovative clinics and performances.
- Emilie Andersson of Cummings Elementary School will purchase fine motor supplies and other sensory items to support kindergarten students with special needs to be successful students.
- Josh Riddell of Claggett Creek Middle School will use funds to design and furnish a sensory calming area for students in the Life Skills Classroom.
- Jennifer Buckle of Yoshikai Elementary will use funds for her 4th grade class to visit The End of the Oregon Trail Exhibit in Oregon City to enhance their learning with an outside experience.
- Joel Rocha Torres of Swegle Elementary School will purchase new playground equipment to support a recess makeover to provide more activities that are fun and benefit learning.
- Susan Callahan of Washington Elementary will purchase hands-on items to develop fluency in mathematical thinking and help improve scores and close the achievement gap.
- Lisa Cassidy of McKay High School will purchase study guides for the 9th grade AP Human Geography class to support students in passing the challenging national exam.
- Sarah Ferguson-Manon of Waldo Middle School will use funds to support publications and celebrations for the 130 students from 18 countries connected to the school Newcomer Center.
- Jacob Brasuell of Waldo Middle School will support student participation in the Waldo wrestling program that provides a positive opportunity to build inclusion and self-esteem.
- Miranda Love of Roberts High School will support the R.E.A.C.H. Resource Closet that provides students in need with access to essential items such as clothing, toiletries, and food.
- Jamie Fairhurst of Englewood Elementary School will purchase decodable readers for her kindergarten classroom to support literacy instruction and confident, independent reading.
- Norma Villanueva of Four Corners Elementary School will provide her 1st and 2nd grade dual-immersion students with the opportunity to learn outside the classroom at an OMSI field trip.
- Lane McLeod of North Salem High School will purchase trainer barbells to support beginner lifters and student athletes in the weight room.
- Maria Kirk of Roberts Middle School will use funds to purchase sensory headphones and supplies for “Yay Days” that build community and award attendance and improvement.
- Carolyn Jones of Wright Elementary School will buy items for the school food pantry that provides nourishment and reduces anxiety for students and families in need.
- Lori Hunt of Morningside Elementary School will purchase a sensory swing to help students with autism achieve sensory balance and enhance their ability to focus and learn.
- Joe Matot of Crossler Middle School will purchase portable air compressors and tools for his Career Technical Education (CTE) Industrial Technology classroom.
- Alyssa Heuberger of Salem Heights Elementary will purchase books and games to support social emotional learning in the LRC classroom.
- Sigrid Olsen of Sprague High School will purchase graphic non-fiction novels for history classes that are about teens shaped by difficult circumstances that tell stories of hope and resilience.
- Rebecca LaFramboise of Harritt Elementary will purchase flexible seating options and organizational tools for her 3rd graders to learn the importance of keeping track of their work.
- Penny Lane of both Harritt and Kalapuya Elementary will purchase items to support the makeover of her two LRC classrooms including seating, lighting and more as a first-year teacher.
- Stacy Kline of Straub Middle School will use funds to create a welcoming, cozy reading nook in the library to encourage reading and build more reading stamina.
- Lorilee Anderson of West Salem High School will purchase equipment to support students with visual, sensory and auditory impairments to actively participate in the Unified PE program.
- Liuchoy Hirschhorn of Kalapuya Elementary School will purchase a planetarium star projector to provide an amazing visual for first grade students to learn about the solar system & universe.
- Laren Vernoy of the EDGE Online Elementary will purchase a high-quality on-line reading curriculum to increase reading fluency and close skill gaps.
- Brett Gaboury of Eagle Charter School will purchase materials including a 3D printer to create a makerspace in the school library to promote creativity and innovation through STEAM projects.
- Allie VanderMolen of Grant Community School will purchase xylophone stands to allow students to move while playing and increase accessibility for students in wheelchairs.
- Curtis Fisher of the Career Technical Education Center (CTEC) will use funds to launch an after-school build club where students will create a business and sell items to the community.
Silver Falls School District
- Julia Marshall of Central Howell School will buy supplies to get their agriculture program and greenhouse off the ground.
- Kyle Purdy of Robert Frost Elementary School will purchase a large touch-screen TV to use for augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) in his life skills special education classroom.
- Ginny Miller of the Community Transition Program will connect students with a local filmmaker to learn all aspects of film production by producing a mini-documentary about the CTP program.
- Tyrone Reeder of Mark Twain Elementary School will purchase alphabet and number polyspots to incorporate academic concepts including literacy and math into PE class movement games.
Woodburn School District
- Tony Manetti of Woodburn High School will purchase an AI robot and materials for 3D printing to support computer science, a Technology Makers Club, and STEM career exploration.
- Josie Nguyen of Lincoln Elementary School will create a student-run store in the classroom that will provide real-world experience in entrepreneurship, teamwork & responsibility.
North Marion School District
Karla Morales Rivera of North Marion Primary School will use funds to support Family Engagement Nights to bring the school community together to foster a love of reading.
Mount Angel School District
Kevin Arndt of John F Kennedy High School will use funds to purchase a complete set of rechargeable scientific graphing calculators for math courses.
Jefferson School District
- Darcy Brons of Jefferson Middle School will purchase kitchen supplies including a dishwasher and adaptive equipment to teach cooking skills and kitchen safety in her Life Skills classroom.
- Beth Chitwood of Jefferson Middle School will replace an aging pottery wheel for her pottery elective class that helps students relieve stress, develop motor skills and have a creative outlet.
- Inger-Lis Nielsen of Jefferson High School will purchase 3D bone and organ models including skulls, vertebra, heart, and more to enhance interest & learning in Anatomy and Physiology.
Cascade School District
- Sara Koenig of Turner Elementary will purchase a 3D printer to augment the technology unit for 5th graders to increase creativity and innovation as they study manufacturing & automation.
- Vicky Remy of Cascade High School will purchase vertical writing surfaces to provide engaging math instruction that allows students to explore, conclude, and solve more independently.
North Santiam School District
Stephanie Hull of Sublimity Elementary School will purchase kid-friendly pickleball equipment to bring this new sport to their K-4 physical education program.
Perrydale School District
Makenna Hanson-Johnson of Perrydale School will purchase an indoor grow system on wheels to teach students about how food is grown and produce food for the school meal program.
Central School District
Ryan Saparto of Central High School will purchase equipment and uniforms for a new Unified PE program that will foster inclusivity and promote physical well-being among all students.
Falls City School District
Josh Wagner of Falls City High School will use funds to bring back a theatre program and produce a play at the school for the first time in 10 years.
Dallas School District
- Karin Moneke of Dallas Community School will use funds to “change the world through writing” by purchasing a curriculum to support students with their writing growth.
- Bill Masei of Dallas High School will purchase a curriculum so that 100% of graduating seniors receive financial education and explore career pathways related to sales, finance and banking.
Private Schools
- Ekatirina Basargin of Holy Trinity Private School will buy supplies to support students in designing and building a school chicken coop to then raise and sell eggs to fund school projects.
- Rosa Raymundo of Victory Christian Academy will use funding to purchase books to set up a new school library.
- Jonathan Hansen of Abiqua School will purchase STEAM micro:bit kits to offer students the opportunity to experiment, create and learn by doing hands-on projects.
- Joshua Brumfield of Western Christian School will purchase a water bottle filler for the music room so that students can keep their voices and bodies prepared to sing or play instruments.
- Nancy Keatley of St. Joseph School will use funds to buy books, paint and enhance the atmosphere of the school library to encourage a love of literature.
Previous Maps Teacher Grant Winners
2023 Winners
- Phillip Warner of McKay High School will take his AP Environmental Science class on a field trip to the Hatfield Marine Science Center.
- Bethany Brown of Scott Elementary School will purchase items for interactive, educational morning tubs to engage her students when they arrive for the day.
- Blair Becker of Hammond Elementary School will purchase a black-out tent, soft lighting. and other items to create a calming corner in her developmental Kindergarten classroom.
- Jasmine Filley of the Career Technical Education Center (CTEC) will purchase tower garden vertical aeroponic systems for two nearby elementary schools so that CTEC’s Sustainable Plant Science and Technology students can share their knowledge with younger students.
- Kezra Presleigh of Stephens Middle School will develop a new Ethnic Studies elective course, with grant funds supporting training, student materials, and field trip funds.
- Carrie Hare of Leslie Middle School will purchase comfortable seating for her reading intervention class to create a cozy space for students to develop a love for reading.
- Shelly Barr of Crossler Middle School will purchase xylophone stands to promote proper playing position and posture and new mallets to allow for better sound quality.
- Katie Currey of Wright Elementary School will purchase books and art supplies for the annual Read Across America Night, with evening student and family activities planned for the week.
- Liza Rodriguez McNicholas of South Salem High School will use the funds to support her work with the after-school Latino Club, including club t-shirts and multicultural week activities.
- Brenda Varty Bly of McKinley Elementary School will purchase a sensory swing, a smart recording bird feeder, and other bird-related items to enhance the calm, sensory den.
- Kassandra Paige of Auburn Elementary School will bring the twelve-week Biz Town financial education program to her 4th and 5th-grade students.
- Laura Sumpter of Hoover Elementary School will purchase the Slumberkins curriculum to enhance the school’s All Feelings Matter project focusing on trauma-informed care and creating a school climate of care, warmth, and comfort.
- Carly Justino of Miller Elementary School will purchase items for a raised bed school garden in the interior courtyard to provide a hands-on learning opportunity, a calming space, and access to healthy foods and eating options.
- Dan Murray of West Salem High School will utilize funds for a 10-week real-world budgeting simulation to teach financial literacy to his financial algebra students.
- Jessica Sokoloff of Myers Elementary School will purchase a new mobile digital piano and dolly for the music and choir program that will allow for safe movement, increase student visibility and allow for volume control to meet diverse student needs.
- Samantha Rogers of Brush College Elementary School will purchase sensory tools and activities such as bouncy bands for chairs, weighted lap pads, and more for her self-contained emotional growth classroom.
- Dawn Reichle-Bailon of McNary High School will purchase supplies to create beds for a new Sensory Garden to be used by students with and without disabilities during science classes.
- Leslie Trommlitz Leasia of Gubser Elementary School will purchase a set of corrective reading curriculum books to support her work with bringing up the reading level for her 2nd-5th graders.
- Stacey Lund of Weddle Elementary School will purchase items to create a new sensory room so that students with individualized sensory needs have a space to self-regulate and get ready to learn and interact with others.
- Kim Beranek of Mary Eyre Elementary School will purchase a new mobile digital piano that can be used in the music room, library, and gym to accompany music classes and concerts.
- Kevin Loss of Parrish Middle School will use funds to support the creation of a Sensory Solarium in the greenhouse to provide a safe and nurturing space for students with developmental disabilities to regulate their bodies and minds.
- Ashley Smith of North Salem High School will purchase updated classroom lesson planning tools and supplies for the Early Childhood Education students who are working towards careers with children.
- Kristine Herring of Eagle Charter School will purchase practical items to be given to students as part of their new monthly Character Trait Awards, recognizing kindness, empathy, respect, responsibility, honesty, and cooperation.
- Heather Deede-Jones of Silverton High School will purchase items for revitalizing the school library to be more inclusive, including audiobooks and headphones, a large print collection for students with vision impairment, and an expanded Spanish collection.
- Najma Cheema of Robert Frost Elementary School will utilize grant funds to support family literacy nights for her second language learning families to engage parents in supporting literacy at home.
- Jennifer Bizon of Scotts Mills Elementary School will purchase bookshelves, cozy carpet, flexible seating and improved lighting for her new classroom to create a supportive, educational environment.
- Kelly Kent of Lincoln Elementary School will purchase more than 300 books in English and Spanish to distribute during Read Across America week to get students excited about reading.
- Rosa Floyd of Nellie Muir Elementary School will purchase costumes for the Mexican Folkloric Dance program that connects students and the community to their roots and culture while promoting tolerance, diversity, and appreciation of other cultures.
- Neil Wilhelm of Woodburn Success High School will purchase educational incentives to reward good grades, attendance, and behavior to keep students on track for graduation.
- Taylor Guidos of Cascade High School will purchase lego sets and STEM project boxes to provide more hands-on educational opportunities for his Special Education students.
- Julia McFerron of Turner Elementary School will purchase paint, supplies, and plywood for a new after-school art club that will lead a school-wide project to create a mural for the side of the gym.
- Sonya Lang of Jefferson High School will start a garden project for her LifeSkills classroom students to learn about plant life cycles and how to grow and harvest food within both a greenhouse and hydroponic growing environment.
- Alicia Hasty of Jefferson Middle School will purchase new marching/pep band jackets to bring back the marching band program and match the new school colors for parades and events.
- Tia Pico of Independence Elementary School will purchase various products and books to support teaching 5th-grade students about personal hygiene during science and health.
- Kristine Nightengale of Ash Creek Elementary School will purchase a variety of flexible seating options to help her students get their wiggles out and be successful learners.
- Stephanie McEwen of Falls City High School will purchase cooking utensils, cleaning supplies, and personal care items to support special education students with learning essential life skills.
- Lua Siegel of Luckoamute Valley Charter School will purchase pier blocks, lumber, and supplies to build a boardwalk and interpretive nature trail around the school garden.
- Melissa Garmon of St. Vincent de Paul Dual Language Immersion Catholic School will purchase bilingual literacy materials to support her English reading intervention groups.
- Olivia Nava of Victory Christian Academy will purchase equipment for the computer lab at their new school that will teach middle and high school students typing, website building, coding, and basic computer skills.
- Rachael Harms of Western Christian School will purchase Chromebooks and Adobe Creative Cloud licenses to support the launch of a new Digital Arts CTE program.
2022 Winners
- Zoriana Camp of Roberts Middle School will purchase social emotional wellness curriculum and build out the Calm Center—a calming community space for emotional regulation.
- Teri Birkel of Englewood Elementary will purchase hands-on Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) kits to inspire her 4th and 5thgrade students to be curious about and have fun with math and science.
- Carter Alt of Houck Middle School will purchase books in Spanish so that students can see themselves in the stories they read and be inspired to follow their dreams.
- Tara Heikila of Leslie Middle School will purchase digital cameras so that students can use photography to show their thinking, amplify their voices and share their experience as mathematicians.
- Renee Lupien of South Salem High School will purchase supplies for creative projects linking art and literature within the English department.
- Maureen Foelkl of Queen of Peace School will purchase waterproof STEM scopes that can be used to magnify what students are seeing in both the classroom and outdoor learning environments.
- Stacy Ryan of Liberty Elementary will purchase xylophone stands to promote proper playing position and posture and new mallets to allow for better sound quality.
- Kelly Ridgeway of Kalapuya Elementary will purchase room partitions, calming and color changing lights, a soothing sound machine and more to enhance the calming sensory room.
- Chris Weaver and Carli O’Brien of Straub Middle School will purchase supplies to develop a new school garden for students in their cooking and life skills classes.
- Brad Kilgroe of Whiteaker Middle School will purchase a robust space telescope that can be used to view lunar rises and sets, planets and more—supporting space, physics, wave and energy units and inspiring science students.
- Celine Carlton of Hallman Elementary School will purchase books to get students excited about reading and reward students who fill up their at-home reading logs with the goal of raising reading levels.
- Leah Laughton of Scotts Mills Elementary will purchase functional furniture and soft lighting to improve the classroom environment, reduce headaches and increase focus.
- Teresa Murphy of John F Kennedy High School will purchase clothing and shoes, school supplies, snacks and food for a new resource room that will meet student’s basic needs so they can focus on school success.
- Penelope Freeburg of Falls City Elementary School will fund two field trips—one to a farm in Estacada and the other to the “End of the Oregon Trail” in Oregon City.
- Lynn Bailey of Falls City High School will fund “culture of care” activities such as bowling, aquatic center trips, and more to build positive relationships between teachers and students that support school success.
- Clair Dietz of Lyle Elementary School will purchase a classroom set of ukuleles and boom whackers that will allow students to access more instruments and support a well-rounded music education program.
- Lisa Iverson of Turner Elementary School will purchase weatherproof outdoor musical instruments so that students can play before, during and after-school on the playground and in three outdoor classrooms.
- Hollie Carlile of Mari-Linn School will purchase books, games, colored pencils and more to enhance the K-8 literacy intervention program and make learning to read more fun and engaging.
- David Whetzel of Scott Elementary will purchase incentives for a new walking and running club to motivate students to increase their physical fitness which declined during the pandemic.
- Anna Smoll of Waldo Middle School will purchase ukuleles for both music class and an after-school club to positively impact mental health, build community, and motivate students to work together to accomplish goals.
- Susan Ellertson of Stephens Middle School will purchase supplies to revitalize the school garden for use as an outdoor classroom space, a refuge for students needing a break, and a way to give back to the community.
- Hannah Austin of Swegle Elementary will purchase flexible seating including wobble stools, lap trays, stability cushions and kick bands so students can keep their minds focused and alert while learning.
- Scott McGuyer of North Marion Middle School will purchase musical instruments so that students of all income levels can participate in band and experience the positive benefits of music.
- Maribel Ortiz of Lincoln Elementary will purchase bilingual books to provide students with 3-5 books per week to take home and read with their families to facilitate parent involvement and increase access to books.
- Erich VanBergen of Woodburn Success High School will purchase supplies to expand the school garden as an outdoor space for students to explore Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, Math (STEAM) education, decompress from stress, grow food, and learn about healthy eating.
2021 Winners
- Claty Austrie of Hammond Elementary School will purchase a color printer to create outdoor and hallway sensory courses to support students needing sensory and movement breaks.
- Cortney Dupree of McKay High School will provide college field trips for three classes of Junior AVID students, many of whom have been in this college prep program since middle school but have yet to set foot on a college campus.
- Kristi Auvinen of Washington Elementary School will add additional activities in “The Zen Den”—a sensory regulation room that students utilize when they need assistance with getting their mind and body calm and ready to be successful in school.
- Anisa Rodriguez-Foroughi of Chávez Elementary School will purchase Ukuleles to start the Si Se Puede Ukulele club to provide students with the opportunity to learn musical skills, build music literacy, and learn about different cultural backgrounds.
- Valeria Jacome of Chávez Elementary School will purchase diverse, bilingual books to expand her classroom library to better meet the needs of her students, many of whom are from migrant, low-income families and cannot afford to buy books.
- Maylea Tooze Woods of Parrish Middle School will purchase materials for the school’s woodshop department to build more plyometric boxes to incorporate CrossFit-type workouts into PE to challenge and motivate students to improve their fitness and health in a fun way.
- Michael Hofmann of North Salem High School will put the funding towards a gel electrophoresis machine to enable students in his Forensics Science class to separate, measure and analyze DNA to help them understand its fingerprint and how families are connected.
- Ginger Lessey of Richmond Elementary School will purchase sets of leveled books to use in her K-5 reading intervention groups that support struggling readers, especially those who have fallen behind as a result of the pandemic.
- Kira Bowers and Moises Mendoza Medina of Claggett Creek Middle School will purchase the first new PE equipment in over 5 years, providing a ball for each student so that they can actively participate together in PE class at the same time.
- Michelle Nowlin of Gubser Elementary School will buy headphones and microphones to support Kindergarten small group learning centers and the Seesaw digital platform.
- Britton Castor of Falls City High School will use grant funds for travel to business site tours, as well as clothes, resume paper and other supplies needed for the school career readiness program run by a small group of dedicated teachers.
- Jonathan Ellingson of Falls City High School will use the grant to help pay for printing costs and equipment for a new school newspaper/art magazine that will foster community and improve student morale and academic achievement.
- Ellie Oven of Independence Elementary School will purchase flexible seating, such as wobble stools and balance chairs, so that students can choose the seating option that allows them to get their wiggles out while still actively learning.
- Ronda True of Silver Crest School will purchase mentor texts that model great reading and writing strategies for both her own classroom library and all of the school’s K-5 teachers.
- Ryan Marshall and Tracy Isham of South Salem High School will purchase furniture, therapeutic tools, rugs, lighting, and sensory fidgets for a new Calm Room in the Counseling Center so that the increasing number of students impacted by anxiety and stress have a place to take mental health breaks to support their emotional well-being and keep them at school.
- Alison Kaiser of Crossler Middle School will purchase high-quality and high-interest graphic novels for the Deaf/Hard of Hearing Resource Room where students from three counties benefit from being educated in a mainstream setting with hearing students.
- Amy Campbell of Liberty Elementary School will purchase an entire social emotional learning curriculum called A Little Spot of Emotion to get students thinking about their feelings and the feelings of others.
- Lisa Squires of Judson Middle School will purchase items to create a Counseling Center space that is inviting and calm to support social and emotional learning and encourage students experiencing grief, trauma, and anxiety to seek out support and healthy coping methods.
- Katy Ranzoni of Aumsville Elementary School will purchase hands-on math manipulatives to help students build models and see math in concrete rather than abstract ways.
- Amber Gardner of Sublimity School will purchase supplies to create STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) focused hands-on activity bins for her kindergarten classroom to create a sense of wonder and love for learning.
- Katie Hurley of Stayton Elementary School will purchase supplies for art projects for the kindergarten classrooms because she believes that when kids can build and create things with their hands their brains grow even more.
- Jenna Miller of Kalapuya Elementary School will purchase kindergarten classroom supplies for math and literacy centers that are focused on sensory and fine motor skill development and interactive play.
- Ryan Link-Cole of West Salem High School will purchase Go!Link Sensor Interfaces that will provide students with the digital tools to better collect data in science class.
- Mary Ann Elmore of Brush College Elementary School will purchase flexible seating options and florescent light covers to promote a healthy learning environment for her active learners and those experiencing sensory overload.
- Meredith Akin of North Marion Primary School will purchase books for a take-home reading program for first grade families that is culturally relevant and accessible to all and will contribute to fostering a love of reading and books.
- Jason Rodgers of Valor Middle School will purchase keyboards and microphones for his Music Technology class that features a web-based recording studio where students can create and record their own songs and podcasts.
- Fatima Chacon Martinez of Woodburn High School will provide field trips and other opportunities for her students to experience the arts through her Latinx Studies class that explores and celebrates Latinx experiences, culture, literature, and history.
- Robert Salberg of Howard Street Charter School will purchase supplies for middle school students to create visual art and outdoor décor that will be used to beautify micro-shelters that provide housing through nonprofit partners to the unsheltered in Salem.
- Karina Searle of Salem-Keizer AVID Program will purchase a variety of gift cards that will be used to recognize and celebrate hardworking AVID students who have overcome barriers and are succeeding on the path toward college and career readiness.
