In a city known for its parades, Pasadena teachers and principals recently participated in a drive-through celebration of the $140,000 in grant money they received to support their students’ needs.

The Pasadena Educational Foundation Teacher Grants program benefits thousands of students in Altadena, Pasadena and Sierra Madre public schools each year. The grants are funded by the Pasadena Educational Foundation, College Football Playoff Foundation and Pasadena Tournament of Roses Association.

Although they could not celebrate the grant recipients with an indoor reception, Pasadena Educational Foundation was determined to honor these teachers by holding the PEF Teacher Grants Celebration and Parade on Nov. 17. More than 100 grant winners decorated their cars and received their awards as they drove past the Pasadena USD district headquarters building.

This year, 181 educators received awards representing 124 unique proposals from every school in the district. Many of this year’s grants focused on addressing the unique resource needs of distance learning such as remote dance and music performances, art exhibits, science experiments and more. Ukuleles and percussion instruments, cameras to broadcast dance performances, take home art and science supplies, document cameras, and books in Spanish, French, Mandarin and Armenian, are just a few of the diverse and vibrant educational projects that the 2020-21 PEF Teacher Grants are supporting.

“The goal of the PEF Teacher Grant Program is to promote the development of educational activities that will improve and enhance student achievement,” said PEF Executive Director Patrick Conyers, in a news release. “This year, our grants are especially meaningful, because they are helping excellent teachers find new and creative ways to engage their students during the pandemic. We are grateful to our partners at the College Football Playoff Foundation and Tournament of Roses, and to everyone who supports PEF. Their support makes this wonderful program possible.” Investing in the community has long been a cornerstone of the Pasadena Tournament of Roses Association, especially in the area of education.

“Despite the many unique challenges of this moment, PUSD teachers have adapted and found creative ways to engage the students, and they deserve our support now more than ever,” said Bob Miller, president of the Pasadena Tournament of Roses Association, which had to cancel this year’s Tournament of Roses Parade due to the coronavirus. “That is why the Tournament of Roses is especially proud to join the College Football Playoff Foundation to support PEF’s teacher grants program this year.”

PEF Teacher Grants help bring more creativity, innovation, and inspiration into our PUSD classrooms by providing the resources needed to help teachers and principals take their creative projects from idea to reality and enhance the classroom experience for their students.