Category: music, visual & performing arts

44 Grants Awarded in 2021-2022 School Year

In 2021-2022, SchoolPower awarded $111,751 for 44 grants to educators, counselors, and coaches to support innovative ideas from the classroom to the playground and beyond. Top of the World Elementary Magnetic drawing boards for 3rd grade math STEAM lab takeaways for TK-5 Volleyball nets and pads for PE and recess Ogo disks and badminton rackets for PE and recess Coding & computer science books for K-3 Board games, art supplies & science center materials for Mrs. Davidson’s classroom Mystery Science Packs for 1st grade Library maker space to encourage career exploration Ozobots for Mrs. Gibson’s classroom Manipulatives for K-5 [...]

Ideas to Fill Long Summer Days

Summer sessions with the high school coaches for students in grades 3 to 12. Choose from volleyball, basketball, soccer, weight training, and more. Learn more. Interactive workshops focused on healthy, meaningful, Drama-Free Friendships. Including activities like baking, DIY beauty hacks, and upcycling old clothes. Fridays in July with sessions for ages 8-11 and 12-14. Learn more. Art, basketball, skateboarding, bunkerball, legos, STEM, and so much more. Plus, your child can join a club field trip to rock climbing, bowling, Big Air, Knott's, and many other fun destinations. Learn more. [...]

Happy Summer! Thanks for an impactful year.

This school year, thanks to our generous community... We awarded $110,000 in grants to educators, counselors, and coaches to support innovative ideas from the classroom to the playground and beyond. We supported students and families throughout the year as needs arose, including assistance for flood victims, holiday baskets, scholarships to enable all graduating seniors to enjoy year-end activities, and Boys & Girls Club scholarships to help kids access summer fun. We partnered with Thrive to provide parent education, student workshops, and mental health support for LBUSD families. Looking forward to next year... We'll administer robust after-school programs at [...]

Happy 40th Birthday, SchoolPower!

Thanks to our generous donors, we've supported over 10,000 students with over $13,000,000 since 1981. We are honored to be recognized by the District for 40 years of partnership and support.

The first day is worth celebrating.

Spotless shoes. Freshly cut hair. Brand new backpacks. Empty notebooks. The first day of school is filled with excitement and possibility. At SchoolPower, we remember the joys (and fears) of the first day of school. Today we are energized and hopeful. As always, our mission is to enrich the education and support of the well-being of all children in the Laguna Beach Unified School District. Last week, we worked with the district to distribute backpacks filled with school supplies to ensure all students can start the year ready to learn. Our SchoolPower grant application is open to allow our [...]

Together, we helped students thrive…

In 2020-2021, thanks to our generous community... We awarded over 50 grants to educators, counselors, and coaches who are engaging students in creative ways. We deployed assistance to district families to help with basic needs, including groceries, gas, and clothing. We funded programs including suicide prevention training and peer mentorship to support kids during this tough year and beyond. We granted camp scholarships to ensure all students have access to summer fun. We are proud of what we accomplished in as school year like no other. And we look forward to the year ahead!

Inspired Teachers Awarded $111,450

Great teachers inspire their students, but many times, teachers find themselves inspired by their students. Thurston Middle School Health and PE teacher and Ecology Club mentor Penny Herrick-Dressler is one teacher who recognized a need amongst her students and was inspired to act upon it. “The Healthy Kids Survey shows us that our student body is experiencing stress,” she explains. “That stress is negatively impacting other areas of their lives.” Through a discussion with her Ecology Club students, Herrick-Dressler developed the idea to create the "Away Place," an outdoor space on the Thurston campus where students can sit by themselves [...]

Teacher Grants Impact Students Now

“SchoolPower allows us to go beyond the walls of the classroom and explore,” said Thurston science teacher Linda Hill-Lindsay, who received a 2014 SchoolPower Endowment Teacher Grant. The annual Teacher Grant Program, designed so ideas can be quickly funded and put into action, encourages Laguna’s teachers, administrators and classified staff to submit proposals that will have a direct impact on students. SchoolPower Endowment earmarked $82,417 for 16 teacher grants to be utilized this school year. Three grants totalling $11,080 were funded by the Brighter Stars Fund. Wendy Offield, a former president of both SchoolPower and SchoolPower Endowment, stepped forward [...]