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Local teachers thank Rotary Club after classroom grant awards
Summary
Teachers from Renton Park Elementary, Sierra Heights Elementary and Hazen spoke at a Rotary Club recognition event about classroom challenges and how they will use awarded grants—one teacher specified a $250 grant while others described material and equipment needs (amounts not specified).
Monica Jimenez, a kindergarten teacher at Renton Park Elementary, accepted a classroom grant and described the constant balancing act of covering required curriculum while finding time for enrichment. "I just wish the day was a little bit longer," she said, adding that she plans to use the award to buy sensory materials such as sand and Play-Doh and to add board games and puzzles to encourage game-like learning.
Event organizers and the host praised Jimenez’s student-centered approach and thanked her principal, Pamela Washington, for supporting her classroom work.
Heather Delza, the physical education teacher at Sierra Heights Elementary, said she works with students from kindergarten through fifth grade, including those in inclusion programs, and that limited contact time—she meets each class twice a week—is a major challenge. Delza said she will audit gym equipment and replace larger items as needed; she specifically mentioned a desire for more 16-inch scooters and said she keeps an Amazon wish list to guide purchases. "Sometimes things are hard, so working through their failures is such an enjoyable moment because they learn from it," Delza said.
Laura Bond, identified in the session as Heather’s principal, praised Delza’s inclusivity and said she helps ensure every student feels part of the school community.
Cheryl Mason, who teaches biology and AVID (Advancement Via Individual Determination) at Hazen, said the GEAR UP grant has supported several cohorts and that this trimester is a bittersweet time as seniors prepare to graduate. Mason said she will use her $250 grant to buy a new classroom couch used for weekly circles and student meetings. "The kids love it and it's a place where we do circles," Mason said, thanking Rotary and local administrators for the support.
Organizers closed the recognition segment by encouraging teachers to share scholarship and grant opportunities with students and thanking all recipients. No vote or formal board action was recorded in the transcript; the event continued after the acknowledgments.
