2026 School Grants Awarded

The Delray Beach Education Fund awards grants of $500–$2,000 to teachers, administrators, and staff from Delray Beach schools. Funding supports school readiness, reading improvement, STEAM education, arts and culture, student wellness, and related initiatives like classroom resources, tutoring programs, and curriculum enhancements.

Project: Army Trauma Training Center Tour
Staff: Aliette Karpel
Description: Twenty Medical Academy students will tour the Army Forward Resuscitative Surgical Detachment at Ryder Trauma Center to connect classroom learning with real-world healthcare careers.
Awarded: $1,000

Project: Global Renaissance (14th through 17th Centuries Europe, Africa, Asia, and the Americas)
Staff: Stacy Stephens-Miller
Description: This immersive program transports 15–20 core students through global history via seminars and workshops, culminating in a performance at the Florida Renaissance Faire and a school-wide mini-event for 1,500 students.
Awarded: $2,000

Project: Visual Arts Department
Staff: Sara Konash, Art Teacher/Department Leader

Description: Students in Visual Arts 1 & 2 will design character illustrations exploring personal identity while building technical skills in line work, value, and composition for 150 students.
Awarded: $600
*Underwritten by Old School Square, a Not for Profit Organization

Project: The Early Readers Collection
Staff: Karen Meyer
Description: Leveled books (A–D) for 375 K–2 students will build reading confidence and foundational literacy skills, tracked through i-Ready and state STAR assessments.
Awarded: $1,979.23

Project: Science Discovery Library
Staff: Karen Meyer
Description: High-quality science texts for 275 fourth and fifth graders will strengthen content knowledge and integrate literacy into science instruction.
Awarded: $1,981.35

Project: Bear-ing Down on Math Success
Staff: Stephanie Cook
Description: Florida B.E.S.T. Math Rehearsal® Plus will provide 100 third graders with adaptive instruction that mirrors FAST assessments and aims to improve proficiency by 5%.
Awarded: $1,980

Project: Pre-Medical Sciences Program
Staff: Beatrice Calixte
Description: Medical simulation tools and career resources will help 70 students explore healthcare careers and build critical thinking skills.
Awarded: $1,5000

Project: AVID
Staff: Beatrice Calixte
Description: Organizational tools, student planners, and college readiness materials will support 70 students in developing study skills, leadership, and academic confidence to prepare for rigorous coursework and college success.
Awarded: $1,000

Project: Updates for Arial Drone & Vex Robotics Competitions
Staff: Gary Chapman
Description: Approximately 100–120 students will learn systems engineering and autonomous programming through terrestrial and aerial robotics competitions.
Awarded: $975

Project: Recording Studio
Staff: Caleb Hinds
Description: A soundproofed studio will enable 25–50+ students to record and release their own music on commercial platforms.
Awarded: $1,500
*Underwritten by Old School Square, a Not for Profit Organization

Project: Hand Drum Performance Group
Staff: Caleb Hinds
Description: Ten to twenty students per semester will learn hand drum traditions and perform at community drum circles and school events.
Awarded: $1,500
*Underwritten by Old School Square, a Not for Profit Organization

Project: The GROW Lab: Growing Responsibility, Opportunity & Wonder Through Science and Leadership
Staff: Samantha Leyendecker-Estupinan
Description: Establishing The GROW Lab, a hands-on science learning space with a hydroponic garden component, where fifth-grade students engage in inquiry-based investigations and develop science leadership skills.
Awarded: $2,000

Project: Reading Made Visible: Strengthening Small-Group Literacy Intervention
Staff: Samantha Leyendecker-Estupinan
Description: Orchard View Elementary is purchasing i-Ready Magnetic Reading materials to provide targeted literacy intervention for grades 3–5 students, strengthening foundational reading skills and helping students reach grade-level proficiency.
Awarded: $1,422

Project: Panthers MOVE: Movement, Opportunity, Vitality & Engagement
Staff: Samantha Leyendecker-Estupinan
Description: Expanding a student athletics and wellness program offering structured physical activity, movement opportunities, and social-emotional development through leadership and teamwork experiences.
Awarded: $2,000

Project: Cox Museum
Staff: Eriel Marshall-Gordon
Description: A museum trip will expose 150 students to hands-on exhibits, improving retention and motivation in science.
Awarded: $1,000

Project: The Discovery Museum of Science
Staff: Eriel Marshall-Gordon
Description: This field trip will help 150 fifth graders deepen science understanding and explore STEAM careers through interactive exhibits
Awarded: $2,000

Project: IXL Science Computer Based Program
Staff: Eriel Marshall-Gordon
Description: IXL Science will provide 150 fifth graders with adaptive instruction and immediate feedback in science concepts.
Awarded: $1,350
*Underwritten by Christina Morrison & Carousel Development

Project: Digital Arts Program at Plumosa
Staff: Camilla Morell
Description: Expanded film cameras will allow 40 students to develop photography skills and submit work to competitions and prestigious programs.
Awarded: $2,000

Project: TV Production
Staff: Firnel Beaufrere
Description: A recording camera will enable 20–50 students to produce and edit school events and passion projects.
Awarded: $1,000
*Underwritten by Old School Square, a Not for Profit Organization

Project: Drama Department
Staff: T’Kyzha McKinzy
Description: Funding for scripts, sets, and costumes will make theatrical productions accessible to all drama students in grades 3–8.
Awarded: $2,000

Project: Plumosa Band Technology & Music Literacy Initiative
Staff: Brian Horan
Description: MakeMusic and Sight Reading Factory subscriptions will serve 125 band students in grades 3–8, strengthening music literacy and engagement.
Awarded: $2,000
*Partially Underwritten by Old School Square, a Not for Profit Organization

Project: Montessori Teaching Manuals
Staff: Sarah Vollman
Description: Professional manuals will give teachers precision in lesson delivery and improve
instruction for 200 students.
Awarded: $2,000

Project: VA Film Festival
Staff: Gillian M. Smart
Description: Sixty students will produce short films covering all aspects of professional filmmaking for a school-wide festival premiere.
Awarded: $2,000

Project: Hooked Up: Creative Mindfullness (Crochet & Knitting Club)
Staff: Shannon Solis
Description: Twenty students will practice mindfulness through crochet and knitting while creating items for community service.
Awarded: $800

Project: Project UpFront
Staff: Arissa Webb
Description: Magazine subscriptions will strengthen reading and writing skills for 100 Pre-AICE and AICE students.
Awarded: $1,100

Project: The Junior Zoologist Literacy & STEAM Initiative
Staff: Tiffany Brown
Description: First graders will observe animals with microscopes, practice phonics through decodable texts, and publish illustrated “Field Guides” for 60 students.
Awarded: $1,750

Project: Jotit Forward: Empowering Learners and Reimagining the Digital Classroom
Staff: LaToya Dixon
Description: Digital notebooks will serve 270 students in grades 4–12, combining handwriting benefits with digital organization and accessibility features.
Awarded: $2,000