North Central Education Foundation awards record number of teacher classroom grants

WENATCHEE - The North Central Education Foundation (NCEF) recently announced a significant milestone in its 14-year history by partnering with community organizations to distribute the 2023 NCEF Teacher Classroom Grant awards. This year, a record-breaking 193 teachers from Chelan, Douglas, Grant, and Okanogan Counties were the recipients of these grants.

The increased number of grant awards was made possible through contributions from various organizations, businesses, and individuals who acknowledged the challenges faced by educators in recent times. NCEF emphasized its commitment to supporting teachers in meeting classroom needs, citing the financial strain often experienced by educators who frequently spend personal funds on enhancing learning experiences for their students.

The grants were distributed across several categories:

- Cultural Awareness, supported by contributions from the Washington Association of Grant Managers, Wenatchee Rotary, and Waterville Shockers Booster Club.

- Financial Education, funded by the Consumer Jungle.

- Social Studies/Geology/Environmental initiatives, backed by the Friends of Lower Grand Coulee (FLGC).

- Wellness/Social Emotional/Health programs, supported by Confluence Health/Community Foundation of NCW Community Partnership Grant, Lake Chelan Rotary, Quincy Rotary, Wenatchee Rotary, and individual adoptions.

- Literacy programs, facilitated by Badger Mountain Lodge, Waterville Lions Club, and individual adoptions.

- Music/Arts initiatives, provided by Woods Family Music & Arts Fund, Badger Mountain Lodge, Wenatchee Rotary, and individual adoptions.

- STEAM/STEM (science, technology, engineering, arts, and math) projects, spearheaded by North Cascades Bank, Lake Chelan Rotary, Quincy Rotary, Badger Mountain Lodge, Wenatchee Rotary, and individual adoptions.

This year marked the introduction of "collaborative" grants, enabling joint projects among 27 groups of teachers. However, 70 grant applications were left unfunded due to resource limitations. These applications are open for "adoption" and can be viewed on the NCEF website (www.loveteachers.org).

“I believe adopting a teacher grant is a wonderful and cost-effective way to support our region’s students and schools in a more personal manner, by connecting with a specific teacher and grant request.” said NCEF Board member Jeff Kimbell. 

The grants reached teachers from 23 out of 29 school districts within the North Central ESD region, including private and charter schools, highlighting a broad impact across educational institutions in the area.