A teacher from Gene Howe Elementary is thanking the Canyon I.S.D. Education Foundation for a $3,200 grant they awarded her in December. 

Christi Chase is the school’s music teacher. This year the school also named her the art teacher. 

Chase said the new title came with a list of requirements from the state. 

“We need the supplies in order to cover the concepts that the law expects us to do with children,” Chase explained.

The list of supplies needed continued to grow. She said she had to buy some big items like art tables and drying racks, along with paper and paint, even quick drying modeling clay. 

The money Chase was awarded helped her buy those things. 

“I was very excited at the possibility of getting large ticket items with outside help,” Chase remarked. “The Canyon ISD Education Foundation members are some of our biggest supporters in education. They do all that they can to ensure that teachers have the resources necessary for student success.” 

The Education Foundation was started in 1999 and has since awarded more than $500,000 to teachers in Canyon I.S.D. They have also given away more than $27,000 in scholarships to high school seniors. 

Every spring and fall semester the foundation awards a large grant. Teachers, like Chase, apply for the grants. A committee has an anonymous voting process, which means they look at the applications and explanations for why the money is needed but they do not know which application belongs to which teacher. 

Chase said she was overwhelmed to learn she was the recipient of that semester. 

“It was a relief to be honest,” Chase said. “I know sometimes our school budgets are squeezed and stretched as much as possible. To be able to get a large lump sum from such big supporters was exhilarating.”