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Four teachers in Camp Verde, Cottonwood and Clarkdale benefit from $2,500 grants

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Six Yavapai County teachers received grants through the Fiesta Bowl Charities Wishes for Teachers program, four of whom teach in Cottonwood, Camp Verde and Clarkdale.

The program, presented by the Salt River Project, awards $2,500 to each recip­ient, who are chosen at random.

A total of $1 million in donations was distrib­uted to 400 teachers across the state.

The funds can be used for any sort of educational improvement within the classroom. This year’s local winners included:

  • Heather Gillman, a first-grade teacher at Camp Verde Elementary School. Gillman intends to use the money to provide tablets for her classroom.
  • Victoria Ligon, a music teacher at Camp Verde Elementary School. Ligon plans to buy various instruments and composition books so her students can create and compose their own music.
  • Erica Mathis, a reading, English and social studies teacher at Clarkdale-Jerome School. Mathis will obtain new technology resources to aid in learning.
  • Sarah O’Donnal, a math and science teacher at Mountain View Preparatory in Cottonwood. O’Donnal will purchase stools for her class’s science tables.
Math and science teacher Sarah O’Donnal of Mountain View Preparatory in Cottonwood is one of four teachers in the Verde Valley to receive a $2500 “Wishes for Teachers” grant from Palo Verde Fiesta Bowl charities. O’Donnal used the grant to purchase new chairs for her classroom. Daulton Venglar/Larson Newspapers

Gillman’s classroom currently has a limited number of tablets for the number of students she teaches. The fund will be used to purchase 20 more tablets, allowing her students more time on online learning programs, such as Kahn Academy.

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“The fact that Fiesta Bowl charities does this for teachers and the amount of money is phenomenal,” Gillman said. “I get goosebumps just getting to order enough tablets. Every day I just feel like I should say thank you to somebody!”

“It’s almost humbling that this happens because I taught overseas and in the Clark County, Nevada, school district for almost 20 years and never had this,” Ligon said. “In Arizona we have very committed large companies and Fiesta Bowl who have taken the time and the resources to help us. It’s humbling, is what it is. I really appreciate it.”

Camp Verde Elementary School music teacher Victoria Ligon directs her choir students after school on Thursday, Nov. 17. Ligon is one of four teachers in the Verde Valley to receive a $2,500 “Wishes for Teachers” grant from Palo Verde Fiesta Bowl charities. Ligon, who also won the grant last year, will be using the grant to purchase music composition software for her students. Daulton Venglar/Larson Newspapers

The program was started in 2016 and so far has distributed $5.7 million to 1,600 teachers, affecting more than 700,000 students statewide.

“Teachers are truly selfless individuals who help shape the futures of our students here in Arizona and we are proud to play a part in supporting our teachers to do more in the classroom for the leaders of tomorrow,” stated Randal Norton, Fiesta Bowl board chairman, in a press release.

The Fiesta Bowl has been a community-centered organization since 1971, driving charitable and economic growth through Arizona non-profit organizations.

K-12 public and charter school teachers can apply for the grant each fall. Visit the Fiesta Bowl website for more information.

Alyssa Smith

Alyssa Smith was born and raised in Maryland, earning her degree in Media Studies from the University of North Carolina Greensboro after a period of traveling out West. She spent her high school and early college years focusing on music journalism, interviewing, photographing and touring with bands and musicians. Her passion is analog photography and she loves photographing the scenes of Jerome, where she resides. Her love of the Southwest brought her to the reporter position at Larson Newspapers where she enjoys hiking with her dog along the Verde River and through the desert’s red rocks.

Alyssa Smith
Alyssa Smith
Alyssa Smith was born and raised in Maryland, earning her degree in Media Studies from the University of North Carolina Greensboro after a period of traveling out West. She spent her high school and early college years focusing on music journalism, interviewing, photographing and touring with bands and musicians. Her passion is analog photography and she loves photographing the scenes of Jerome, where she resides. Her love of the Southwest brought her to the reporter position at Larson Newspapers where she enjoys hiking with her dog along the Verde River and through the desert’s red rocks.

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