Thanks to the generosity of our community, Champions For Learning distributed over $250,000 during the 2024-2025 school year to educators across Collier County through our Classroom Grants program, a competitive grant process, which provides funding to awarded educators for supplies, classroom items, and enrichment activities not included in the school’s budget. Educators can use their grant funds to implement projects and instructional lessons that increase student engagement. Without the Classroom Grants opportunity, many of these projects would need to be funded by educators themselves or not offered at all.
Because of the incredible partnership and generosity of Lipman Family Farms, 32 projects were fully funded, totaling nearly $22,000 in equipment, instructional materials, crafts, and technologies that impacted 21 educators across six Immokalee schools and enhanced the learning experience for countless students. “Lipman Family Farms’ dedication to education goes back to our founder, Max Lipman,” said Maria Munguia, Community and Programs Manager. “Even though Max never learned to read or write, he made sure his kids got an education and that value still guides us today. Now in our 15th year, our backpack giveaway has grown to support not just students, but teachers too through classroom grants. We’re based in a community that needs every opportunity to succeed, and we truly believe these grants are helping make a difference. We’re proud to team up with Champions for Learning to help build brighter futures right here in our hometown of Immokalee.”
At Eden Park Elementary, first-time kindergarten teacher, Nancy Rojas, wanted to ensure that her classroom was equipped with ready-to-use literacy centers that not only reinforced reading, writing, and language skills, but also encouraged student collaboration. With an awarded Classroom, Ms. Rojas provided alphabet mazes, sight-word magnets, teaching tubs and kits that allowed students to practice phonetics. These learning aids benefited her students, as well as several other kindergarten classrooms in the school, helping them become stronger readers and learners.
Music teacher Alexander MacDonald was able to introduce a variety of Latin American instruments, including timbales, accordions, and Ibanez bass guitars, to his students at Highlands Elementary thanks to a funded Classroom Grant. By learning how to play and exploring sounds and rhythms, Mr. MacDonald’s students developed fundamental music skills, while also fostering a deep appreciation for their own or for another classmate’s cultural heritage. The combination of cultural education, technical skill-building, and creative exploration provided a rich, multidimensional learning experience for all students.
Amie Grant, Meshain Holmes, and Michael Haddox brought the outdoors into middle school science classrooms at Immokalee Middle School. With an awarded Classroom Grant, these educators purchased tadpoles, butterfly larvae, and ladybug larvae, along with necessary food and habitats. The organisms offered students a tangible connection to the natural world, allowing them to explore and observe biological processes like metamorphosis, life cycles, and ecosystems in real-time. This hands-on learning approach enhanced students’ comprehension of complex topics such as life cycles, growth, and ecological interdependence.
Thank you, Lipman Family Farms, for supporting educators like Nancy, Alexander, Amie, and many others in Collier County!
Will you join us as a Champion For Learning by making a gift to support our Classroom Grants program for the upcoming 2025-2026 school year? Your investment ensures that our educators can spark deeper learning in their classrooms and achieve professional success.