Eighty local educators hoped to be one of the lucky winners of a “no strings attached” $100 teacher grant offered by the California Retired Teachers Association local Division 33. Grant Coordinator and Co-President Sue Breyer announced the names of four lucky applicants at Division 33’s February luncheon. Each teacher received a $100 check to be used in their classrooms. Those receiving Division 33 grant checks were Lorena Roberts and Natalie Ogle from Nuview Elementary School; Guillermina Casarez, Hemet Elementary School; and Cassy Taylor-Campos, Hamilton High School. Master Gunnery Sergeant David Mendez from Tahquitz High School was selected from a pool of over 3000 applicants across the state to receive a State-level CalRTA $100 grant.
Lorena Roberts, a 4th grade teacher at Nuview Elementary School, said, “I am so grateful to have received a CalRTA Division 33 Teacher Grant. I am excited to buy more books for my classroom library. I also plan on buying more prizes for my monthly Scholar Dollar store. My students are going to love all of the new prizes. “
Another Nuview Elementary School 4th grade teacher, Natalie Ogle, said her class was so excited when she told them about winning the grant. “We are out of Expo markers, highlighters, mechanical pencils and a group set of books. We have had parents donate these items a few times already this year, but now we are in need of replacement supplies. I truly appreciate CalRTA’s donation and I’m so glad I entered the contest,” Ogle said.
“Thank you so much for this $100 grant,” said Guillermina Casarez, who teaches 3rd grade at Hemet Elementary School. “I will be using the money to buy seat pockets for my classroom,” Casarez said. She explained that seat pockets help students by providing easily accessible storage space on the back or sides of their chairs to keep their school supplies organized and desks tidy.
Cassy Taylor-Campos, a 6th, 7th, and 8th grade ES teacher at Hamilton High School, said she plans “to purchase resources for Yoga exercise and sitting balls for my classroom.” Sitting on stability balls (exercise balls) in a classroom can benefit students by allowing them to move and fidget while still focusing on learning.
Ron and Sue Breyer, CalRTA Division 33 Co-Presidents, presented a $100 State-level CalRTA teacher grant to Master Gunnery Sergeant David Mendez from Tahquitz High School at their recent staff meeting. As a surprise, Division 33 matched that $100 grant with a crisp $100 bill for a total of $200 to use in his classroom! Mendez heads up the Tahquitz High School Marine Corps Junior Reserve Officers Training Corps, one of the biggest and most influential leadership programs in the Hemet-San Jacinto Valley.
One of the missions of the California Retired Teachers Association (CalRTA) is to support public education, and its popular teacher grant program is just one way in which local retired teachers can support and show their appreciation for local educators. In addition to teacher grants, CalRTA Division 33 also offers up to 15 $1000 scholarships to graduating seniors in Hemet, San Jacinto and Nuview School Districts who plan to become public school teachers. For more information about CalRTA, go to calrta.org or div33.calrta.org.
