![The Santa Clarita Valley Education Foundation awarded over $15,000 in innovation grants to eight local teachers aimed to improve student learning in the classroom. With the help of the Henry Mayo Newhall Foundation, the SCV Education Foundation provides grants to educators that have ideas to augment the core curriculum and are willing to take extra steps to ensure student success. Since 1998, the local nonprofit organization has awarded about $660,000 in grants to teachers meant to serve hundreds of students in the coming years, said Executive Director Joe Satorhelyi. On Friday at the Saugus Union School District office, teachers from the William S. Hart Union High School District, Newhall School District, Castaic Union School District and Saugus district were awarded materials such as: standing mobile whiteboards, puppets and story kits, flexible seating, and pottery tools, among other resources. “This is one of our favorite days of the year,” Satorhelyi said during the grant distribution. “We work hard throughout the year as we try to put different events on, but when we get to give back, and actually give you the materials, I get all excited.” Bouquet Early Learning Academy teacher Brandon Holtzlaw submitted a grant application for puppets and story kits to help students with early learning language. The items were “all multi-modality, [so we can] reach students with developmental delays. A lot of our students are early learners who aren’t symbolic yet. Just showing them, the ‘A’ is not going to help teach them the sounds associated, so the puppet gives us another way to help give them that introductory to vocabulary,” Holtzlaw said. The story kits contain books that focused on emotions to help children develop a sense of identity and understanding of others, he said, adding that the books also aligned with the California Department of Education Preschool/Transitional Kindergarten Learning Foundation standards. He was hopeful the materials will impact hundreds of students for the next three to four years. Hart High School math teacher Daniel Underwood wanted something that would keep students engaged in the classroom with a subject that many find “boring,” he said. In a class with almost 40 kids, it can make it difficult to make sure everyone is paying attention and participating in the class. His solution came in the form of standing mobile whiteboards, so “instead of having a white paper in front of them, they’re all going to have a white board they’re responsible for ... I'm going to say, ‘Your group needs to work this out on the board,’” Underwood said. The whiteboard also has different colored pens so Underwood will be able to monitor who’s participating and who isn’t, and the goal is “to build a thinking classroom,” he said, instead of just a regular lecture class. SCV Education Foundation Board Vice President Renee Marshall encouraged local teachers to apply for the next grant cycle if they have ideas to enhance their students’ learning experience. Applications must be submitted by Nov. 30. According to the Teacher Innovation Grants information and guidelines, the application is open to all TK-12 public school teachers who are employees of the five SCV school districts. The organization awards grants up to a value of $1,500 throughout the year, and those exceeding that value must identify additional funding sources to be considered, according to the grant information. Teachers are required to also write a grant narrative identifying implementation, timeline and evaluation, California State Content Standards, and proposal usage, the grant guideline stated. If teachers need assistance in how to submit a grant proposal, they’re also encouraged to contact the SCV Education Foundation for assistance at Info@scveducationfoundation.org The following teachers were awarded grants for this semester’s cycle: Amanda Howard from James Foster Elementary. Katrina Weiner from Northlake Hills Elementary School. Brandon Holtzlaw from Bouquet Early Learning Academy. Ashlee Richardi from Peachland Elementary School. Kimberly Nissen from West Creek Academy. Denise Sudik from Newhall Elementary School. Daniel Underwood from Hart High School. Kerry Summers from Castaic Union School District, servicing more than one school with the grant.](https://signalscv.s3.us-west-1.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/02134316/082925_INNOVATION_KQ2-800x533.jpg)
The Santa Clarita Valley Education Foundation awarded over $15,000 in innovation grants to eight local teachers aimed to improve student learning in the classroom.
With the help of the Henry Mayo Newhall Foundation, the SCV Education Foundation provides grants to educators that have ideas to augment the core curriculum and are willing to take extra steps to ensure student success.
Since 1998, the local nonprofit organization has awarded about $660,000 in grants to teachers meant to serve hundreds of students in the coming years, said Executive Director Joe Satorhelyi.
On Friday at the Saugus Union School District office, teachers from the William S. Hart Union High School District, Newhall School District, Castaic Union School District and Saugus district were awarded materials such as: standing mobile whiteboards, puppets and story kits, flexible seating, and pottery tools, among other resources.
“This is one of our favorite days of the year,” Satorhelyi said during the grant distribution. “We work hard throughout the year as we try to put different events on, but when we get to give back, and actually give you the materials, I get all excited.”
Bouquet Early Learning Academy teacher Brandon Holtzlaw submitted a grant application for puppets and story kits to help students with early learning language.
The items were “all multi-modality, [so we can] reach students with developmental delays. A lot of our students are early learners who aren’t symbolic yet. Just showing them, the ‘A’ is not going to help teach them the sounds associated, so the puppet gives us another way to help give them that introductory to vocabulary,” Holtzlaw said.
The story kits contain books that focused on emotions to help children develop a sense of identity and understanding of others, he said, adding that the books also aligned with the California Department of Education Preschool/Transitional Kindergarten Learning Foundation standards. He was hopeful the materials would impact hundreds of students for the next three to four years.
Hart High School math teacher Daniel Underwood wanted something that would keep students engaged in the classroom with a subject that many find “boring,” he said.
In a class with almost 40 kids, it can make it difficult to make sure everyone is paying attention and participating in the class.
His solution came in the form of standing mobile whiteboards, so “instead of having a white paper in front of them, they’re all going to have a white board they’re responsible for … I’m going to say, ‘Your group needs to work this out on the board,’” Underwood said.
The whiteboard also has different colored pens so Underwood will be able to monitor who’s participating and who isn’t, and the goal is “to build a thinking classroom,” he said, instead of just a regular lecture class.
SCV Education Foundation Board Vice President Renee Marshall encouraged local teachers to apply for the next grant cycle if they have ideas to enhance their students’ learning experience. Applications must be submitted by Nov. 30.
According to the Teacher Innovation Grants information and guidelines, the application is open to all TK-12 public school teachers who are employees of the five SCV school districts.
The organization awards grants up to a value of $1,500 throughout the year, and those exceeding that value must identify additional funding sources to be considered, according to the grant information.
Teachers are required to also write a grant narrative identifying implementation, timeline and evaluation, California State Content Standards, and proposal usage, the grant guideline stated.
If teachers need assistance in how to submit a grant proposal, they’re also encouraged to contact the SCV Education Foundation for assistance at [email protected]
The following teachers were awarded grants for this semester’s cycle:
- Amanda Howard from James Foster Elementary.
- Katrina Weiner from Northlake Hills Elementary School.
- Brandon Holtzlaw from Bouquet Early Learning Academy.
- Ashlee Richardi from Peachland Elementary School.
- Kimberly Nissen from West Creek Academy.
- Denise Sudik from Newhall Elementary School.
- Daniel Underwood from Hart High School.
- Kerry Summers from Castaic Union School District, servicing more than one school with the grant.
