OFFICIAL E-NEWSLETTER OF
DECEMBER 2020 | VOL. 4, ISSUE 4
WISHES FOR TEACHERS
CFP Foundation’s Longtime Partnership with Fiesta Bowl Charities Helps Deliver $500,000 to Arizona Teachers
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n what has become an annual tradition to honor, support and celebrate Arizona’s teachers, the Fiesta Bowl Organization awarded $500,000 to teachers through the Desert Financial Fiesta Bowl Charities Wishes for Teachers program. The CFP Foundation is proud to be part of this tradition,
Arizonans through youth, sports and education, the Fiesta Bowl was able to grant 200 K-12 public and charter school teachers a $2,500 wish to be implemented in their classrooms. The 200 teachers represented 161 schools across the state, teaching more than 70,000 students from 177 schools, 67 districts and 45 cities. The overall focus is in lockstep with what the The CFP Foundation has been a CFP Foundation great partner in helping us make this is all about — incredible impact… supporting teachers. MIKE NEALY “We have seen FIESTA BOWL EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Desert Financial a grant partnership focused on Fiesta Bowl Charities Wishes for supporting educators that has been Teachers quickly grow into a successful for over five years. signature community outreach As part of its mission to benefit program, with nearly $4 million
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in donations directly into Arizona classrooms in five years,” said Mike Nealy, Fiesta Bowl Executive Director. “More than 300,000 students have received additional resources they wouldn’t otherwise enjoy and the CFP Foundation has been a great partner in helping us make this incredible impact within Arizona’s schools.” Each fall, Arizona K-12 public or charter school teachers are invited to fill out an online application detailing their school or classroom need, and, after meeting the criteria, wishes are selected by random drawing for teachers to receive a grant. With the help of CFP Foundation, Fiesta Bowl Wishes for Teachers has granted $3.7 million to nearly 850 Arizona teachers over the five years of the program, impacting over 225,000 children across the state.
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Each of the unique 200 wishes will benefit teachers and schools in technology, reading, music, fitness and more. The need this year was more in line with the circumstances related to COVID-19, with more technology needs, plexiglass dividers and flexible seating equipment than ever before. “Desert Financial Fiesta Bowl Charities Wishes for Teachers has been built into the preeminent program for teacher support,” said Patrick Barkley, Chairman of the Fiesta Bowl Board of Directors. “My mom was a teacher and we all know teachers who inspire us with selfless work, shaping today’s students into tomorrow’s leaders.”
GRANTING WISHES: More than 300,000 students are the beneficiary of classroom resources made possible by the CFP Foundation and Fiesta Bowl Chairities.
THANK YOU TEACHERS: In an unprecedented year, amid many challenges, teachers nationwide stepped up. And we can’t thank you enough!
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Join us for the Extra Yard for Teachers Summit from wherever you are! This year the Summit is 100% virtual (and free!). CLICK HERE for more information and to register. The CFP National Championship is coming to Miami! The game is Monday, January 11, but the impact on the community has been going on throughout 2020 and will continue well after the game is over. CLICK HERE to check out the work the CFP Foundation is doing in South Florida and see what’s happening during game week!
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EDUCATION EXTENSION
CFP Foundation Assists the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl in Supporting Atlanta Students through Their Academic Mentoring Program
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he COVID-19 pandemic has created unprecedented challenges in 2020, and many students are still learning remotely, attending virtual classrooms and adjusting any way possible. The CFP Foundation and the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl have stepped up to help Atlanta Public Schools (APS) cope with these challenges. APS founded its Academic Mentoring Program 13 years ago, providing an academic coach to work with student-athletes in ENGAGING CONNECTION: Academic coach Matthew Hazel is one of many talented educators who help APS student-athletes learn and thrive in the classroom. 11 inner-city high schools. The academic coaches work with the students and help them improve the classrooms. They get a chance the new virtual environment. The study habits, prepare for the SAT to work with these kids on and off goal was simple: keep students and/or the ACT, as well as helping the field. Our kids are getting this motivated to attend classes online, students apply and transition to wonderful resource from the Peach keep them engaged and help them college. Bowl and the CFP navigate the new challenges. “This is my 27th Foundation, and it To do that, academic coaches year in education,” is incredible. It is found a way to transition every part said APS Athletics priceless. It truly is.” of the program to work online. Small Our kids are getting Director Jasper The CFP groups were created by grade level this wonderful Jewell, whose Foundation, which to review teacher progress reports primary role is to has supported on a weekly basis to identify where resource from the hire and manage teachers and students needed the most help. Peach Bowl and it the Academic literacy efforts in Online study hall programs were is incredible. It is Coaches for Atlanta through its launched to give those students priceless. It truly is. the mentoring partnership with the dedicated time to study. Special program. “When Peach Bowl for over tutoring sessions were also set up for I first looked at five years, joined those needing assistance in specific JASPER JEWELL APS ATHLETICS DIRECTOR this program, together to help classes. Academic coaches meet the first thing I APS pivot through weekly with each of the participating said was, ‘Why on earth wasn’t this the pandemic. In preparation for the students to encourage them and around when I was in school 30 virtual fall semester, the program help with a variety of issues. years ago?’ These academic coaches directed the academic coaches to “(The virtual learning) has been are extensions of the teachers and rework the program to function in challenging, but the program is so
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OFFICIAL E-NEWSLETTER OF
invaluable because we are still there for the kids and we talk with them all the time,” said academic coach Matthew Hazel. “Even though it’s a hard time for many of them right now, they know they can rely on us.” The results have been encouraging with students participating in the extra sessions at a very high rate. Not only is the Academic Mentoring Program working in the virtual environment, but the students are adapting and thriving. “I’ve been able to see a little bit of everything over the years,” said Hazel, who has been coaching in the program for more than 12 years. “It’s turned into a family situation. My kids come to me all the time, some will come to me before they’ll go to their teacher. And the teachers know I can reach out to these kids at any time; the program is just as valuable to them because they understand the influence we have. All of us are here for one goal — the kids.” “The Peach Bowl has made an investment towards education and literacy in our district,” Jasper said. “The success that we have had with the program is how I’ve been able to get my superintendent to the table and extend this program to middle schools and elementary schools. And the leadership at the Peach Bowl is outstanding and they have our kids’ best interests at heart. It’s very personal for me because I was one of these kids, growing up in Atlanta.”
DECEMBER 2020 HONOREE
Shozo Shimazaki
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hen 27-year teaching veteran Shozo Shimazaki introduces his students to great works of literature at Monta Vista High School in Cupertino, California, he isn’t just teaching them literary themes and tropes. “We don’t read literature only for the academic skills; there’s also a higher purpose,” said Shimazaki. “I try to make connections to the world or to my students’ lives as well. My juniors are at an age where they’re becoming much more the adults, but they’re also still searching for who they are.” For students like senior Avishi Agastwar, Shimazaki is also an open ear, a support system, a source of encouragement and a friend during a tumultuous time of life. Shizmaki My teacher didn’t see me as just a student who was going cites a teacher he had a student as to produce a grade in his his inspiration as a class, he saw me as a whole teacher. human being...I realized that “My teacher didn’t was something teachers had see me as just a the power to do.” student who was going to produce a grade in his class, he saw me as a whole human being,” said Shimazaki. “I realized that was something teachers had the power to do.” To read more about Shimazaki’s impact on students like Avishi, visit honored.org.
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CFP FOUNDATION AND DR PEPPER AWARD TUITION ASSISTANCE TO DESERVING EDUCATION MAJORS
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he CFP Foundation and Dr Pepper are committed to teachers and education. Over the last few weeks, the recipients were chosen for this year’s Go Teach Dr Pepper Tuition Giveaway — a collective effort to award $1.5 million in tuition over the next six years to support student-athletes looking to become teachers. Five grand prize winners were each presented with $20,000 tuition grants, while over 60 student-athletes received $2,500 in tuition awards. The Dr Pepper Tuition Giveaway supports the CFP Foundation’s Go Teach initiative. This fund is in addition to Dr Pepper’s Tuition Giveaway Program and allows Dr Pepper’s conference partners in the ACC, Big 12, Big Ten, Pac-12 and SEC to provide support and recognition for student-athletes majoring in education. Each of the conferences and their broadcast networks shared in the celebration with surprises and on-air feature stories. Some of the highlights included: + Pac 12 winner surprise + SEC winner surprise
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QUALITY TEACHERS FOR TOMORROW: More than 60 student-athletes received $2,500 tuition to support their path to become a teacher.
+ SEC Nation content + Big Ten winner surprise + Big 12 group surprise + ACC: winner surprised on-air Former Dallas Cowboys great and CFP Foundation ambassador Darren Woodson surprised many of the $2,500 tuition award winners with the news on a virtual group call and also awarded one of the grand prizes.
“I am honored to support the CFP Foundation and the Go Teach Dr Pepper Tuition giveaway, in a fantastic effort to recruit student-athletes to pursue teaching degrees,” said Woodson. “Our country is facing a teacher shortage, and the need has never been greater for qualified people to educate our kids. The team culture that comes with being a student-athlete lends a skill set key to being a tremendous teacher.
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Congratulations to all the winners — they’re all champions who will make an incredibly positive difference for the next generation.” “Dr Pepper has been a wonderful partner, and we are thrilled to have their continued support,” said CFP Foundation Executive Director Britton Banowsky. “Our Go Teach project is an exciting initiative to encourage student athletes to pursue careers in education, and this generous tuition support will go a long way to ensure the continued expansion of the Go Teach project in the years to come.” The CFP Foundation and Dr Pepper are dedicated to growing the Go Teach initiative to place qualified teachers in classrooms across the nation. Launched in 2018 through a pilot program at the University of Texas at Austin, the Go Teach initiative quickly expanded to a dozen schools by the end of 2019. Today, more than 15 universities are participating in the Go Teach program, identifying creative ways to help studentathletes move into the teaching profession. “Dr Pepper has partnered with the CFP Foundation since 2015, and we are proud to expand our relationship to help even more student athletes realize their dreams of becoming a teacher,” said Derek Dabrowski, Vice President of Brand Marketing for Dr Pepper. “Dr Pepper is synonymous with college football. This year has looked different than most due to the COVID-19 pandemic, which is why it’s more than important than ever that we support students with big dreams that need the help in realizing them.”
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I was able to use my DonorsChoose funds to buy 3 books, math workbooks, stockings, candy, gloves/ hats, a new jacket and sweater, and school supplies to send home with my kiddos to help with virtual learning and keep them warm and engaged through winter break! I just wanted to say thank you, you made my scholars’ Christmases so special! Ms. Lewallen, Tag-A-Teacher
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Ms. Hanson went the extra mile during the COVID-19 crisis. She missed her kids during this time, she decided to great a YouTube Channel for her class so she could read to them each day. It was something out of the kindness of her heart. That is just one of the many kind acts she has done for her kids. She is always wanting to make sure her kids succeed and this is someone who is really inspiring our youth in this country. I highly recommend her as a great teacher in our country. • Tara is a compassionate leader and passionate educator. I have had the opportunity to know her for the last couple of years as my student teacher, as a mentor teacher, and lastly, as a parent of a student, she has in her classes. She has been an educator at Bourbon County High School for two years. She has dedicated her time since her day of hire. She manages multiple course preparations daily, along with serving as the FFA Advisor for a very active FFA Chapter. This program is active and engaged in the community and the school. She teaches her students how to manage a school greenhouse, raised beds, raise bees, and other agricultural areas that empower these students to be active agriculturalists and servant leaders. She works tirelessly oftentimes giving up her evenings and weekends to ensuring that her student’s needs are met. Whether it’s managing the greenhouse sales and making sure students stay engaged in their greenhouse production remotely while dealing with COVID-19 or participating in visiting students supervised agricultural experience programs from large scale-cattle production farms to students part-time jobs, she is always there. She operates with little resources and runs a program that is very hands-on and provides real-world applications for students with oftentimes limited funding. She has been working for the past year to update their greenhouse spaces which are 20+ years old. She has requested matching funds from various community organizations in hopes of having the roof replaced and flooring re-done to provide a safer and more effective teaching space for her students and their classroom. The funds raised through the greenhouse sale benefit the students in the program and FFA members that are attempting to gain additional leadership experiences. An investment in Ms. Wolfenbarger would be an investment in the future lives of many children from Bourbon County and the health of our community. • Mrs. Rosales goes above and beyond for her students and for other students in her building with compassion and true passion. Not only does she make sure all her students including her special education students are supported but she has taken it to teach her students parents how to better support their children during remote learning. She has continued to advocated for students and parents within her school and believes all children deserve to learn even during these uncertain time. This she has proven by tutoring a 5th grade student who just came to the country and into her school building and who speaks little english (although she is a third grade teacher). Her empathy and understanding has gone beyond teaching. When a parent asked for help she quickly found a way to support them by dropping off groceries and essentials at their door step. This mother who is a single parent and had lost her job had no words to express her gratitude. Mrs. Rosales is an outstanding teacher who is compassionate, caring, and genuinely wants her students and all students to succeed no matter who they are. • Aiesha Smith is a Special Education teacher at Benjamin Franklin High School located in North Philadelphia. Her year was started with challenges, due to our students and staffs being displaced due to construction and asbestos. Through these challenging times she has been the epitome of what it means to be a great educator----she is SUPER HERO! In addition to her teaching commitments, she chairs the recruitment committee at Franklin, co-chairs the Graduation committee, coaches JV Boy Basketball coach and even organized and Welcome Back Dance. More notably, in effort to establish and foster a positive climate among incoming 9th graders; she decorated the entire 9th grade wing! She is a superstar!! Moreover, although, our time in the building had to be cut short amid Covid, Aiesha has been able to create an Instagram page for freshman to establish an virtual community for our 9th grader. Additionally, she helped foster positive staff morale with teaching staff during COVID, by leading a Tik Tok Challenge. She also planned and lead a parent virtual meeting as a way to provide a tutorial video for staff and families to help students navigate google classrooms. • Mary Contini is known as Profe on campus. Before I attended the high school, she was known as many of the student’s favorite teacher. She teaches Spanish to middle school up to AP Spanish IV. From the 2 classes that I have taken from her, she has this amazing way to culturally bridge Spanish and English. She adds creative flare to the curriculum and definitely shows a lot of positivity to the students. She not only connects in the class setting but is often found playing the piano for chapels and sponsoring Student Council meetings and events. She has made an indelible impact on my life and so many other students at our school. • Mr. Thompson is a hard working science teacher and coach. He shows tremendous empathy for the kids he teaches pushing them to new heights during these unknowing COVID times. His energy and love for being in the classroom makes science the best part of my kid’s day and his peers too. His ability to build relationships and connect has been apparent, even through masks and a global pandemic. • Ms. Hernández has been an inspiration to the multitude of students, teachers, and parents that have been fortunate enough to make her acquaintance. She instills good values, leaning ethic, and teaches her students to take challenges head on. Throughout her years of teaching, Ms. Hernández has dedicated herself to teaching life long learning. Her students are her main priority and their success is her number one goal. I nominate Ms. Hernández because not only had she been a role model for fellow teachers, she has exhibited hard work and dedication to this profession. • Where do I start? I want to say that not only is this Teacher an Amazing Teacher she is also, a Wonderful person. Bernice has been Teaching for over 10 years and she always gets the job done. Not just making sure she has all her lessons in order and ready for her classes but, she makes sure she puts her students first showing them yes you can - you have the power to solve it. She taught my son last year and she always made time to make sure to answer all of his questions during her Math Class. This made such a difference in his life because he knew she cared for him. He knew that he was (is) important because she made the time to make sure his needs where meet as well as everyone else. I really am so happy that he learned so much while in her care. It is a great honor to nominate this very special person - Ms. Abrigo is a Fantastic Teacher and I am so extremely happy that one day years ago she made the decision to become a teacher. - Thank you for your time and for your amazing Foundation, - “Teaching kids to count is fine, but teaching them what counts is best.” - Bob Talbert • Mrs. Stapleton is the lead teacher for her US History department. She supports her peers and students spending numerous late hours at work each night including weekends. She continues to take on roles at her school where needed including the Student Government Association sponsor. Mira. Stapleton sacrifices her own time and money to ensure her students have everything they need to succeed. • Mr. Marshall is an inspiration and great role model for the students of Caruthersville School District. Not only is he assisting the high school coach in football and teaching his 5th grade homeroom students, Mr. Marshall is teaching an hour of high school math. Like myself and the rest of Caruthersville School District teachers, he teaches his homeroom class and virtual students. Often, he works late hours to make sure his students receive the best education he can provide. Needless to say, his schedule is full! Students often greet him with air- fist bumps and respect. He is a great teacher, dependable, and a great friend. • Ms. Lee has a love for her students and community. She is from the area and with over 20 years of teaching. She goes above and beyond the call duty. She makes every student feel welcome in her class and gets them to excel in their academics. She gets to know them finds out their strengths and weakness so they can get them to take pride in her class. She is willing to come in on her days off to help her students. Ms. Lee makes an impact with all of her students she is committed to being All In for her students, • Olivia is one of the first ones to work and one of the last to leave. She puts in countless hours for her kids and puts their development first. Since going virtual, she also has some of the highest student participation rate amongst other teachers while they CONSTANTLY seek help from her every day on how to set up their virtual classroom. She teaches two contents (English and Math) in the 5th grade in the Dual Language program. As only a second year teacher, she has exceeded many expectations and always finds the most effective ways to overcome boundaries for her students. She is also a Teach For America Corps Member which comes with added@CFPExtraYard professional development as well as more leadership development tasks than a teacher who is not part of the corps. Lastly she is also enrolled in GRAD SCHOOL at the UNIVERSITY OF OKLAHOMA getting her Masters in cfp-foundation.org Educational administration, curriculum and supervision while being a corps member and at an underserved low-income elementary school. Needless to say she has a lot on her plate, and crushes it. She is TRULY the hardest working person I have ever met, and will always take time #GreatTeachersChangeLives to help her students, parents, and her fellow faculty members. She also LOVES college football!
THANK YOU
TEACHERS FOR GOING
THE EXTRA YARD IN 2020
I am blown away by the AMAZING prize that you awarded me! The cornhole set, Yeti, and speaker are such fantastic additions to my family’s new-found hobby of camping. We’ve also set them up in our backyard, as we have learned to tailgate virtually while watching the games. The $5,000 DonorsChoose gift card has afforded me the opportunity to not only fill my third grade classroom with supplies, but to add technology that has been desperately needed during our distance learning. Ms. Kaiser, Eckrich Tag-A-Teacher Winner
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TAG A TE@CHER TOGETHER WITH ITS PARTNERS, THE CFP FOUNDATION RECOGNIZED TEACHERS AND SHARED INSPIRING STORIES IN THE AGE OF AT-HOME LEARNING
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he College Football Playoff Foundation is the largest sports entity that is dedicated to supporting and uplifting the teaching profession. The impact and the work would not be possible without the support of its partners. This year, partners engaged with the College Football Playoff Foundation in a season-long “TagA-Teacher” social media effort to recognize teachers and distribute resources in cities across the country. Longtime CFP Foundation partner Eckrich Meats was first to initiate times. Each week, a teacher was a Tag-A-Teacher campaign in the awarded $5,000 in the form of a spring by encouraging parents to DonorsChoose grant to help with recognize teachers who went the classroom supplies or a school “extra yard” project. Over to keep kids the 10-week learning at span, more home during than 10,000 I am so thankful the COVIDnominations were and was able to 19 pandemic. submitted and a help thousands of Parents tagged total of $50,000 classrooms because of a teacher on dollars was social media, donated directly your kindness! sharing stories into the pockets about how of exceptional LAURA EDWARDS, CHICAGO TEACHER these educators teachers across AND ECKRICH $5,000 WINNER have impacted the country. their students and found new ways With the success of the spring to engage and teach during these promotion, Eckrich and the CFP challenging and unprecedented Foundation extended the Tag-
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A-Teacher effort into the fall semester. This time, teachers who went the “extra yard” were rewarded not only with a DonorsChoose grant, but also with a unique home-gating package courtesy of Eckrich. In addition, FBS conference partners and bowl games got in on the program, ensuring that resources for teachers continued to be distributed across the country throughout the entire college football season. Overall, nearly 20,000 teachers were recognized for their hard work and resilience and over $150,000 in DonorsChoose grants were shared with these deserving teachers.
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ORANGE BOWL CARES
In partnership with the CFP Foundation, the Orange Bowl Committee (OBC) recently announced the launch of Orange Bowl Cares, a program aimed at supporting and rewarding South Florida teachers as they navigate a challenging school year amid the COVID-19 pandemic. The OBC randomly selected 14 local teachers through the CFP Foundation’s Extra Yard For Teachers “Tag-A-Teacher” initiative on social media. The winning teachers received a $500 Donors Choose gift card, along with free lunch for their school’s entire faculty and staff.
AUTOZONE LIBERTY BOWL WINNER
Dr. Melissa Collins, a second grade teacher at J.P. Freeman School, was a featured week winner in the AutoZone Liberty Bowl’s “Tag A Teacher” program. Dr. Collins plans to use her $500 gift card to help purchase STEM kits for her school.
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FLORIDA CITRUS SPORTS APPRECIATION BREAKFASTS
The CFP Foundation partnered with Florida Citrus Sports to send appreciation breakfasts to approximately 350 teachers at five LIFT Orlando campuses: Legends Elementary, Orange Center Elementary, Rock Lake Elementary, Jones High School and West Lakes Early Learning Center.
COTTON BOWL DEDICATED TO EDUCATION
The CFP Foundation and Cotton Bowl Foundation honored teachers via a $50,000 grant to Catch Up & Read and a $50,000 grant to Urban Teachers as part of the Big Day in September. These grants are geared to support and celebrate teachers for their dedication to education. Each teacher in attendance was also be presented with a $100 DonorsChoose gift card to help with school supplies and resources.
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SUGAR BOWL HURRICANE RELIEF: Select teachers in Lake Charles, Louisiana, who suffered a major hit from Hurricane Laura, were surprised with $400 of direct aid each, plus a flash-funding of all of the DonorsChoose projects in Calcasieu Parish for a total of approximately $10,000.
A dedicated partner to the CFP Foundation and its effort to support teachers, the Rose Bowl Game worked with the Pasadena Educational Foundation to give awards to 181 educators from every school in the district, including a celebratory parade.
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ROSE BOWL GAME CELEBRATES TEACHERS
WATCH!
CLICK HERE TO READ MORE AND VIEW A VIDEO OF THE PARADE.
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