The Qwest Foundation and Arizona Technology in Education Association (AzTEA) announces $100,000 in grants for Arizona teachers who have developed creative ways to use technology to improve student learning.
The Qwest Foundation’s core principle is that investing in people and communities provides lasting value for the future. The Qwest Foundation awards grants to community-based programs that generate high-impact and measurable results, focusing on preK-12 education.
The Qwest Foundation’s philosophy is to help build strong communities through investing in people and the places where they live and work. For more information, contact www.qwest.com/foundation.
 |
Recipient: Larry Rice District: Vail School District School: Vail High School Project Title: Tagging and Mapping Sahuaro Cactus Grant Amount Received: $9,950.00 |
| Project Description: Students from multiple disciplines will use advanced technology through project based learning to radio tag targeted Saguaro cactus, an ecological icon of the Arizona desert. Radio tagging of Saguaros 3-7 feet high will help the Saguaro National Park (http://www.nps.gov/sagu/ ) protect these valuable cactus from theft and loss. Students will use remote-controlled model planes to create photogrammetric terrain maps of the park, geo-referenced through mathematical principles. Students will learn how to use image analysis GIS (Geographic Information System) software to mathematically find the location of the targeted cacti for tagging, downloading GPS (Global Positioning System) data to handhelds to be used in the field to locate the cacti for tagging under National Park scientific protocols, guided by park rangers.
Recipient’s Bio: Larry Rice is in his seventh year of teaching high school. Previous to teaching he worked in Silicon Valley for top software technology companies such as Sun Microsystems, Cadence Design, and Aspect Development. Mr. Rice is teaching a STEM curriculum (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) that provides computer-based, hands-on activities for students modeling 21st century occupations. Student projects include Mapping, Underwater Robotics, Architectural Design, Engineering, and Aeronautics Design, Photogrammetric, and Web Design, using state-of-the-art Technology. He has a BSCE from OSU, an MSBA from SFSU, and a graduate teaching degree from UOP. His Arizona Teaching license covers CTE, Business, and Mathematics. |
 |
Recipient: Jillian Worssam District: Flagstaff Unified School District School: New Start Middle School Project Title: Poles Apart Grant Amount Received: $7,291.49 |
| Project Description: “Poles Apart” is a cross curricular unit focusing on aquatic ecosystems in the Bering Sea, Northern Arizona and optimistically the Southern Ocean. During this learning process students will discover how to design and create an active wiki page documenting their progress for a worldwide audience. Then, working in partnership with scientists in the field, we will design and build a functional ROV that will collect aquatic sediment samples, and photograph the mysterious life found in water.
Recipient’s Bio: Jillian Worssam has been a professional educator in Arizona for over 14 years, with her most recent assignment teaching all curricular subjects at New Start Middle School in Flagstaff, Arizona. Ms. Worssam uses science as the medium of instruction with her seventh and eighth grade students, focusing on inquiry based lessons. With a BS degree in Forestry, and a master’s degree in Bilingual/ Multicultural Education, Ms. Worssam loves the social and ecological diversity found in Arizona. Jillian was very fortunate to work in the Bering Sea for three field seasons as both a NOAA Teacher at Sea and National PolarTREC participant. She has taken that knowledge and incorporated it into her work with the students at New Start Middle School. During her professional career Ms. Worssam has been an environmental interpreter for the U.S. Forest Service, written thematic curriculum for multiple middle school subject areas, and took a year off to teach writing and oral English in China. Ms. Worssam has also written curriculum for various grant projects focusing on thematic culturally based instruction. |
 |
Recipient: Stephanie Bowers District: Gilbert Public Schools School: Highland Park Elementary Project Title: Can We Be Sun Wiser? Grant Amount Received: $8,185.00 |
| Project Description: In this project, Can We Be Sun Wiser? , students will use technology and EPA SunWise activities to study the harmful effects of the sun’s UV rays. These results will be posted onto a virtual classroom where students will also collaborate with a sister class at Albert Park Primary School in Melbourne, Australia. Students will then compile information into multimedia projects that they will use to teach their school and community about skin cancer prevention.
Recipient’s Bio: Stephanie Bowers is a fifth grade teacher at Highland Park Elementary in Gilbert Public School District. This is her first year teaching fifth grade. Prior to this, she taught sixth grade for nine years, junior high math for two years, and fourth grade for one year. She is constantly looking for fun, innovative ways to incorporate technology into her lessons. Stephanie received her BS in Human Development from Lee University in Cleveland, Tennessee and her MS from Northern Arizona University. She spends her spare time traveling, reading and cheering on her husband, Lee, and their eight-year-old son, Zach. |
 |
Recipient: Debra Buchanan District: Gilbert Public Schools School: Highland Park Elementary School Project Title: “Going Green” Learning Garden Grant Amount Received: $10,000 |
| Project Description: With the emphasis of "going green" throughout our country, we have a dream of creating and developing a learning garden that will be used school-wide by our students and teachers at Highland Park Elementary. Our learning garden will consist of three areas: a Sonoran Desert, an Australian desert, and an area for individual grade level garden plots. All students will have the opportunity to explore and research information about plants and animals that may be found within the garden using the internet, digital cameras, podcasting and the Virtual Classroom. Students will then be able to use technology to create projects to share what they have learned about plants, animals, and the environment.
Recipient’s Bio: Debbie Buchanan has been teaching 4th grade for over 8 years in Gilbert, Arizona. She previously taught at Greenfield Elementary before transferring over to Highland Park Elementary. Mrs. Buchanan graduated from ASU East after going back to school to pursue her elementary education degree once her youngest child started his own school experience. Gardening has always been a part of her life, a love passed down through the generations to her, which she has now passed on to her own children. I guess you could say that gardening IS in the blood. Taking one more step to tie technology into the importance of being aware of our environment is a step that she is anxious to have her students now take as the dream of a school-wide learning |
 |
Recipient: Kira Dublin District: Cave Creek Unified School District School: Desert Willow Elementary Project: Arizona's Attic ~ Technological Tour Through Time Grant Amount Received: $9,796 |
| Project Description: Fourth grade students will create individual digital stories that compare and contrast their own lives to that of a nine or ten year old in the early days of Arizona statehood. Students will research family life and responsibilities, living conditions, school, work/chores, customs, and traditions in early statehood days and now. This multidisciplinary project integrates content standards to create unique digital stories, along with podcast personal reflections which will be posted on the class website to share with the world.
Recipient’s Bio: Kira Dubin has a Bachelor of Science from Arizona State University and her teaching certification through the University of Phoenix. She comes from a marketing background in the corporate world and has taught in the Cave Creek Unified School District for ten years, primarily in fourth grade. In her effort to become more |
|
Recipients: Michelle Garrison, Hector Guanajuato, Aurelia Sauceda, & Rita Walker District: Eloy Elementary School District School: Eloy Elementary School Project Title: We Have a Dream Grant Amount Received: $5,000 |
| Project Description: 7th and 8th graders at Eloy will use computer productivity tools to survey their community to answer the driving question: “What are the challenges facing young people in Eloy that tend to impact the ability to dream about their future?” Teachers, will become 21st Century teachers by participating in a minimum 60 hours professional development in project-based instruction. They will work toward becoming collaborative resources and learners with their students in student directed projects.
Recipients’ Bios: Michelle Garrison, Hector Guanajuato, Aurelia Sauceda, and Rita Walker are 7th and 8th grade teachers in Eloy. |
 |
Recipient: Joanne Henning District: Glendale Elementary District School: American Elementary School Project Title: Simple Machines Plugged In Grant Amount Received: $2,337 |
| Project Description: Fourth grade students will be working with pilots at Luke Air Force Base to identify the importance of machines in everyday life. They will apply the basics of simple machines to create their own lego machines. Finally they will use the new Lego 'WeDo Robotics' program they to bring their creations into the 21st Century by making robots then programming them to solve a specific job. The students will be in contact with the pilots sharing their progress, and will present their robots in Photostory and/or Voicethread formats.
Recipient’s Bio: Joanne Henning has been a fourth grade teacher for the last 11 years. She was dragged kicking and screaming into technology by her best friend when she was invited to attend NECC in 2005. Taking digital immigrant baby steps, she has become a huge advocate of technology in the classroom- using such programs as Voicethread, Photostory, Windows MovieMaker among others. 2009 found her as a school technology mentor where she constantly amazes herself with what she's learned in the last 5 years! She is married (Matt) with 3 sons (Doug, Greg, & Bryan) and enough dogs at her house to be considered crazy. She enjoys traveling, books, yoga, and catching her breath on the weekends. |
 |
Recipient: Amy Horn District: Flagstaff Unified School District School: Coconino High School Project Title: Panther Paparazzi Grant Amount Received: $9,952.00 |
| Project Description: Panther Paparazzi is a state of the art photography and design project for students to manage their own event photography business within Coconino High School. In this project, student photographers will demonstrate appropriate selection and use of professional photographic cameras, lenses, studio lights, and software and to capture properly exposed professional photographs and sell them.
Recipient’s Bio: Amy Horn has been teaching for 13 years in Flagstaff and is currently at Coconino High School. Joining teaching after several years working in industry, she has always had a passion for technology and photography. With a BS in Business Economics from U of A and a Masters in Secondary Education from NAU, she likes to spark new ideas that will enhance student learning. She spends her free time traveling, taking photos and spending quality time with her sons Grant & Austin and fellow teacher/husband Rod. |
  |
Recipient: Kari Dory and Gayle Pisani District: Palominas School District School: Coronado Elementary School Project Title: Interactive collaborative Writing Grant Amount Received: $9,489.18 |
| Project Description: Interactive Collaborative Writing is a novel way to partner gifted and special education students at they create characters in an imaginary world and collaboratively write their stories within a classroom wikispace. In addition to a finished written product students will produce a digital story depicting a favorite scene from their writing. This project combines the art of writing with the art of digital storytelling to give students a flexible, interesting, and challenging way to explore the power of storytelling while improving their writing skills.
Recipients’ Bios: Kari Dory is in her fourth year of teaching. She is in her second year of teaching Special Education at Coronado Elementary School for the Palominas School District. Prior to moving to Arizona she taught for two years at the Plummer Worley School District on the Coeur D' Alene Indian Reservation located in Northern Idaho. Kari graduated with a Bachelors Degree in General Studies from Gonzaga University in Spokane, WA. She majored in Special Education with a minor in Elementary Education. Kari enjoys a variety of activities with her husband and son. Gayle Pisani has been teaching for 18 years. She is currently the Gifted Education Teacher for the Palominas School District. In the past she has taught sixth grade in a self-contained classroom, and seventh and eighth grade art and science. She has a Bachelor’s degree in Consumer Studies from the University of Arizona, and holds a Master’s degree in Business Administration from California Coast University. She did her post Baccalaureate work with the University of Arizona to earn her Arizona Teaching Certificate. She also holds a Gifted Education Endorsement and a Middle School Math Endorsement from the Arizona State Department of Education. |
 |
Recipient: Tom Tomas District: The Painted Desert Demonstration Project School: The STAR School Project Title: From Ashes, A-Maize-Ing Stories and Healthy Recipes Come to Life Grant Amount Received: $7,888.37 |
| Project Description: The use of juniper ash increases the availability of the blue corn nutritional value, whereas without the ash, our digestive systems reap significantly less nutrition from the corn. Research shows how our Navajo elders, who have eaten such traditional foods, have stronger bone density, no diabetes, and lower cases of osteoporosis than people of the same age bracket across America. Current public health projections indicate diabetes is on the rise and by 2010 half of all Navajo people will have diabetes. With the use of technology and project-based learning activities planned in this proposal, our youth will be more than consumers of this rich knowledge. The students will be storytellers, culinary artists, and researchers as they create, distribute, and present: community-based film documentaries, recipes, their research papers, narrative essays, PowerPoint and PhotoStory3 presentations. Our students will seek out partnering opportunities as they present the nutritional benefits of heritage foods at town meetings, senior citizen centers, health and human service centers, other schools, and at a student-sponsored pancake breakfast for parents and community.
Recipient’s Bio: (Tom Tomas currently teaches 7th-8th grade students at the creative and innovative STAR School. He has been teaching at STAR School for 4 1/2 years, and enjoys providing the junior high students with service learning activities that span the curriculum. This year's students were the inspiration for this project. |
 |
Recipient: Jannifer Wolfgramm District: Tempe Elementary School District Project Title: 21st Century Field Trips Grant Amount Received: $9,947.18 |
| Project Description: Teachers will divide their class into groups of four students with each group of students having a digital camera, an iPod with an attached recorder, a GPS receiver, and a Flip camera. GPS receivers will be preprogrammed with coordinates for several specific locations at the field trip site and with essential questions to be answered by the students at each location. Students will use the GPS receivers to find each of the marked locations, read the essential question from the GPS receiver at each location, use the digital camera, and Flip camera to make a visual recording of the location, and record into the iPod an audio record of their findings. After the field trip is concluded students will use the information collected to prepare a Podcast of the trip.
Recipient’s Bio: Jan Wolfgramm has taught school for 15 years; the last five years she has served as an Educational Technology Instructor. She graduated from ASU with a BA in Elementary Education; and graduated from ASU West with a MA in Elementary Education with an emphasis on Educational Technology. Jan spends her spare time gardening, reading, and playing with 15 grandchildren. |
 |
Recipient: Christina Young District: Pendergast Elementary School District School: Amberlea Elementary School Project Title: Amberlea Kids at Hope Digital Library Club Grant Amount Received: $5,163.78 |
| Project Description: The Amberlea Kids at Hope Digital Library Club will give Kindergarteners through Eighth graders the opportunities to plan, write, record, edit, deliver, and store digital media on a variety of topics based on the Kids at Hope four destination points: 1) Home and Family, 2) Education and Career, 3) Community and Service, and 4) Hobbies and Recreation. In addition, club members will collaborate with school leadership and community members to plan, promote, and run events for Destination Days at school.
Recipient’s Bio: Prior to becoming a teacher seven years ago, Christina Young spent twelve years in the U.S. Air Force traveling around the world to such places as Hawaii, France, and Australia. A strong proponent of technology-integrated curriculum and project-based learning, she is the second through eighth grade gifted education teacher and curriculum integration specialist at Amberlea Elementary School in the Pendergast School District. She received her Bachelors of Science in Training and Development from Southern Illinois University at Carbondale and recently received her Masters of Education in Curriculum and Instruction with emphasis in Technology from Grand Canyon University. A single mom of two teenagers, Ashli and Joshua, she spends her extra time volunteering in her church’s children’s ministry playing bass and running sound, video, and lights. |