College Football Playoff Foundation Communications
Joint Initiative Kicks Off with Initial Funding of $100,000 Towards Classroom Projects in Bay Area Schools
SANTA CLARA, Calif. – The College Football Playoff (CFP) Foundation and the Bay Area Host Committee (BAHC) today announced that funding has begun as part of an overall pledge of up to $500,000 for innovative science, technology, engineering, art and math (STEAM) projects through DonorsChoose.org, a national nonprofit that makes it easy for anyone to help a classroom.
This past week, the CFP Foundation and the BAHC have funded 152 projects from 152 Bay Area teachers, positively impacting 16,556 students in 117 schools with approximately $100,000 worth of support. More funding is scheduled through the 2019 College Football Playoff National Championship, set for Levi’s® Stadium on January 7, 2019.
Highlights of the 152 initial projects chosen for funding include:
- Mrs. Heyne at Piner High School in Santa Rosa will be building a life size model of a whale with her students through her “Build-A-Whale” project.
- Ms. Matsumoto at Berkeley High School in Berkeley will be teaching her students about shooting and printing photographs through her project, “Film is Alive.”
- Mrs. Alfaro Martinez at Tennyson High School in Hayward will empower her students to build and race hydrogen cars with materials from her project, “Engineers Driving the Future.”
- Ms. Donaldson at Sutter Elementary School in Antioch will help her students make and meet their fitness goals through her project, “Fitness Trackers for Special Education Students for Daily Fitness Program.”
- Ms. Harris at Oak Grove Middle School in Concord will receive a visit from the Lindsey Wildlife naturalists, who will bring owls to the classroom to teach students about birds of prey through her project, “Wise and Outstanding Owls in the Classroom.”
The CFP Foundation and the BAHC will work together in funding more projects continually over the next three months, looking to impact as many Bay Area classrooms as possible.
“We are thrilled to begin funding worthwhile innovative STEAM projects with the BAHC through the DonorsChoose.org platform,” said CFP Foundation Executive Director Britton Banowsky. “This initial fund is just the beginning and we look forward to working together to fund more great projects that directly support classrooms in the Bay Area.”
The DonorsChoose.org platform makes it possible for public school teachers from every corner of America to create classroom project requests. The focus in the Bay Area is on projects originating from schools with the highest need.
The partnership between the CFP Foundation and the BAHC supports teachers in the Bay Area through STEAM resources. Professional development training is also offered to support educators teaching STEAM lessons.
“It’s crucial to bring important STEAM projects to life in the classroom and we’re proud to continue our work in this space alongside DonorsChoose and the College Football Playoff Foundation,” said Jesse Lovejoy, education director of the Bay Area Host Committee. “These efforts will help educators in underserved areas teach STEAM concepts while helping to level the playing field for children who may not have the adequate resources to learn about STEAM.”
Full-time educators in Bay Area schools where at least half of students receive free and reduced-price lunch are able to create an eligible project. Full criteria for qualifying projects can be found at donorschoose.org/bayarea2019. Projects are selected from qualified applicants, and teachers will receive an email notification if their project is selected for funding.
“We’ve so appreciated the support of the College Football Playoff Foundation over the past several years, and we’re excited to see the inspiring STEAM projects that CFP and the Bay Area Host Committee have funded for local teachers,” said Charles Best, founder of DonorsChoose.org. “Their contributions will help teachers access resources to bring science, math and the arts to life in their classrooms.”
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About the College Football Playoff Foundation and Extra Yard for Teachers
The College Football Playoff (CFP) Foundation is the philanthropic arm of the College Football Playoff, supporting education across the country. The CFP Foundation’s primary cause platform, Extra Yard for Teachers, is dedicated to elevating the teaching profession by inspiring and empowering teachers in four focus areas: resources, recognition, recruitment and professional development. The CFP Foundation utilizes multiple partnerships to execute its initiatives and support positive educational outcomes. To learn more, visit www.cfp-foundation.org and follow Extra Yard for Teachers (@CFPExtraYard) on social media.
About the Bay Area Host Committee
The Bay Area Host Committee (BAHC) works with the College Football Playoff (CFP) to promote, organize, and execute the 2019 College Football Playoff National Championship and its related events throughout the Bay Area. The BAHC is committed to forming a seamless partnership with the CFP and all of its stakeholders to deliver an outstanding championship experience for the student-athletes, participating institutions, media and fans. For more information, visit BayArea2019.com.
About DonorsChoose.org
DonorsChoose.org is the leading platform for giving to public schools. Teachers across America use the site to create projects requesting resources their students need, and donors give to the projects that inspire them. Since its founding by a Bronx teacher in 2000, more than 3.4 million people and partners have given $735 million to projects reaching 30 million students. Unique among education funding platforms, the DonorsChoose.org team vets each project request and ships resources directly to the school. Every donor receives photos of their project in action, thank-yous from the classroom, and a cost report showing how every dollar was spent. DonorsChoose.org was the first charity to make the top 10 on Fast Company’s list of the Most Innovative Companies in the World.
