The Virginia Beach Education Foundation (VBEF) will award a record $150,000 in grant funding to support innovative projects and learning programs in Virginia Beach City Public Schools (VBCPS). The 71 grant recipients from 38 different schools as well as grant underwriters will be recognized at the foundation's annual Teacher Grants Improve Futures (TGIF) Celebration held Wed., Dec. 6, at the Sandler Center for the Performing Arts.

The event begins at 6 p.m. with a reception at which the teachers receiving grants and grant sponsors will have an opportunity to discuss their respective grant projects. A formal program will follow to announce grant recipients and unveil the VBEF 2018 Commemorative Print. Online voting to select the 2018 print is currently underway through Dec. 5.

“Following an exciting year last year to celebrate the Virginia Beach Education Foundation’s 25th anniversary, we are pleased to see that the community’s support has not waivered and will permit the foundation to recognize our teachers’ innovation with a record amount of grant funding,” said VBCPS Superintendent Dr. Aaron Spence. “We appreciate the foundation’s continued commitment to public education and to supporting Virginia Beach teachers’ work to enrich and extend students’ learning experiences through their VBEF projects.”

Through its Adopt A+ Grants program, the VBEF awards both innovative learning grants and schoolwide grants that support classroom instruction and improve student learning and achievement. Grants for 2017-2018 projects include 15 schoolwide grants and 56 innovative learning grants.

Innovative learning grants provide teachers with up to $2,000 for materials, supplies and expenses related to activities, experiments and inventive learning opportunities for children. Up to $5,000 is awarded for schoolwide grants, which are designed to support activities and programs that will benefit the entire school community.

All grants are funded through corporate underwriters and personal donations made directly to the foundation or through United Way contributions designated for the VBEF.

To read more about VBEF grants, projects and special events or to donate to the foundation’s Adopt A+ Grants program, visit www2.vbef.org or contact VBEF coordinator Debbie Griffey at 757-263-1069.

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Department of Media and Communications, [email protected]

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