Teacher Appreciation Week is off to a radiant start—literally and figuratively—as we kick off the season with some truly bright ideas from the dedicated educators of SAISD.

We were thrilled to deliver the first Bright Idea Grant of the year to Ms. Christina Psencik, Ms. Christina Vara, and Dr. Monica Ayala of Arnold Elementary. This dynamic trio earned their grant through a team effort to bring an outdoor shade structure to their campus—creating a refreshing, inspiring space where students can engage, learn, and grow in the great outdoors.

“We know kids love fresh air,” Ms. Psencik shared. “They benefit from being outdoors because sometimes they don’t get that at home. And so being outside is in itself a gift.”

We couldn’t agree more. This initiative not only supports student well-being but also reflects the innovative spirit of educators who go the extra mile to reimagine learning environments.

And the inspiration doesn’t stop there. Over at Mission Academy, Brandi Castro-Tagle is also bringing her own bright idea to life with outdoor learning equipment funded through a Bright Idea Grant. Her commitment hasn’t gone unnoticed. “She goes above and beyond to make sure Mission Academy is a beautiful place to come and learn,” said Principal Adrian Hid.

Continuing the Teacher Appreciation Week surprises, the “prize patrol” headed over to Burbank High School, SAISD, to recognize three more outstanding educators. Ms. Abigail Lee and Mr. Tony Villarreal received a Bright Idea Grant to support their growing robotics club, while Mr. Federico Cardenas was awarded a grant for subwoofers to enhance the school band’s performance capabilities.

Mr. Cardenas was visibly stunned when the grant team showed up in his classroom bearing the new equipment. “It’s going to impact us a lot because when we go to competitions, this is the standard of what every other high school has and we didn’t,” he shared. “We just want to be competitive and have that chance to make area top ten, so it’s going to give us that boost of confidence and ability to compete with the big boys.”

Congratulations to all three Burbank educators for their well-deserved grants!

These grant recipients exemplify the passion and creativity that make SAISD educators exceptional. As we celebrate Teacher Appreciation Week, we’re honored to support their visions—and can’t wait to see their projects in action. Stay tuned for additional grants awarded throughout the week and into May!