2025 GoTeach! Classroom Grant Awards

DATE: Thursday, October 30, 2025

LOCATION: Center for Public School Excellence and Innovation

ADDRESS: 1515 Barton Road | Lake Worth Beach, FL 33460

• 5 p.m. – Welcome Reception
• 6 p.m. – Awards Ceremony

GoTeach! Classroom Grants focus on the priority areas of Literacy, Career Education, Increasing Graduation Rates, Financial Literacy, Social Emotional Learning, STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics), and support for underperforming students. Grant funding ranges from $1,000 to $5,000.

The vision and ingenuity of these amazing educators are limitless. They truly are special agents of classroom innovation, and these GoTeach! Grants make their “Mission: Possible” as they strive to inspire students to shape the future and change the world.

Join us for a Welcome Reception at 5 p.m. featuring delicious food and entertainment by School District of Palm Beach County students, followed by the Awards Ceremony at 6 p.m., which includes thousands of dollars in exciting raffle prizes up for grabs!

Everyone must register to attend, including grant recipients.

CONGRATULATIONS TO THE 2025 GOTEACH! CLASSROOM GRANT AWARD RECIPIENTS

GoTeach! Individual Teacher Classroom Grant Award ($1,000)

• Imelda Bangun (Barton Elementary School) – Improving Literacy Skills In First Grade Through A Project-Based Learning Approach
• Rachel Bennett (Boca Raton Elementary School) – Turning Pages, Sparking Minds: Revitalizing Media Center Engagement
• Maria Soto-Perez (Coral Reef Elementary School) – Building Bridges To Literacy: A Pre-K Blocks And Literacy Initiative
• Kaitlyn Engle (Diamond View Elementary School) – Building Social Skills Through Structured Play
• Jennifer Tobin and Nicole Galavage (Elbridge Gale Elementary School) – Discovering The Magic In Math
• Marie Volcimus (Forest Park Elementary School) – Cultivating The Love Of Reading With Real Books…While Improving Literacy Skills
• Amy Yglesias (Galaxy E3 Elementary School) – Mind Matters
• Fritz Casimir and Gina Francis (Heritage Elementary School) – Creating Calm Corner In The Classroom
• Deanna Jones (Highland Elementary School) – Highland Sparks: Igniting Young Scientists
• Julie Highsmith (H.L. Johnson Elementary School) – Riding For Regulation
• Timothy Shannon (Jeaga Middle School) – Civically Correct Academy
• Gabrielle Balatovis-McNally, Leslie Kennedy, Dina Crew, and Stacey Snyder (Jupiter Farms Elementary School) – Whoo’s for Dinner?
• Gabrielle Balatovis-McNally and Erica Scherb (Jupiter Farms Elementary School) – Earthlings
• Janaina Oliveira and Koralisse Padin-Lopez (L.C. Swain Middle School) – Building Reading Success In A 7th Grade Special Education Classroom
• Janette Camacho (Loxahatchee Groves Elementary) – Future-Ready Lab AI-Powered Problem Solving for Young Innovators
• Sandra Noakes and Thomas Hinrich (Meadow Park Elementary School) – The Sky’s The Limit!
• Tammy Baysden (Pine Jog Elementary School) – STEM + Behavior = Success!
• Eusebius Williams and Robert Fletcher (Roosevelt Community Middle School) – Tech Garden “An Introduction to Using Technology to Grow Food Efficiently”
• Lizzette Leborgne (Royal Palm Beach Community High School) – Lights, Camera, Literacy!
• David Croll (Seminole Ridge Community High School) – Investigating Water Quality: Monitoring pH, Nitrate Levels, and Bioindicators in Aquatic Ecosystems
• Andrea Scaturo (Suncoast High School) – What’s Old Is New
• Ivania Fullerton (The Conservatory School At North Palm Beach) – PBL Power: Igniting 3rd Grade Reading Success Through Project Based Learning
• Kristin DeLaTorre (The Conservatory School At North Palm Beach) – Family Voices: Sharing Our Heritage Through Food, Storytelling, And Art
• Rebecca Patterson and Shanna Lillis (The Conservatory School At North Palm Beach) – Art In Science
• Todd LaVogue (The Conservatory School At North Palm Beach) – Checkmate With ChessUp
• Bradford Chase (Wellington Community High School) – Antonio Vivaldi Masterwork Performance
• Marwa Jaber (Westward Elementary School) – Transforming Spaces, Inspiring Minds

GoTeach! Team Teacher Classroom Grant Award ($1,500)

• Karina Moran and Allison Beaumont (Clifford O. Taylor/Kirklane Elementary School) – Math + Reading + Writing = SUCCESS! An Integrated Learning Adventure With Numberblocks
• Karina Moran and Beth Souther (Clifford O. Taylor/Kirklane Elementary School) – Thinking, Talking, and Trying: Empowering All Learners Through Building Thinking Classrooms
• Karina Moran and Jessica Hackett (Clifford O. Taylor/Kirklane Elementary School) – Counting Collections For Curious Kids: Building Number Sense One Count At A Time
• Kimberly Hewitt and Karina Moran (Clifford O. Taylor/Kirklane Elementary School) – Unlocking Math Through Literacy
• Marissa Kase, Kavita Rambharose, and Sophia Fredman (Congress Middle School) – Beyond The Classroom: Exceptionally Navigating The Real-World
• Lisa Keating and Cori Silio (Crystal Lakes Elementary School) – Readers Theater For Fluency
• Ally Van Valkenburg and Olivia McCoy (Diamond View Elementary School) – Money Smart From The Start
• Elizabeth Sheppard, Vanessa Dazza, and Syndie White (Diamond View Elementary School) – Diamond View Mission S.H.I.F.T. Science Hands-On Instruction For Future Thinkers
• Michelle Martello, Gary Somrajit, and David Wysong (Diamond View Elementary School) – Blockbusters In Action: Esports & STEM Excellence
• Diana Tobin and Taylor Einstendor (Discovery Key Elementary School) – The Dolphin Theatre
• Susan Russo and Nan Smith (Dwight D. Eisenhower K-8 School) – Hands-On Science Is Gr8t
• Veronica Zeppa Pacheco and Jacqueline Cuomo (Eagles Landing Middle School) – Empower Sensory Spaces: Supporting Inclusive Learning And Self-Regulation
• Deanna Jones and Aaron Atkins Rivers (Highland Elementary School) – Experiment Express Kits
• Juanita Deal and Jennifer Cullity (Jupiter Middle School) – Next Steps – Career Planning For Middle Schoolers
• Britt Feingold and Brent Bludworth (Lake Worth Community High School) – The Memory Project, Pacific Northwest Totems, and Ceramic Fun
• Meredith Abrams and Dawn Harrison (North Grade K-8 School) – Let’s Talk About It: Language Lab
• Shandel Ramlochan and Natalia Gloria (Olympic Heights Community High School) – Igniting Potential And Unlocking Futures Of ELLs Through Literacy
• Leah Arico and Damaris Rosado-James (Palm Springs Elementary School) – Bright Start Biliteracy
• Mercia Kelly and Lakanjala Rideau (Riviera Beach Preparatory and Achievement Academy) – 2nd Chance Program
• Michelle Dunlap and Stephanie Stinchcomb (South Olive Elementary School) – Fable And Fairytale Garden
• Janice Konigsberg and Scott Shapiro (South Tech Academy) – Enhancing CTE Literacy And Instruction Through High Interest Books In The ELA Classroom Libraries
• Julie Mandel and Eric Wilson (South Tech Academy) – SouthTech Starlighters Understand Conflicts In Literature Through Theatre Arts
• Samantha Silver and Alan Geppert (Sunrise Park Elementary School) – Hydroponic Garden At Sunrise Park
• Marwa Jaber, Phelia Antoine, and Murph Sandra (Westward Elementary School) – Building Strong Readers With Learning A-Z

GoReach! High Impact Classroom Grant Award ($3,000)

• Daniel Rincon Casas (Barton Elementary School) – A Synergistic Approach To Early Literacy: Integrating Spanish Heritage Songs With The Estrellita Methodology
• Michael Matos and Cheletia Morgan (Coral Sunset Elementary School) – Advancement In Mentoring
• Caitlin Watson, Veronica Carner, April Kirton, and Donna Remon (Diamond View Elementary School) – Leading With Literacy
• Mari Orsenigo and Kenneth Lutz (Glades Central Community High School) – Hatching Success: A School-Based Poultry Program
• Dennisse Melendez and Gabriela Overbey (Hagen Road Elementary School) – Creative Hands
• Rachel Lutz and Maria Silva (Lake Shore Middle School) – The Agriscience Adventure
• Renee Engelhardt (Lake Worth Community High School) – Culinary Café
• Melissa Levine (Loggers’ Run Community Middle School) – i-Ready, i-Set, i-Grow!
• Meredith Abrams and Sue Cutler (North Grade K-8 School) – Make Me Want To Read It: A School Library Media Center Reading Incentive Program
• Amy Ramsdell (Pierce Hammock Elementary School) – The Next Chapter: Creating Inspiring Spaces And Shelves Full Of Stories
• Shevella Denson and Katiria Mateo (Rolling Green Elementary School) – FAST Forward: Building Proficiency And Confidence For Rolling Green’s Learners
• Martha-Paula McAliley, Kamara Bernard, and Tonya Newkirk (Roosevelt Elementary School) – ELLs Leveling Up! Alzando El Nivel!
• Anser Pierre Louis (Santaluces Community High School) – Boys And Girls Club Culinary Leadership & Cultural Enrichment Program
• Michelle Ferrer Resto and Kelesa Robinson (Santaluces Community High School) – Crafting Calm: School-Wide Creative Coping Skills For Student Wellness
• Kelli Kuzniar-Bonevento (South Grade Elementary School) – Calming Corners To Facilitate The Use Of Positive Self Regulating Strategies In Elementary Students
• Jessica Frouge, Karen Howard, and Jeni Hollister (South Olive Elementary School) – 4th Grade Literacy Florida Standards Through Novels
• Mary Fish and Helmuth Quinonez Molano (Spanish River Community High School) – Exploring Fluorescence Microscopy In The Biotechnology 3 Classroom
• Luzmarina Salcedo (Starlight Cove Elementary School) – Start Strong: Early Interventions For Emotional Wellness And Academic Growth
• Kristin DeLaTorre and Loren Foster (The Conservatory School At North Palm Beach) – LEGO Science In The STEAM Lab
• Melinda Dzenutis and Melissa Quinn (The Conservatory School At North Palm Beach) – Strengthen Achievement In Reading For 6th & 7th Grade
• Todd LaVogue and Kristin DeLaTorre (The Conservatory School At North Palm Beach) – Working In Three Dimensions
• Shannon Solis and Sharmagne Solis (Village Academy On The Art & Sara Jo Kobacker Campus) – From Book To Bot: STEM-Powered Animated Movies
• Kristine Cannon (West Boca Raton Community High School) – Expanding The Library’s Reach
• Marwa Jaber, Linda McDonough, and Ridgell Terrill (Westward Elementary School) – Dash Robot: Empowering Young Coders
• Carlene Rejc and Michael Mann (Wynnebrook Elementary School) – Innovate, Create, Elevate: Wynnebrook Wildcats STEM Lab

GoTeach! FINLIT Innovation Award ($5,000)

• Jessica Estel (Westward Elementary School) – Make Money Make Sense: Leadership, Tech & Entrepreneurship

GoTeach! STEM Innovation Award ($5,000)

• Syndie White, Michelle Martello, Kaitlyn Byrne, and Brittany Starr (Diamond View Elementary School) – FusionSTEM: Certifying Tomorrow’s Innovators
• Jennifer Tobin, Yola Pinette, and Amy Desiderio (Elbridge Gale Elementary School) – STEMMates: Powered By PEERS – Connecting Minds And Building Friendships Through Science
• Matthew Shea (Forest Hill Community High School) – Robotics Technology Competition Lab
• Nellie Fernandez (Forest Hill Community High School) – FHCHS Comp Sci: Advanced Tech Bridge To Literacy & Equity
• Aaron Atkins-Rivers (Highland Elementary School) – Math+ology: The STEM Edition
• Thaydra Ward and Phyllis Handford (Lake Shore Middle School) – Building Future Innovators: A 3D Printing & Design For Middle Schoolers
• Alyssa Croll and Jennifer Dodson (Loxahatchee Groves Elementary School) – Access First: Equitable STEM Access For Students With Disabilities Through Assistive Technology
• Julius Edwards and Michael Marrero (Palm Beach Lakes Community High School) – Take Flight With Palm Beach Lakes Esports
• Rachel Wellman and Ganissa Cabrera (Palm Beach Lakes Community High School) – Empowering Students To Become Effective Researchers Through Virtual Technology In The Classroom
• Ryan Jackola and Joseph Melillo (South Tech Academy) – Automation And Agriculture
• Olena Sinko (Spanish River Community High School) – Science In Bloom – Where STEM Meets Creative Careers
• Todd LaVogue (The Conservatory School At North Palm Beach) – Coding Over Land And Air

For questions, contact Matt Papaycik, Director of Special Events and Marketing at the Education Foundation of Palm Beach County, at matthew@educationfoundationpbc.org.

Interested in becoming a sponsor? Contact teresa@educationfoundationpbc.org or rita@educationfoundationpbc.org.