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SIOUX FALLS, South Dakota – Students in the Sioux Falls area will connect classroom learning to agriculture, create tie-blankets for people in need and develop stronger reading skills thanks to innovative ideas from area teachers. 

The Sioux Falls Area Community Foundation recently awarded more than $17,000 in grants to more than a dozen local teachers through its Excellence in Education Initiative.

The initiative offers grants to teachers who have new ideas for classroom projects. This year’s projects include turning an existing greenhouse into a year-round learning lab, building robots and providing more opportunities for young students to play, among others.

“Teachers in our community are so important, and they know what their students need,” said Patrick Gale, vice president of community investment for the Community Foundation. “Their ideas hit such a variety of topics, and we’re proud to support them as they help more kids discover the joy of learning.”

The 2026 Excellence in Education Initiative grant recipients are (in alphabetical order by school):

• Regan Olson of Anne Sullivan Elementary in Sioux Falls will receive funds to provide Tonieboxes for fifth grade students receiving speech and language services. A Toniebox is a kid-friendly audio player that provides engaging, language-rich listening activities that support early literacy skills. 
• Elizabeth Gunderson of Harvey Dunn Elementary in Sioux Falls will receive funds to purchase a variety of hands-on toys and task materials designed to address significant developmental needs of students in the Early Childhood RISE program. 
• Sidney Kennedy of Harvey Dunn Elementary in Sioux Falls will receive funds to facilitate a math-focused service-learning experience for second and fifth grade students. Students will create tie blankets using several age-appropriate math skills and then donate these blankets locally to those in need.
• Lacy Kenobbie of John F. Kennedy Elementary in Sioux Falls will receive funds to purchase child-sized household appliances and a dollhouse, providing an opportunity for Junior Kindergarten students to practice everyday routines through play. 
• Rhonda Wilson of John F. Kennedy Elementary in Sioux Falls will receive funds to purchase a child-sized wooden market and play table, allowing Junior Kindergarten students to develop early communication skills through imaginative play.
• Angie Mulder of McCrossan Boys Ranch in Sioux Falls will receive funds to transform an existing greenhouse into a structured, year-round experiential learning lab for the Horticulture Club. This will provide middle and high school students with the opportunity to experience inclusive, hands-on horticulture projects, from planting to harvesting.
• Lillian Lauesen of Parker High School in Parker will receive funds to support the CTE Beef Program, a hands-on, cross-curricular learning experience for ninth grade students that connects agriculture, family and consumer science, physical education and business through the beef industry. 
• Jeremy Roberts of Sioux Falls Christian High School in Sioux Falls will receive funds to purchase MiniOne Electrophoresis Systems and supplies. This grant will allow high school sophomores and seniors to run experiments with and analyze DNA.
• Jason Schramm of Sioux Falls Christian High School in Sioux Falls will receive funds to purchase military diecast equipment and scale models, providing students a tangible way to explore American, military and engineering history. This grant will benefit eleventh and twelfth grade students.
• Ellory Stroh of Sioux Falls Christian High School in Sioux Falls will receive funds to purchase robot-building materials. With these supplies, high school STEM students will build robot puppets modeled after the main character in Kelly DiPucchio’s picture book, “Clink.” These robots will come to life for visiting first through third-grade students during a small group story time.
• Debbie Jorgensen of St. Mary’s High School in Dell Rapids will receive funds to purchase Dynamics Track and Cart Systems that will provide hands-on experiences with physical laws. 
• Jesse Kock of Teachwell Solutions in Sioux Falls will receive funds to purchase a new, high-quality classroom literacy collection for the 9-12 English Language Arts program. 
• Tara Jensen of Viborg-Hurley Elementary in Viborg will receive funds to purchase materials for the Discovery Lab, a hands-on, project-based learning program for students in Prekindergarten to fourth grade. 
• Carmen Kastens of Whittier Middle School in Sioux Falls will receive funds to purchase new, high-quality microscopes that will allow seventh grade students to see the many details of cellular life. 

Since the program began, hundreds of programs and activities designed by teachers throughout the Sioux Falls area have received grant funding, enriching educational experiences for students.

ABOUT THE SIOUX FALLS AREA COMMUNITY FOUNDATION: In partnership with donors, we provide trusted leadership that inspires philanthropy and enriches the quality of life in our area – for good, forever. Founded in 1984, we are a 501(c)(3) public charity. Today, we manage more than 1,000 charitable funds, serving as the trusted stewards for more than $452 million in charitable assets.