There was much excitement throughout the halls of the South Orange-Maplewood School District schools as representatives of the Achieve Foundation bestowed “big checks” to this year’s Fall Educator Grant recipients.
A total of $34,258 was awarded, funding a total of 26 initiatives. These funds were granted based on proposals submitted by individual teachers or teams of educators, and will benefit hundreds, even thousands, of students across the district, according to Achieve Executive Director Eileen Collins Neri. A full list of the grants awarded can be found below.
“These grants are possible because of the generosity of our donors and local business sponsors, whose support allows Achieve to continue to elevate the educational experience for our students,” Neri said in an email.
Congratulations to all the Fall 2026 recipients, many of whom are pictured below with members of the Achieve Foundation. The application for Achieve’s next grant cycle (our 2027 Deborah Prinz grants) opens November 23rd; all SOMSD educators are encouraged to apply.
Proposals submitted by Seth Boyden educators included Ready, Set, Regulate, and several focusing on building literacy skills in young readers: I Have a Picture Book for That!, Read to Achieve, First Chapter Fridays and Tracing the Path to Literacy (dual submission with Clinton.) (Collage by Mary Brown)
At MMS, educational and socio-emotional learning programs including Flocabulary, Play-Connect-Restore, Mentoring Young Readers, Tactile Text, Cardboard Arcade, Fun For All Field Day and a Living Lessons series will be made possible through Achieve grants.(Collage by Mary Brown)
Achieve collaborated with the Pollock Arts Initiative (PAI), whose funding enabled Achieve to provide a grant for Select Dance students at MMS to experience a Dance Theatre of Harlem Company Master Class, and provide new xylophones for “Adding Harmonies” at Clinton Elementary. (Photo collage by Mary Brown)
Grants awarded at Columbia High School will provide support for the Pathways College and Career Programs, Fashion Design, Robotics, AP Government & Politics, CAD and Engineering Classes and a Psychiatric History of NYC Walking Tour.
(Photo collage by Mary Brown)
Educators pictured here celebrate their grants including enhanced historical and current events instruction for SOMS 6th graders, 4th & 5th Grade Circle Keepers at South Mountain, musical development with Orff xylophones at the South Mountain Annex, and an expansion of the One Book, One Grade program at Tuscan. (Collage by Mary Brown)
