HomeFeaturesAZ Giving › D-Backs Give Back To Education Week Underway Through Sept. 25th
 
 
 

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The Arizona Diamondbacks Foundation and the University of Phoenix are proud to support education in Arizona and each day throughout this week, the team will feature a community program designed to enhance and education while raising awareness of the organization’s initiatives. Since its inception, the Foundation has given more than $12 million to education in Arizona among the $70 million overall that has been given back to the community. Programs being highlighted this week are:

Day 1: Supply Kits for Teach for America: Volunteers from the D-backs and University of Phoenix packed and donated 150 teacher supply kits for Teach for America. Teachers picked up these kits this past Saturday at Chase Field at a drive-through location in order to be put to use this week and beyond. 

Day 2: D-backs Most Valuable Teacher of the Year supported by Raytheon Missiles and Defense: The D-backs surprised the 2020 D-backs Most Valuable Teacher of the Year at Chase Field.  On Monday, Sept. 14, Eduardo Escobar and the D-backs surprised 2020 Most Valuable Teacher of the Year Summer Palacios from Madrid Neighborhood School in the Alhambra School District.  Escobar greeted her at Chase Field and she received a personalized D-backs jersey and a grant for $5,000. Summer Palacios is the fifth D-backs Most Valuable Teacher of the Year and she was selected from the 50 monthly winners honored throughout the season. Escobar also participated in a virtual class visit last week at Valencia Newcomer School in the Alhambra district that focuses on students that are newcomers to the education system of the United States and come from all over the world, including Escobar’s native Venezuela.

Day 3: D-backs Give Back $100,000 School Challenge presented by the University of Phoenix: Past grant winners will be featured and the current grant process will be promoted via social media @DbacksGiveBack.  Applications are due by September 30 for the D-backs School Challenge, presented by University of Phoenix, which was founded in 2012.  The grant program was established to meet the growing need for charitable investment in Arizona’s schools and classrooms. Teachers and Administrators make their best “pitch” for up to $5,000 to fund Education Programs, Innovation and Technology, Nutrition and Fitness, and School & Campus Improvements.  Since 2012, University of Phoenix and the Arizona Diamondbacks Foundation have funded 223 grants totaling $1,065,843.  

Day 4: Pilgrim Rest Technology Donation: At noon on Thursday, the Arizona Diamondbacks Foundation and University of Phoenix are presenting Pilgrim Rest with 50 Chrome Book Laptops to support their High Achieving Scholars Program. The computers will be used to promote the "T" in “STEM” which stands for “technology.” Students will have an opportunity to access this technology for a variety of purposes while on campus and off-campus; whether it be to receive basic computer literacy skills or learning the basics of coding. Students will also use the computers to receive tutoring and other resources to promote their academic achievement.

Day 5: Be Kind People Project: The D-backs and the Be Kind People Project, supported by Arizona Complete Health present “Be Kind September” with a special show for teachers and students on September 27 at 11 a.m. via Facebook Live at facebook.com/dbacksgiveback. The show will feature members of the Be Kind Crew and D. Baxter the Bobcat. Throughout this month, fans can celebrate “Be Kind September” by performing acts of kindness and following along with the Be Kind Pledge.

“The University of Phoenix is proud to team up with the Arizona Diamondbacks Foundation, and we have been great partners for many years,” said University of Phoenix Provost John Woods. “Education Week gives volunteers from each of our organizations an opportunity to give back to our teachers, and to show them how much they are appreciated. Both organizations value education and over the length over our partnership we’ve shown that with over $1 million in grants for teachers and so many other great programs we deliver together.”