News
The LIGHT Awards at 10 Years: Meaningful Career Impact for Educators
Consistent with one of our core values, continuous learning, we commissioned a research study to assess the impact of the LIGHT Awards program. The evidence collected suggests that the program has been successful in fostering teachers growth and development. Get the full story…
Project Upate: Deeper Learning & Stronger Support for Teachers
At the Anaheim Deep Learning Lab 2023 Conference, a team member presented along with our school principal, Bridge to Deeper Learning: How we Welcome Students to our Community and to NPDL. Four team members and three additional teaching staff heard from and connected with educators from all over the world.
LIGHT Awards 2023 Convening
In July 2023, the Intrepid Philanthropy Foundation hosted its tenth annual Awardee Convening honoring recent recipients of the LIGHT Awards grant. Awardees from the tenth cohort were invited to this event, which seeks to honor educators and cultivate connections within and across LIGHT teams, as well as energize the participants as they launch their projects.
Intrepid Philanthropy Foundation Congratulates its Tenth Cohort of LIGHT Awards Recipients
The Intrepid Philanthropy Foundation is pleased to announce eight projects have been selected as recipients of the Leveraging Innovation by Growing and Honoring Teachers (LIGHT) Awards. The project teams are comprised of 41 educators based in the Greater Bay Area,...
LIGHT Awards 2022 Convening
In July 2022, the Intrepid Philanthropy Foundation hosted its ninth annual Awardee Convening honoring recent recipients of the LIGHT Awards grant. As the first in-person convening since 2019, awardees from the previous three years were all invited to celebrate their projects and build community.
Intrepid Philanthropy Foundation Welcomes Seven New Teams As 2022 California Educator LIGHT Awardees
The Intrepid Philanthropy Foundation is delighted to welcome seven new teams of California teachers as recipients of the 2022 Leveraging Innovation by Growing and Honoring Teachers (LIGHT) Awards. Launched in 2014, the LIGHT Awards recognize creative and passionate...
Intrepid Philanthropy Foundation Congratulates 2021 California Educator LIGHT Awardees
The Intrepid Philanthropy Foundation is delighted to recognize the 11 teams of California teachers who are recipients of the 2021 Leveraging Innovation by Growing and Honoring Teachers (LIGHT) Awards.
LIGHT Awards 2020 Virtual Convening
In early-August 2020, the Intrepid Philanthropy Foundation hosted its seventh annual Convening honoring the newest cohort of LIGHT Awards grant recipients.
Intrepid Philanthropy Foundation Congratulates 2020 California Educator LIGHT Awards Recipients
The Intrepid Philanthropy Foundation is delighted to recognize the 12 teams of California teachers who are recipients of the 2020 Leveraging Innovation by Growing and Honoring Teachers (LIGHT) Awards.
Taking Flight with John McCandless STEM Charter School
Over the course of two years, this collaborated to write vertically aligned STEM PBL, all based around the concept of flight. This massive undertaking resulted in the now annual Flight Museum. The LIGHT Awards program proudly celebrates this team.
LIGHT Awards 2019 Convening
In early-August 2019, the Intrepid Philanthropy Foundation hosted its sixth annual Convening honoring the newest cohort of LIGHT Awards grant recipients.
Intrepid Philanthropy Foundation Congratulates 2019 California Educator LIGHT Awards Recipients
The Intrepid Philanthropy Foundation is delighted to recognize the 13 teams of California teachers who are recipients of the 2019 Leveraging Innovation by Growing and Honoring Teachers (LIGHT) Awards.
DJUSD World Language Team goes to Boston!
Teachers from Davis Joint Unified School District traveled to the East Coast to learn more about implementing Comprehensive Input in their Spanish classrooms.
LIGHT Awards 2018 Convening
In August 2018, the Intrepid Philanthropy Foundation hosted its fifth annual Convening honoring the newest cohort of LIGHT Awards grant recipients.
Fostering a Culture of Mindfulness with Students & Colleagues
This project is an inspiring example of how teacher-selected professional development can support positive social and emotional growth among teachers and students alike.
Bridging the Hearts & Minds of Youth
Most of this team had the pleasure of attending the Bridging the Hearts & Minds of Youth mindfulness conference in San Diego focused on engaging youth in diverse mindfulness experiences.
Intrepid Philanthropy Foundation Congratulates 2018 California Educator LIGHT Awards Recipients
The Intrepid Philanthropy Foundation is delighted to recognize the 11 teams of California teachers who are recipients of the 2018 Leveraging Innovation by Growing and Honoring Teachers (LIGHT) Awards.
Teachers from Buena Vista Horace Mann Present at National Conference
LIGHT Awards team members from at Buena Vista Horace Mann submitted a proposal to NABE around the topic creating an equity-focused community and school and presented on March 3, 2018 at NABE in Albuquerque.…
Spanish Teacher PLC Attends a BeGLAD Refresher Training
In January 2018, the CUES staff attended a unique BeGLAD refresher training session at a very special location, the Oakland showroom of One Workplace, a furniture company that works with schools to create active learning environments.
LIGHT Awards Team Explores Assistive Technology for Students With Disabilities
The LIGHT Awards team from Alvarado Elementary shares their experience after attending the AITA Conference focused on using assistive technology to help kids with all kinds of disabilities.
Fourth Annual LIGHT Awards Convening Celebrates 2017 Awardees
In August 2017, the Intrepid Philanthropy Foundation hosted its fourth annual Convening honoring the newest cohort of LIGHT Awards grant recipients. The meeting brought together an inspiring group…
Reading, Reading, Reading at Ellis Elementary
No matter if you’re a Kindergartener or 5th grader, this year has been filled with reading, reading, reading! Our team has led a school-wide shift towards the Reading Workshop model…
Maker Mindset at Grass Valley Elementary School
Updates from Paula Mitchell on two notable projects she organized with her team this year.
Intrepid Philanthropy Foundation Congratulates 2017 California Educator LIGHT Awards Recipients
The Intrepid Philanthropy Foundation is pleased to announce that 11 teams of California teachers are recipients of the 2017 Leveraging Innovation by Growing and Honoring Teachers (LIGHT) Awards.
Building a Spanish for Native Speakers Professional Community Across Geographies
The Spanish for Native Speakers Professional Learning Community grant team has made it their mission to develop a way to share learnings, lend support, and develop materials together for this crucial but under-resourced field.
John McCandless STEM Charter School Presents Flight Museum Open House
Congratulations to our “Taking Flight” LIGHT Awards team at John McCandless STEM Charter School on their Flight Museum Open House.
Lafayette Elementary School Team Attends Workshop at Museum of Science, Boston
On December 1, 2016, five LIGHT Awards team members from Lafayette Elementary School attended the “Linking the E and M in STEM” workshop at the Museum of Science in Boston. The Building NGSS Knowledge and STEM Education team shares about their experience.
Reading Lab Sites: In the Classroom
The LIGHT Awards program is proud to feature the work of the Reading Lab Sites team at Think College Now.
Third Annual LIGHT Awards Convening Celebrates 2016 Awardees
In August 2016, the Intrepid Philanthropy Foundation hosted its third annual Convening honoring the teacher teams that received LIGHT Awards earlier in the year. The meeting brought together an impressive group of 37 educators along with members of Intrepid...
Mills Teacher Scholars Showcases Work of LIGHT Awards Team
Summer 2016 - Congratulations to the Inquiry into ELD LIGHT Awards team at Life Academy in Oakland, whose work is highlighted in this video produced by Mills Teacher Scholars. Partnership with MTS provided the theoretical framework, timeline, and outside expertise...
LIGHT Awards Hosts Grantee Reunion Event
Grantees share accomplishments, ideas, and lessons learned On Friday, May 6th, 2016, the LIGHT Awards program hosted its first-ever reunion. Awardees from the LIGHT Awards’ first and second cohorts gathered in Redwood City to share accomplishments, exchange ideas and...
LIGHT Awardee Receives Dual Honors for Language Instruction
Spring 2016 - We are proud to share the recent accomplishments of Tomokazu Morikawa, teacher at George Washington High School in San Francisco and Cohort 2 “World Language: Japanese” LIGHT Awards project team member. Tomokazu has recently received two exciting honors....
Project Based Learning with a Maker Mindset
The team of four elementary school teachers will pilot a Project Based Learning (PBL)/Maker-Centered program.
Intrepid Philanthropy Foundation Congratulates 2016 California Educator LIGHT Awards Recipients
PRESS RELEASE: SAN FRANCISCO, CA – May 5, 2016 Grants enable 13 teams of California educators to engage in...
#BestSchoolDay for Students and Teachers in San Joaquin County
#BestSchoolDay Across the USA We are excited to share news of a recent effort by a partner in championing teachers. In an “act of mass philanthropy” called #BestSchoolDay, DonorsChoose.org has coordinated a flash-funding of teacher projects in cities and counties...
AP Bootcamp Project featured on NBC Telemundo
We are proud to share a recent accomplishment of one of our 2014 LIGHT Awards cohort teams! The AP Bootcamp project at Overfelt High School in San Jose was featured on NBC's and Telemundo's Comunidad Del Valle in late November 2015. The segment includes an interview...
Second Annual LIGHT Awards Convening Celebrates 2015 Awardees
In August 2015, the Intrepid Philanthropy Foundation hosted its second annual Convening honoring the teacher teams that received LIGHT Awards earlier in the year. The meeting brought together an impressive group of 31 educators along with members of Intrepid...
In the Driver’s Seat: PacTIN Survey Highlights Benefits of New Models for Teacher Professional Development
The Pacific Coast Teacher Innovation Network (PacTIN), housed at the UC Davis School of Education, was an early inspiration for the LIGHT Awards. Like the LIGHT Awards, PacTIN supported small teams of California teachers to implement professional development adapted...
Intrepid Philanthropy Foundation Announces 2015 California Educator LIGHT Awards Recipients
PRESS RELEASE: SAN FRANCISCO, CA — April 1, 2015 Grants enable 10 teams of California educators...
Teachers Know Best: Gates Foundation Findings Highlight Importance of LIGHT Awards Strategy
"Teachers who choose most or all of their own professional development opportunities are more than twice as satisfied with professional development as teachers with fewer options.” In 2014, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation contracted with the Boston Consulting...
Updates to Eligibility Criteria & LOI Deadline
We are pleased to announce the following changes, effective for our 2015 Grant Cycle: Eligibility Criteria Expanded Team members may teach in traditional public or charter schools, or in private schools that serve a majority (50% or above) free-and-reduced lunch...
LIGHT Awards Celebrates 1st Annual Convening of Awardees
In August 2014, the Intrepid Philanthropy Foundation hosted its first annual Convening honoring the teacher teams that received LIGHT Awards in early 2014. The meeting brought together an impressive group of eleven educators along with members of Intrepid...
Intrepid Philanthropy Foundation Congratulates Inaugural Class of California Educators in the LIGHT Awards Program
PRESS RELEASE: SAN FRANCISCO, CA—March 12, 2014 Grants enable educators from five California schools to engage in professional development programs that reinvigorate personal commitments to teaching. The Leveraging Innovation by Growing and Honoring Teachers (LIGHT)...
Important Dates
| Oct 5 – Nov 14, 2023 | LOIs Accepted for 2024 Grant Cycle (rolling submissions) |
| By mid-Dec 2023 | Invitations to Apply Extended to Selected LOI Submissions |
| Spring 2024 | LIGHT Awards Grants Made |
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Contact us at info(at)lightawards.org or use our contact form.