D-11 Teachers Receive $11,000 Grant from Dakota Foundation for Education

Four Teachers in Colorado Springs School District 11 Surprised with $11,000 Gift

As the 2023-24 school year comes to a close, four teachers in Colorado Springs School District 11 received a special surprise before heading off for the summer break. D-11 administrators presented each teacher with a gift of $11,000 at their respective schools on Monday through the newly established Teacher Impact Award.

Funded by a generous donation from The Dakota Foundation, the award recognizes educators whose students have shown more than one year’s worth of academic growth within a single school year, as evidenced by school test data. The first year’s winners of the award were Kyle Yeh from Coronado High School, Julie Lounello from Sabin Middle School, Sandra Briggs from Mitchell High School, and Laura Bomersbach from Steele Elementary School.

The winners were chosen based on data analysis and recommendations from principals, colleagues, and students. D-11 spokesperson Jessica Wise described the winners’ reactions as a “total surprise,” noting the genuine shock on their faces upon learning about the $11,000 prize.

The Dakota Foundation has a long history of supporting educational initiatives in Colorado Springs, including programs like Friends of the Children, Peak Education, and the Community Impact fund for Workforce Housing. Last year, in partnership with Pikes Peak State College, the foundation launched The Mitchell Promise, offering full-ride scholarships to qualifying students from Mitchell High School.

The Teacher Impact Award is part of the foundation’s ongoing commitment to education in the region, and D-11 administrators are excited to continue the program in the years to come. Superintendent Michael Gaal expressed gratitude for the support from the Dakota Foundation and the Board of Education in recognizing and celebrating the district’s outstanding teachers.