Teacher Appreciation Week was celebrated nationwide from May 5 to May 9, recognizing the transformative work of educators in children’s lives.
At Arizona Desert Elementary School in Tolleson, five of its teachers were given more than words of praise for the celebratory week. Through the support of the Fiesta Sports Foundation, the educators were awarded $1,000 for their classroom needs, alongside additional gifts, including free hotel stays.
“Our teachers deserve all the recognition that they receive. They do a phenomenal job. We’re a community of amazing educators on this campus that are absolutely passionate about caring for all of our students. They make a difference every single day,” said Brenda Catlett, Arizona Desert Elementary School principal.
Catlett hosted a teacher nomination, where students wrote letters as to why they are grateful for their teacher. She received over 100 letters from students through eighth grade.
These letters were sent to the Fiesta Sports Foundation — formerly Fiesta Bowl Charities — which chose five teachers to receive $1,000 each to support their classroom in celebration of Teacher Appreciation Week. The following teachers were selected by the foundation:
• Shannon Stanley, third- to fifth-grade resource teacher
• Elizabeth Farr, second-grade teacher
• Ericka Green, fourth-grade science teacher
• Brittany Morgan, fifth-grade language arts and history–social science teacher
• Franki Diaz, seventh-grade writing and science teacher
Each teacher was surprised in their classrooms with an oversized check and a box full of gifts. Before the grand reveal, however, the student whose letter was selected by Fiesta Sports read the kind words before the teacher and the class.
“I’m super grateful for all of them. I can’t believe that she wrote that letter like this. It is the sweetest thing I have,” Green said.
Green did not expect to become a teacher. It fell in her lap, she described, and she is thankful that she did, as she is now “here for the long haul.” The letter she received described how she helps her students both in class and outside of school, through their good and bad days.
She oftentimes receives appreciative notes from her students, but this letter warmed her heart like no other.
“The words that she wrote about helping her outside of school, sometimes you don’t realize that you make that impact on students, and that they kind of carry that when they go home. That’s what makes this one super special,” Green said.
Giving back to the community is a hallmark of the Fiesta Sports Foundation, Sandra Avila, community relations director. The organization is known for its College Football Playoff postseason game, the Vrbo Fiesta Bowl. However, it is active throughout the year, providing charitable resources that benefit communities throughout Arizona. It considers itself the state’s leading organization in creating “unforgettable experiences through world-class sporting events, unparalleled hospitality and life-changing community impact,” per its website.
“It’s that appreciation portion. It’s letting them know that they’re doing amazing work, that they are making a difference in their students,” Avila said.
The Fiesta Sports Foundation supported three additional schools in Arizona during Teacher Appreciation Week, providing $5,000 in funding to each location. The staff enjoyed giving back to the teachers, including Spirit, the foundation’s mascot, who brought smiles to the kids’ faces throughout the day.
“We are pillars for youth sports and education, and Teacher Appreciation Week is certainly an opportunity to celebrate and honor teachers for the amazing work that they’re doing,” Avila said. “Doing it in partnership with the students who nominated the teachers, who were able to write a beautiful letter about why their work is so important, it makes it very special.”
For more information about the Fiesta Sports Foundation and its charitable works, visit
fiestasportsfoundation.org.
