Key Takeaways
- Three Arizona Title 1 schools each receive $50,000 for facility renovations including a STEM lab, library, and multipurpose room
- The grants mark a new component of the Wishes for Teachers program, now in its 10th year
- This year’s program provided $1.5 million in classroom grants to 540 Arizona educators
- Over a decade, Fiesta Sports Foundation has donated $9.7 million to Arizona classrooms, reaching 3,100+ teachers
- Amazon and the College Football Playoff Foundation partnered on the initiative
New School Wishes Program Expands Foundation’s Reach
Fiesta Sports Foundation has introduced a school-level grant component to its existing Wishes for Teachers program, awarding $150,000 to three Arizona Title 1 schools for major room renovations.
The three recipients, selected from more than 70 applications statewide, each received $50,000:
Arizona Desert Elementary School (Tolleson) received funding for a new STEM lab. Washington Elementary School (Phoenix) used its grant to renovate the school library. Challenger Middle School (Tucson) upgraded its multipurpose room and science lab.
All three schools serve diverse communities and were selected based on specific needs identified by each campus.
A Decade of Classroom Investment
The school wishes initiative builds on the foundation’s established Wishes for Teachers program, which has operated for 10 years. In 2026, the program distributed a record $1.5 million in classroom grants to 540 Arizona educators.
Since launching, the program has donated more than $9.7 million to Arizona classrooms and supported over 3,100 teachers.
“Our Wishes for Teachers program supports individual educators with classroom grants, and these larger school wishes help us to impact thousands more students by revamping critical spaces to serve as hubs for learning, creativity and growth for years to come,” said Kristina Chumpol, Chief Impact Officer and Chief of Staff at Fiesta Sports Foundation.
Corporate Partners Join the Effort
Amazon and the College Football Playoff Foundation partnered with Fiesta Sports Foundation on this year’s school wishes.
“Investing in educational infrastructure like STEM labs helps equip students with the tools and skills they need to innovate and succeed,” said Vickie Yakunin, Head of Community Affairs for Arizona and Texas at Amazon.
CFP Foundation Executive Director Britton Banowsky added: “When we come together to support schools and the educators who power them, we’re not just improving spaces. We’re expanding opportunities for students for years to come in our CFP Bowl communities.”
Ribbon cutting ceremonies for all three renovations took place in January 2026, coinciding with game week activities for the 2025-26 College Football Playoff Semifinal at the Vrbo Fiesta Bowl.
Building on Bowl Season Philanthropy
The expansion from individual teacher grants to school-wide facility investments represents a logical progression for Fiesta Sports Foundation’s education-focused philanthropy. With nearly $10 million distributed over a decade and a new mechanism to fund larger infrastructure projects, the foundation has established a scalable model for bowl game organizations looking to deepen community impact beyond game day.
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