As the Arizona Diamondbacks and the Arizona Diamondbacks Foundation close in on a milestone $50 million in donations back to the Arizona community, one recent grant recipient was able to turn its donation into a reinvestment in its own cornerstone of success -- its teachers.
On Thursday morning, $100,000 Ken Kendrick Grand Slam Award winner Vista College Preparatory unveiled its new D-backs-funded teacher development workroom -- a space designed for educator collaboration and learning -- which doubles down on the Phoenix-based K-4 institution's belief that teacher quality is a major factor in student achievement. With a 21-to-1 student-to-teacher ratio, Vista College Prep will use the new room as a meeting place for its staff's professional development sessions, monthly curriculum assessments and weekly student motivational rallies.