Fiesta Sports Foundation Requests Tucson Teachers to Submit Wishes for Teachers Applications

The Palo Verde Fiesta Sports Foundation Wishes for Teachers program – Arizona's largest direct support initiative for teachers – returns for its 10th year with a record total of $1.5 million in funding to directly benefit classrooms across the state.

This year’s increased program funding will support a record 540 Arizona teachers, each receiving a $2,500 grant to bring a classroom wish to life. Past program wishes have included robotics kits, musical instruments, adaptive learning tools, classroom libraries, athletic gear and a variety of other resources to enhance the learning experience for students. Wishes for Teachers has supported 192 Tucson teachers since launching.

Arizona K–12 public and charter school teachers are invited to complete a brief online application detailing their $2,500 classroom wish. Applications open Tuesday, Sept. 2, 2025, and close Tuesday, Sept. 30, 2025, at 10 p.m. MST. Applications may be found at www.WishesForTeachers.org.

“As we celebrate the 10th anniversary of Palo Verde Fiesta Sports Foundation Wishes for Teachers, we are proud to recognize a decade of honoring, supporting and celebrating Arizona’s educators,” said Fiesta Sports Foundation Chief Impact Officer Kristina Chumpol. “The increased funding is part of our unwavering commitment to turn wishes into reality and empower teachers, enrich classrooms and foster brighter futures for students.”

Since launching in 2016, Wishes for Teachers has awarded more than $8.2 million to over 2,600 educators statewide, positively impacting more than one million students. In 2024 alone, the program supported educators in 84 cities, 108 school districts and 79 charter schools, reaching more than 230,000 students.

This educational support is a cornerstone of the Fiesta Sports Foundation’s mission to deliver charitable resources that benefit Arizona communities through youth, sports and education.
Wishes for Teachers was created in response to the Foundation recognizing that many teachers often pay out-of-pocket to improve their classrooms and help enrich learning for students.

Recipients will be chosen at random and notified as part of Palo Verde Fiesta Sports Foundation Wishes for Teachers Draft Day presented by SRP on Nov. 18. All grant recipients become part of the Fiesta Sports Foundation family and are invited to participate in community events throughout the year.

For more information, visit www.WishesForTeachers.org.