A classroom library can spark a love of reading. A child’s idea can become the starting point for discovery. A set of blocks can open opportunities to build, explore and develop language.
At Bear Boulevard School (BBS), recipients of the 2026 J. Landon Short Mini Grants for Educators are bringing these possibilities to early learning through three projects focused on literacy, creativity and hands-on play.
Congratulations to the following educators:
Grant recipient(s) | Project |
|---|---|
Claudia Salcedo | Engaging Classroom Libraries |
Vicente Hernandez | Bringing Children’s Ideas to Life |
Griselda Balbuena, with co-applicant Araceli Martinez | From Blocks to Bilingual Brilliance: Supporting Early Math, Science and Language Development through Hands-on Play |
Salcedo’s Engaging Classroom Libraries puts books and reading at the center of classroom discovery, helping nurture the interest and engagement that support young readers.
Hernandez’s Bringing Children’s Ideas to Life celebrates children as thinkers and creators, placing their ideas at the heart of learning.
Through From Blocks to Bilingual Brilliance, Balbuena and Martinez connect hands-on play with early math, science and language development. The project highlights the possibilities for learning as children build, explore and communicate their thinking.
Together, these projects reflect the power of investing in educators’ ideas and the experiences that help SBISD’s youngest learners grow. Made possible through generous community support, the J. Landon Short Mini Grants for Educators help turn creative ideas into meaningful classroom experiences. It’s #CollectiveGreatness in action.
You can help make great things happen for kids, too. Visit SBISD’s Engage page to learn how to support students, classrooms and schools.