The Peoria Education Foundation will honor local leaders and organizations who support public education at its 17th annual Education Visionary Awards Dinner this spring.

The event will recognize Tamara Caraway – architect, community member and former Foundation president – as the recipient of the 2024 Education Visionary Award.

The celebration takes place at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, March 5 at Arizona Broadway Theatre, 7701 W. Paradise Lane, in Peoria.

In addition to Caraway’s award, the Peoria Education Foundation will also recognize a few local organizations who have demonstrated support for the students and staff of Peoria Unified School District. At the event, the Center for the Future of Arizona will receive the Community Leader Award; Ajay Tanikella from Microsoft will receive the Business Champion Award; and Highway 85 Creative will receive the Emerging Partner Award.

Residents, businesses, and corporate philanthropists from across the West Valley gather annually in support of the Peoria Education Foundation to honor these recipients and to raise money to support the Foundation’s mission.

The Peoria Education Foundation invests the money directly into Peoria Unified classrooms as grants for teachers and scholarship programs for graduating high school students.

In the most recent grant and scholarship cycle, the Foundation provided 33 scholarships, totaling $87,000 to Peoria Unified seniors, and distributed $22,000 in teacher grants to Peoria Unified educators.

Individuals or businesses wanting to sponsor the Education Visionary Awards should email peoriaedfoundation@gmail.com.

Visit www.peoriaedfoundation.org for more details on the Education Visionary Awards.