When Serena Lederer applied for a grant from Salt River Project, she didn’t expect that months later, a check would be presented to her in her classroom.
Lederer, a personal finance math teacher at Westwood High School in Mesa, is the recipient of a $5,000 grant from SRP for several projects that will help teach students about conservation and personal finance next school year.
Lederer also plans on asking her students for input on how to use the funds.
“I’m on cloud nine,” she said. “I’m really excited to start looking forward to how we’re going to use this grant for our students and how we can spend money and where we can maximize it.”
SRP gives up to $200,000 annually to classrooms across the Valley for projects that extend typical classroom learning. Lederer and several other teachers have created a pollinator garden on the school’s campus, and she hopes to improve it with some of the funds.
Lederer and her students planted vegetables and created salsa from the harvest. With this she wove in personal math scenarios to help teach concepts like supply and demand, profit and expense and water conservation. They also discussed different methods to help pollinators throughout the year.
Principal Chris Gilmore was also there for the surprise. He said he’s excited to see there is an interest in conservation from students and staff.
“We hope that this builds our curriculum and that students take with them what’s really important, that by learning about math and conservation every day, they see how it has an impact on their wallets,” he said.
Lederer uses real-life utility and personal finance scenarios to help her students learn about saving money and how their utility usage
SRP Corporate giving manager Anita Tarango says that seeing her work was one of the reasons that Lederer received the grant.
“It’s really great to be here and see Miss Lederer’s face. I know that she’s really passionate about what she does, and now she has $5,000 to do it at her best,” Tarango said.
To voice your opinion on this story, connect with us at AzOpinions@iniusa.org.
Madeline Bates joined Independent Newsmedia in 2025 as a Phoenix/Tempe reporter. Before graduating college, she spent a semester in Washington as a Congressional reporter in the first 100 days of the second Trump administration. But local news is where her heart is. She is excited to be in Phoenix full time and exploring new parts of the city (as long as they have AC).
Community: After living in East Phoenix for two years, she fell in love with Paradise Valley, Mesa, Tempe, and everywhere in between. She recently discovered the beauty of the South Mountain Reserve and hopes to continue exploring should the weather comply.
Education: Madeline has a degree in Journalism and Mass Communications from Arizona State University’s Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and a certificate in Political History and Leadership.
Random Fact: She is a self-taught nail tech. No, she cannot do your nails.
Hobbies: Hiking (when its not 100 degrees), fiction writing, cooking, baking and trying new coffee shops.
By 
Comments
No comments on this item Please log in to comment by clicking here