Five hundred Arizona teachers received a welcomed surprise thanks to the APS Supply My Class program, which awarded each educator a $500 prepaid gift card to help cover the cost of classroom supplies, according to a press release.

Among the recipients were teachers at Scottsdale Unified School District’s Cherokee Elementary School, Cochise Elementary School, Cocopah Middle School and Copper Ridge Elementary School.

Launched in 2018, the program supports K–12 public and public charter schools within APS’s service territory. According to the National Education Association, more than 90% of teachers spend their own money on classroom materials, the release said.

Over the last seven years, APS has invested $3 million through the APS Supply My Class program. This year, APS received a record-breaking 10,006 applications. From that pool, 500 teachers were randomly selected to receive gift cards.

The program is funded by APS shareholders and not included in customer rates.