While school may be out for summer, Arizona Public Service Co. is seeking to help local teachers get ready for the upcoming academic year with grants for classroom resources.

Through the APS Supply My Class program, the company will award 500 K-12 Title 1 public school teachers with $500 Visa gift cards, according to a press release.

This year, the first 100 grants are expected to direct to educators who have been teaching three years or less. Officials there say APS values teachers of all tenure, and all years of experience are eligible to receive a grant, but this ensures those who entered the classroom more recently get special encouragement and appreciation for their continued commitment to their profession and to making a difference in the lives of Arizona’s students.

While teachers can begin applying for a chance to be selected for a grant as early as July 1, APS will randomly select 100 recipients per week starting Aug. 6 through Sept. 3, 2021, the release states.

“While no one could have predicted the challenges that the past year brought upon our education system, Arizona schoolteachers stepped up to the plate and found innovative ways to continue to enrich students’ lives,” said Tina Marie Tentori, director of Community Affairs at APS.

“The Supply My Class grants program is just one way we hope to show gratitude for educators, who are important partners in our state’s prosperity.”

The APS Supply My Class program was established in 2018 as another avenue for appreciating and supporting those who are dedicated to powering possibilities for Arizonans of all ages. Teachers in APS service territory enter for a chance to receive extra funding for school supplies to help bring their lesson plans to life.

APS serves more than 1.3 million homes and businesses in 11 of Arizona’s 15 counties, and is a leader in delivering affordable, clean and reliable energy in the Southwest. The company is committed to serving customers with 100% clean power by 2050, officials there say.

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