Jason Johnson, a special education teacher at Apache Junction High School, is one of 400 teachers who were awarded $2,500 each through the Palo Verde Fiesta Bowl Charities Wishes for Teachers Draft Day presented by SRP.

Johnson is to purchase prizes for their classroom shop to provide lessons in finance and reward students for positive behavior, according to a release.

The wishes were spread throughout the state this year with 72 cities and towns represented in the 400 teachers selected.

This year’s $1 million total donation brings the Wishes for Teachers’ seven-year cumulative grant total to $5.7 million awarded to 1,600 teachers, impacting more than 700,000 students across Arizona, the release states.

Created in 2016, the Fiesta Bowl Wishes for Teachers program grants classroom wishes to Arizona teachers. Public and charter school K-12 teachers across the state are invited to apply each fall with the recipients verified and selected by a random drawing during the Palo Verde Fiesta Bowl Charities Wishes for Teachers Draft Day presented by Salt River Project.

About the Fiesta Bowl

Through the Vrbo Fiesta Bowl, Guaranteed Rate Bowl and its year-round events, such as the Fiesta Bowl Parade presented by Lerner & Rowe, corporate partnerships and numerous community events throughout the year, the organization provides charitable giving to enhance Arizona nonprofit organizations that serve communities through youth, sports and education.