News and Events

Thanks to an extremely generous donation from Enstrom Candies, the D51 Foundation kicked off the holiday season by distributing thousands of boxes of Enstrom toffee to teachers and staff throughout School District 51. Delivered on pallets and carefully packed into boxes, this sweet treat reached...

Save the date for the 13th Annual White Iced Celebration! The annual White Iced Celebration on February 1, 2025 is our signature event celebrating public education in Mesa County. It’s an evening to honor White Iced Award recipients and Outstanding Academic Growth Schools. This elegant event...

The District 51 Foundation is pleased to announce the recipients of its 2nd Round of Technology and Innovation Grant Awards. A total of over $7,500 in grants was recently awarded from the D51 Foundation to 11 District 51 staff members. According to Susan Berg, D51 Foundation...

The D51 Foundation is excited to launch our first-ever online fundraiser, the Season of ThanksGIVING challenge! Similar to the ice bucket challenge, donors are encouraged to challenge others to donate. The Season of Thanksgiving challenges is as easy as 1-2-3!  THANKS: Thank a D51 teacher or send...

Join us at MOD Pizza on November 7 and support D51F. It's a win-win! Our friends at MOD Pizza on 1201 Wellington Ave are generously supporting the D51 Foundation with 50% of all sales on November 7. Show them this flyer when ordering in-store, or use...

The District 51 Foundation is pleased to announce the distribution of the 11th Round of Bloom Where You Are Planted Grants. This grant provides K-12 students with financial need the support to allow them to pursue extracurricular activities. Since 2020, approximately $32,000 has been granted...

The 2nd Round of Technology & Innovation Grants from the D51 Foundation is now open. D51 staff are invited to apply. The purpose of these grants is to purchase technology hardware and professional learning related to technology. Since 2023, the D51 Foundation has awarded over $10,000 in...

The D51 Foundation was proud to host a "Coffee and Connect" with PTO, PTA, Accountability Members, and D51 Foundation Ambassadors on October 8. It was a morning to connect with family and community leaders from different schools in Mesa County Valley School District 51 to share...

Join D51F for a sweet evening at the Las Colonias Riverfront!  D51 staff members and their families are invited to join us for a sweet 1K walk along the Las Colonias Riverfront on Thursday, October 17 from 4:30-6:30. We'll have sweet treats from Enstrom & Sweet Kiwi for...

The District 51 Foundation is pleased to announce its 14th round of Professional Learning Grant Award Recipients. A total of more than $10,000 in grants will be awarded from the D51 Foundation to 84 District 51 staff members. Since 2018, the D51 Foundation has donated...

The 11th Round of Bloom Where You Are Planted Grants is now open! Students with financial need can apply for funds to help pay for extracurricular activities.   We know the difference that belonging and being engaged can make in a child’s life, but for so many...

JOY is the D51 Foundation’s newest initiative to build connections among D51 staff and have some fun! This is part of our Staff and Student Wellness funding priority. JOY Celebrations are fun opportunities for D51 staff* to gather and make connections. Event Details The Ale House Patio Thursday,...

The 14th Round of Professional Learning Grants from the D51 Foundation is now open. D51 staff members are invited to complete an application for funding to pay for professional learning opportunities such as conferences and training that enrich and enhance their education practice. The D51 Foundation...

Join the D51 Foundation for pizza at the Hot Tomato Pizzeria! All month long in August, our friends at the Hot Tomato are supporting the D51 Foundation by generously donating 1% of sales! We'll be at the Hot Tomato from 6:00-8:00pm on Tuesday, August 13 to...

Join D51F on Friday, August 9 for a Grand Junction Jackalopes baseball game with fireworks to kick off the school year! Bring your Mesa County Valley School District 51 staff or student ID for $1 off your ticket.   You can also bring new school supplies for...

Nearly $6,000 was awarded in this 10th round of Bloom Where You are Planted Grants to help 70 students participate in extracurricular activities. Since 2020, more than $30,000 in grants have been awarded to 370 students....

It's an exciting week for Mesa County Valley School District 51!   Here's the schedule for the upcoming graduation ceremonies in D51.   For more information, visit https://www.d51schools.org/about_us/calendar/graduation_dates ...

The District 51 Foundation is pleased to announce the recipients of its inaugural Student and Staff Wellness Grant Awards. A total of over $15,000 in grants will be awarded from the D51 Foundation to 12 District 51 staff members. According to Drew Wyant, D51 Foundation grant...

Are you as excited as we are about the new Panda Express in Grand Junction?   Show this flyer when you come to Panda Express on Friday, May 3, 2024, anytime from 10:00 am - 10:00 pm, and D51F will receive 50% of sales that day!   If...

Teacher Appreciation Week is May 6-10, 2024. Do you need ideas for how to thank the teacher in your life? The D51 Foundation has an easy and meaningful way to honor special teachers in D51!  Purchase a paper doll at the link below, select a special...

The D51 Foundation is proud to invite D51 staff members + 1 guest (must be 10 years or older) to share an afternoon volunteering at the Food Bank of the Rockies - Western Slope Branch. Volunteers are invited to stay afterward for a catered meal...

Congratulations to the recipients of the D51 Foundation's 13th Round of Professional Learning Grants!   49 District 51 staff members will attend training and conferences on topics such as adolescent mental health, mediation training, dual language education, national certification, and more using these grant funds.   The D51 Foundation...

The 10th Round of Bloom Where You Are Planted Grants is now open! Students with financial need can apply for funds to help pay for extracurricular activities.   We know the difference that belonging and being engaged can make in a child’s life, but for so many...

D51 Foundation is pleased to announce a new grant opportunity available to D51 staff. The first round of Student and Staff Wellness Grants is open through March 29, 2024 to provide funds for projects that support student and/or staff wellness. Applications for this grant could include...

Congratulations to the recipients of the 2024 White Iced Awards! There were over 75 excellent nominations. Thank you to all D51 staff members who are working hard to make a difference in the lives of our students. 2024 White Iced Award Recipients Beth Howard, Mt. Garfield Middle School Brenda...

Because the D51 Foundation's mission is focused on academic growth and achievement, we've been honoring Outstanding Academic Growth Schools at the White Iced Celebration since 2017. These schools were identified by reviewing student growth and achievement data using benchmark assessments of DIBELS (% reduction of students well below and...

The D51 Foundation would like to sincerely thank all who attended the 12th Annual White Iced Celebration to celebrate public education in Mesa County. We are so thankful for our supportive community members, sponsors, and donors who made this celebration possible! 2024 White Iced Award Recipients Beth...

The District 51 Foundation is pleased to announce the recipients of its inaugural Technology and Innovation Grant Awards. A total of over $10,000 in grants will be awarded from the D51 Foundation to 11 District 51 staff members. According to Tom Edwards, D51 Foundation grant recipient...

The 13th Round of D51F Professional Learning grants is now open. D51F Professional Learning Grants provide funding for staff in Mesa County Valley School District 51 to participate in training and attend conferences to enhance their work and improve outcomes in the classroom.   Since 2018, the...

Sure, we’ve all made New Year’s Resolutions, but the D51 Foundation needs your help for an End of Year Resolution! Our 2023 End of Year Resolution is to raise $10,000 by December 31 to support additional projects in District 51. D51F raises money throughout the year to support...

The District 51 Foundation is pleased to announce the distribution of the ninth round of Bloom Where You Are Planted Grants. This grant provides K-12 students with financial need the support to allow them to pursue extracurricular activities. Through this cycle of the grant fund,...

D51 Foundation was proud to sponsor the first "Strong Schools, Strong Community" luncheon on Monday, November 6, 2023. Dr. Brian Hill, D51 Superintendent, delivered the keynote address and gave attendees an update on the state of D51. The luncheon was also an opportunity for D51...

February 3, 2024 | 7:00pm | CMU Ballroom The annual White Iced Celebration in early February is our signature event celebrating public education in Mesa County. It’s an evening to honor White Iced Award recipients and Outstanding Academic Growth Schools. This elegant event welcomes community members,...

MOD Pizza on 1201 Wellington Ave. will generously donate 100% of all sales on Wednesday, November 8 to the D51 Foundation! Make sure to show them this post or use code MODGIVES20 when ordering online.   We are so thankful for MOD Pizza's support of our work...

Did you know that donations to United Way of Mesa County can be designated to D51 Foundation? It's a powerful way to give back to your local community! Any donation designated to D51 Foundation helps support our mission to to raise funds for academic growth...

D51F is pleased to announce the donation of $35,000 to purchase 5- 21st Century Digital Classrooms to Mesa County Valley School District 51 as part of our commitment to fund technology and innovation in D51.   Palisade High, Central High School, West Middle School, Pomona Elementary...

The D51 Foundation is pleased to announce a new grant opportunity available to staff in D51. The Technology and Innovation Grant is a once-annual grant specifically aimed at funding technology and innovation needs in the classroom.  This grant is in addition to D51F’s ongoing support...

Join D51F for a sweet evening at the Las Colonias Riverfront!  D51 Foundation is hosting a casual 1k walk along the riverfront path with sweet treats for participants provided by Enstrom and Kona Ice.  Check in at the Tranquillo Shelter at Las Colonias (near the Butterfly Pond), and...

The District 51 Foundation is pleased to announce its 12th round of Professional Learning Grant Award Recipients. A total of over $15,000 in grants will be awarded from the D51 Foundation to 53 District 51 staff members. The foundation received grant requests totaling over $136,000....

This fund provide grants for k-12 students with financial need to pursue extracurricular activities like karate, piano lessons, art classes, soccer etc. Bloom Where You’re Planted Grants are funded in honor of Karl Bloom, whose life was an example to so many people about how...

During the month of August, the Hot Tomato is generously donating 1% of all sales to the D51 Foundation. Be sure to stop by to enjoy some delicious pizza AND support our local schools and students!...

Each year, the D51 Foundation uses proceeds from its White Iced Celebration and other fundraising efforts to fund specific needs in School District 51. Since 2018, the D51 Foundation has donated over $100,000 to 200+ D51 staff members for professional learning. Applications are accepted twice per year; deadlines are...

JOY is the D51 Foundation's newest initiative to build connections among staff and have some fun! This is part of our new funding priority for Staff and Student Wellness. It's an opportunity for D51 staff* to gather and make connections. Join our initial event to...

It's time to Stuff the Bus! Stop by the Mesa Mall July 10-August 1 to drop off school supplies and help our students get a great start to the year! Can't make it out to the mall? You can also donate online at https://www.trailblz.info/district51/Donations.aspx ...

The D51 Foundation is excited to introduce the addition of a third funding priority: Staff and Student Wellness.     To kick off this new funding priority, D51F donated $35,000 to go toward an Engaging Schools Training for secondary staff that will make a positive impact to over...

Each year, the D51 Foundation uses proceeds from its White Iced Celebration and other fundraising efforts to fund specific needs in School District 51. Since 2018, the D51 Foundation has donated over $100,000 to 200+ D51 staff members for professional learning. Applications are accepted twice per year; deadlines are...

The D51 Foundation, D51 School Board, MVEA, and local municipalities want to sincerely thank our teachers and celebrate the ways they touch our entire community....

Life By Music generously donated 12 guitars and $5,000 for scholarships for 30 Mesa County Valley School District 51 students to attend a week-long summer music camp at CMU.   D51 Foundation would like to thank Life By Music for their generosity and commitment to music education....

School District 51 Foundation, the D51 School Board, and the Mesa Valley Education Association (MVEA) are sponsoring a Teacher Appreciation Promotion to celebrate Teacher Appreciation Week May 8-12, 2023. Parents and community members can purchase a paper doll in honor of a teacher. Paper dolls will be delivered to teachers...

Thank you to all who attended and supported the D51 Foundation's 11th Annual White Iced Celebration on February 4, 2023! The annual White Iced Celebration is the D51 Foundation's largest fundraiser of the year, and raises money for professional learning grants, technology in the classroom, and...

The District 51 Foundation is pleased to announce its 11th round of Professional Learning Grant Award Recipients. A total of over $10,000 in grants will be awarded from the D51 Foundation to 26 District 51 staff members. We received grant requests totaling over $42,000. Since 2018, the D51 Foundation...

Join the D51 Foundation at 7:00 p.m. on Saturday, February 4, 2023 at the Colorado Mesa University Ballroom to celebrate public education in Mesa County. It's an evening to honor White Iced Award recipients and Outstanding Academic Growth Schools. This event welcomes community members, D51...

D51F is pleased to announce the 11th Round of Professional Learning Grants is now open to staff members in D51. This grant provides funds to educators in D51 to pursue professional learning opportunities. Supporting professional learning is at the heart of the D51 Foundation. Since 2018,...

The Community Chromebook Distribution has been rescheduled!   School District 51 Foundation is announcing a large donation from School District 51 of over 5,000 retired Chromebooks from the 2017 mill/bond. While these Chromebooks are at the end of their useful life in the classroom setting, we...

The District 51 Foundation is pleased to announce the opening of the 8th Round of Bloom Where You Are Planted Grants. This grant fund was created by the family of Karl Bloom who passed away in February of 2020. Karl’s life was an example to so many...

In the 10th round of Professional Learning Grants, the D51F has reached a milestone of donating over $100,000 since 2018 to over 200 D51 staff members for professional learning. All research indicates highly trained teachers make a significant difference in student academic growth and achievement. Since...

On Saturday, October 6 Dillard's at Mesa Mall will generously donate 10% of all the day's proceeds to D51 Foundation! Be sure to check out at the designated register in the kids department for the proceeds to be donated. What a great example of an engaged and supportive...

MOD Pizza is new to Grand Junction and is celebrating their grand opening by supporting local students and schools. On Tuesday, September 6 Mod Pizza will donate a slice of every pizza sale to the D51 Foundation. D51F wishes to thank MOD Pizza for this...

Since 2020, this fund has donated over $14,000 to 155 children in our community who have needed financial assistance to participate in extracurricular activities. The Bloom Where You Are Planted Grant Fund was created by the family of Karl Bloom.  Karl's life was an example to...

The D51 Foundation is proud to host fundraising efforts for the 240 Mile Theater Project. This fund raises money for the theater programs at Central, Grand Junction, Fruita, and Palisade High Schools. This donor designated fund was started by D51 Parent Mark Leistico, who will...

This grant provides funds to educators in D51 to pursue professional learning opportunities. Supporting professional learning is at the heart of the D51 Foundation. Since 2018, the D51 Foundation has given over $90,000 to 171 staff members for professional training. Click here to complete an application. Applications are...

Join D51F and Alpine Bank for a baseball game to kick off the school year! Bring your D51 staff or student ID for $1 off your ticket. Don't forget to bring school supplies to Stuff The Bus!...

After years of anticipation, Grand Junction High School students and staff will finally walk into a new building in the fall of 2024! June 1, 2022 was the groundbreaking for the new GJHS.   Thank you to the voters for passing the 2021 bond measure and investing...

The local chapter of Professional Women in Building generously donated over 30 copies of The House that She Built by Mollie Elkman for D51 elementary students. Donor driven designations allow donors to support students and teachers in a way that is meaningful to them. Thank you to the local...

This grant provides funds to educators in D51 to pursue professional learning opportunities. Supporting professional learning is at the heart of the D51 Foundation. Since 2018, the D51 Foundation has given over $90,000 to 171 staff members for professional training. Click here to complete an application. Applications are due...

D51F is proud to sponsor Robot Week with D51 STEM. During Robot Week, elementary students create a robotics display to raise awareness of robots and robotics for students. Students submit pictures of their display, with the winning school receiving a Bee Bot Class Bundle funded by...

A big thank you to the City of Grand Junction, the City of Fruita, and the Town of Palisade for their official recognition of Teacher Appreciation Week from May 2-6, 2022. Each of these local municipalities issued an official proclamation recognizing the tremendous efforts of...

Educators make a real impact on our lives and in our community, often lasting long after we leave their classroom. We'd like to share a series of letters in thanks to D51 educators and beyond for all that they do. ...

The 10th Annual White Iced Celebration was truly one for the history books! The D51 Foundation was proud to Celebrate this year's White Iced Award Winners and Outstanding Academic Growth Schools. Thank you to all who came to celebrate with us, and for all your support...