Grant Elementary teacher wins annual award

June 14, 2006

Susan Cohen, a third-grade teacher at Grant Elementary School, has received one of 125 grants given to Bay Area public school teachers by the Prudential California Realty Education Foundation.

"The grantees are teachers who made an exceptional contribution to their students during the past year," said David Cobo, chief executive officer/chairman of the foundation. "This is our opportunity to acknowledge their effort with grants that will help them to continue their good work."

The foundation was created in 1992, and inspired by Cobo, who is a former educator. So far, it has awarded $570,000 in grants to 973 teachers.

This year, each teacher received a $599 grant to use however they choose. Recipients were from Alameda, Contra Costa, El Dorado, Marin, Sacramento, San Francisco, San Mateo, Santa Clara, Solano and Sonoma counties.

Rather than coming from corporate funds, the grants come directly from the personal donations of the agents, owners, managers and staff as a way of acknowledging and thanking teachers in their communities.

Grants are awarded to teachers who are nominated by a third party, and are given after a competitive nomination process by peers, principals, students, parents and other teachers.