June 15 2025

Congrats to our 2025 MELA MPS educator grant recipients

MELA grant recipients standing in line at restaurant

Our big congratulations to thirteen outstanding Minneapolis Public Schools (MPS) educators who were selected for this year's Minneapolis Educator Leadership Awards (MELA)!  Each honoree received funds for creative projects that impact student achievement, go above and beyond to better the lives of students outside the classroom and improve our school communities.

Now celebrating its tenth year, MELA provides opportunities for (MPS) educators to recognize their peers. We're proud to have a process that is entirely educator-focused and led, from nominations to proposals. Educators can be nominated by colleagues, community members and even students. Nominees are then invited to submit proposals, with winning proposals selected by a committee of teachers and staff who are actively working in MPS and have received the award in the past.

2025 MELA grant recipients and projects include:

  • Jill Amble, Northeast Middle School
    • Inclusion Recreation and Leisure Exploration
  • Ronald Buck, Lucy Craft Laney Elementary
    • Wrestling Team Start-Up Funding 
  • Joe Burgoyne, Loring Nicollet Alternative High School
    • Environmental Sustainability and Responsibility with Aquaponics & Vermicomposting
  • Nicolas Collard, Seward Montessori Elementary
    • Circus Arts & Physical Literacy in the Gym
  • Julia Gartzke, Ella Baker Global Studies & Humanities Magnet
    • Urban Phenology Field Trips
  • Jason Miller, Anishinabe Academy
    • Let's Play and Learn Outside
  • Jacob Nielsen, Transitions Plus
    • T+ Shop Classes
  • Anwar Mohamed, Sullivan STEAM School
    • Culturally Responsive Learning: Somali Books, Technology, and Hands-On Games for Language Development
  • Paul Pacheco, Takota Prep
    • Indigenous Land-Based Learning in South Minneapolis: Fencing and a Medicine Garden
  • Solomon Parham, Olson Middle School
    • The Beat Team, Digital Music & Recording Arts
  • Ryan Terpening, Edison High School
    • Growing Beyond the Classroom: Developing Lifelong Sustainability
  • Lauren Tolbert, Longfellow Alternative High School
    • Let's Play and Learn Outside
  • Dana Williams, Anderson United Middle School
    • Inclusion through Experiential Team Building

MELA grants are a project of the John & Denise Graves Foundation in partnership with Achieve Twin Cities. For more information, visit the Graves Foundation website or contact mpsgrants@achievetwincities.org. Nominations for 2026 MELA awards will go live this fall.

Find out why Lisa Moy from the Graves Foundation loves supporting educators through MELA.

Learn more about funds administered by Achieve Twin Cities for MPS educators and classrooms.