Possibility
A speech delivered Feb 25, 2026 at the A Tonic to Winter Fundraiser
by Deb Sherman
It is truly an honor to be asked to speak tonight. And for me, it feels extra meaningful because I’m one of the teachers who has directly benefited from this Foundation. So when I say thank you, I mean it from personal experience.
And thank you for being here. There are a lot of ways you could spend your evening, and you chose to show up for public schools. That matters.
The other day I opened my email and saw a message from our principal, Erica McColl that made me stop and smile. She wrote, “I was notified from the Foundation that they are funding all of the grants they received!”
How great is that? I mean . . . all of them!
Tonight isn’t just about raising money. It’s about what happens in classrooms every single day—the lightbulb moments, the messy art projects, the dramatic read-alouds, the science experiments that mostly work. And behind so many of those moments . . . is this room.
You may not always see it, but what you do shows up in very real ways. I see it firsthand—in the opportunities, in the possibilities, in the difference it makes for kids.
When people walk into my classroom, the first thing they usually say is, “Oh my goodness—look at that library!” And I just smile, because that library— is the Foundation. Those shelves didn’t fill themselves. Those books didn’t magically appear. They’re there because this community believes kids deserve to be surrounded by stories.
Look around my room and you’ll see Lego sculptures . . . dragons, cities, and spaceships everywhere. It looks like fun — and it is — but there’s more going on than just building.
When I applied to the Foundation for a grant to purchase Legos they asked thoughtful questions about learning goals and academic connections. And I appreciated that. It matters how we use what we’re given.
So in my classroom, if you build it, you write about it. Students create something, and then they tell its story. They describe it, explain how it works, give it a problem to solve. What starts as play during rainy day recess turns into amazing stories.
Those Lego bricks end up becoming paragraphs. And that only happened because the Foundation said yes.
When I became the Young Authors advisor, we wanted our students to attend writing conferences — experiences that made them feel like real authors — the Foundation was there covering the cost so money was never the reason we couldn’t attend.
I asked staff in our district to share how the Foundation has impacted them and their students, and the response was overwhelming. My inbox filled with stories—each one a testament to the Foundation’s generosity and the difference it makes every day. Across our district, the stories are the same: the Foundation empowers teachers, enriches classrooms, and inspires learning in every corner of our community.
A kindergarten teacher shared that her classroom play kitchen had seen better days. The Foundation helped replace it, and now it’s “open for business” every single day. The kids think they’re playing—but what’s really happening is collaboration, language development, problem solving, and sharing.
In second grade, students track the Iditarod in real time. Maps go up. Favorite mushers are chosen. Daily updates are discussed like breaking news. It’s one of those units kids remember forever—and it happens year after year because of this group.
One of my favorite examples comes from a middle school teacher with a simple grant and a big idea. With Foundation funding, students researched graduates from right here in our community—students who once sat in the same classrooms they do. Those stories now hang beneath graduation photos in the high school hallway. So when students walk by, they don’t just see a face. They see a future. They see what’s possible.
At the secondary level, digital pens funded by the Foundation are used constantly in art classes. What might seem like a simple tool has transformed how students create, design, and express their ideas.
Secondary PE has benefited too. Thanks to the Foundation, their gym now has a TV on a rolling stand — and it’s made a big impact. It’s brought more variety and flexibility to middle and high school PE, from group HIIT workouts to yoga and guided fitness sessions — keeping things fresh, engaging, and most importantly, keeping students moving.
Another project worth celebrating is the monthly birthday desserts through our connected food program. Every child gets celebrated. No pressure on families. No last-minute cupcake stress. The treats are inclusive and safe, and classrooms celebrate together once a month.
And then there are the new teachers.
This year, the Foundation didn’t just send a welcome email or a brochure. They showed up on orientation day. They handed each new teacher a handwritten note and funds to help get their classrooms started. Just a simple gesture that said, “We see you. We believe in you.” Karen even gave out her personal phone number to help with grants. That is the kind of Foundation we have.
And the Foundation’s support goes on — from field trips and special events like the musical Songs of the Moon by the Fifth Ave Theater at the elementary, to CPR certifications that give students real-world skills, to flexible seating that helps students focus and feel at home, the addition of a special education math class, a positive reinforcement system for high school students . . . and the list just keeps growing!
When I say this Foundation changes classrooms, I mean it.
Growing up, I was surrounded by educators. Teaching was just part of the air we breathed in my family. Aunts, uncles, cousins. My dad was a beloved teacher, coach, and administrator. We couldn’t go anywhere without a former student stopping to thank him or share a quick story. It was constant—and it was powerful. For me, it wasn’t really a question of if I would teach, but when. I knew early on this was the work I wanted to do.
Over the years, as a classroom teacher, I also watched what this Foundation was doing. I saw the grants. I saw the opportunities. I saw the way teachers’ ideas were supported—and more importantly, the way students benefited. It wasn’t just a grant. It was possibility. It was creativity being honored. It was teachers feeling seen and supported. And our students were the ones who truly gained.
And in the same way I once dreamed of becoming a teacher, I found myself hoping that someday I could be part of this incredible group of people.
Now, as I look ahead toward retirement, I feel deeply honored to be a member of the Foundation. It truly feels like coming full circle—continuing to support the profession and the students I’ve loved so much, just in a new way.
And that truly is a gift.
Thank you.
And thank you for being here. There are a lot of ways you could spend your evening, and you chose to show up for public schools. That matters.
The other day I opened my email and saw a message from our principal, Erica McColl that made me stop and smile. She wrote, “I was notified from the Foundation that they are funding all of the grants they received!”
How great is that? I mean . . . all of them!
Tonight isn’t just about raising money. It’s about what happens in classrooms every single day—the lightbulb moments, the messy art projects, the dramatic read-alouds, the science experiments that mostly work. And behind so many of those moments . . . is this room.
You may not always see it, but what you do shows up in very real ways. I see it firsthand—in the opportunities, in the possibilities, in the difference it makes for kids.
When people walk into my classroom, the first thing they usually say is, “Oh my goodness—look at that library!” And I just smile, because that library— is the Foundation. Those shelves didn’t fill themselves. Those books didn’t magically appear. They’re there because this community believes kids deserve to be surrounded by stories.
Look around my room and you’ll see Lego sculptures . . . dragons, cities, and spaceships everywhere. It looks like fun — and it is — but there’s more going on than just building.
When I applied to the Foundation for a grant to purchase Legos they asked thoughtful questions about learning goals and academic connections. And I appreciated that. It matters how we use what we’re given.
So in my classroom, if you build it, you write about it. Students create something, and then they tell its story. They describe it, explain how it works, give it a problem to solve. What starts as play during rainy day recess turns into amazing stories.
Those Lego bricks end up becoming paragraphs. And that only happened because the Foundation said yes.
When I became the Young Authors advisor, we wanted our students to attend writing conferences — experiences that made them feel like real authors — the Foundation was there covering the cost so money was never the reason we couldn’t attend.
I asked staff in our district to share how the Foundation has impacted them and their students, and the response was overwhelming. My inbox filled with stories—each one a testament to the Foundation’s generosity and the difference it makes every day. Across our district, the stories are the same: the Foundation empowers teachers, enriches classrooms, and inspires learning in every corner of our community.
A kindergarten teacher shared that her classroom play kitchen had seen better days. The Foundation helped replace it, and now it’s “open for business” every single day. The kids think they’re playing—but what’s really happening is collaboration, language development, problem solving, and sharing.
In second grade, students track the Iditarod in real time. Maps go up. Favorite mushers are chosen. Daily updates are discussed like breaking news. It’s one of those units kids remember forever—and it happens year after year because of this group.
One of my favorite examples comes from a middle school teacher with a simple grant and a big idea. With Foundation funding, students researched graduates from right here in our community—students who once sat in the same classrooms they do. Those stories now hang beneath graduation photos in the high school hallway. So when students walk by, they don’t just see a face. They see a future. They see what’s possible.
At the secondary level, digital pens funded by the Foundation are used constantly in art classes. What might seem like a simple tool has transformed how students create, design, and express their ideas.
Secondary PE has benefited too. Thanks to the Foundation, their gym now has a TV on a rolling stand — and it’s made a big impact. It’s brought more variety and flexibility to middle and high school PE, from group HIIT workouts to yoga and guided fitness sessions — keeping things fresh, engaging, and most importantly, keeping students moving.
Another project worth celebrating is the monthly birthday desserts through our connected food program. Every child gets celebrated. No pressure on families. No last-minute cupcake stress. The treats are inclusive and safe, and classrooms celebrate together once a month.
And then there are the new teachers.
This year, the Foundation didn’t just send a welcome email or a brochure. They showed up on orientation day. They handed each new teacher a handwritten note and funds to help get their classrooms started. Just a simple gesture that said, “We see you. We believe in you.” Karen even gave out her personal phone number to help with grants. That is the kind of Foundation we have.
And the Foundation’s support goes on — from field trips and special events like the musical Songs of the Moon by the Fifth Ave Theater at the elementary, to CPR certifications that give students real-world skills, to flexible seating that helps students focus and feel at home, the addition of a special education math class, a positive reinforcement system for high school students . . . and the list just keeps growing!
When I say this Foundation changes classrooms, I mean it.
Growing up, I was surrounded by educators. Teaching was just part of the air we breathed in my family. Aunts, uncles, cousins. My dad was a beloved teacher, coach, and administrator. We couldn’t go anywhere without a former student stopping to thank him or share a quick story. It was constant—and it was powerful. For me, it wasn’t really a question of if I would teach, but when. I knew early on this was the work I wanted to do.
Over the years, as a classroom teacher, I also watched what this Foundation was doing. I saw the grants. I saw the opportunities. I saw the way teachers’ ideas were supported—and more importantly, the way students benefited. It wasn’t just a grant. It was possibility. It was creativity being honored. It was teachers feeling seen and supported. And our students were the ones who truly gained.
And in the same way I once dreamed of becoming a teacher, I found myself hoping that someday I could be part of this incredible group of people.
Now, as I look ahead toward retirement, I feel deeply honored to be a member of the Foundation. It truly feels like coming full circle—continuing to support the profession and the students I’ve loved so much, just in a new way.
And that truly is a gift.
Thank you.