FBHS Foundation awards teachers $26,000 in program grants to enhance students’ educational experiences

FERNANDINA BEACH — On Sep. 23, the Fernandina Beach High School Foundation announced its first round of program grants for the 2026-2027 school year, awarding more than 30 grants worth a combined $26,124 to support projects and resources for students and teachers.

The grants will fund a variety of educational needs across Fernandina Beach High School and Fernandina Beach Middle School. Projects include classroom technology and digital learning subscriptions, science and lab materials, physical education and adaptive equipment, foreign language resources, art and music supplies, and materials for hands-on classroom activities. 

The funding will also support the publication costs of The Pirate Post, FBHS’s student newspaper, as well as classroom projects such as saltwater fish tanks and this year's high school musical production of "Little Shop of Horrors."

Since its creation in 1987, the Fernandina Beach High School Foundation has worked to enhance the educational experience for FBHS students and faculty. The all-volunteer nonprofit funds program, campus and school-wide grants through private donations from community members and local businesses, as well as events hosted by the Foundation.

Ben and Heidi Weiser, both teachers at FBHS, have applied for the Foundation program grants for the past nine years, and they have consistently received funding for projects and resources in their classrooms. This year, each received funding for a variety of classroom resources, including psychology lab activities, learning games and educational materials, digital learning programs, hands-on science projects such as origami organelle models and genetic plant growth experiments, and resources to create a private student study area.

“These funds give my students a hands-on experience that brings concepts to life and helps them understand ideas that might otherwise be difficult to grasp,” said Heidi.

The Foundation's support also extends to 8th grade classes at Fernandina Beach Middle School that earn high school credit, providing resources that benefit students before they reach FBHS. Carolyn Johnson, a HOPE and PE teacher at FBMS, received funding for CPR mannequins, face shields and batteries to provide hands-on CPR training for approximately 380 students. These supplies will also be shared with the HOPE and CNA students at FBHS. Katherine Campilongo, Spanish teacher at FBMS, received funding for 30 sets of headphones, plus subscriptions to online learning modules, to further language learning in her classroom.

With grants supporting classrooms at both FBHS and FBMS, the Foundation continues to provide teachers with resources that go beyond what traditional school funding can cover. Through these grants, the Foundation helps create more hands-on learning opportunities and gives students access to tools that can strengthen their education.

Learn more about the Fernandina Beach High School Foundation and its upcoming events, including the Annual Feast, or donate to its efforts at fbhsfoundation.org.