Your Tax Credit Donations Inspire New Passions in Kyrene School District

Posted February 2023

Tax credit donations provide countless opportunities for students to discover new passions. Arizona statute allows individuals to donate $200 and couples to donate $400 for a dollar-to-dollar tax credit, which can be applied to the donators' current-year tax return.

Throughout Kyrene School District, tax credit donations make a difference for students both in and out of the classroom. When community members make tax credit donations, their generosity helps preserve robust arts and music programs, increases field trip opportunities, fund guest speakers, and more. On many Kyrene School District campuses, funds from tax credit donations also help pay for before and after school student clubs.

“At Cielo, our first priority is to use tax credit funds to ensure that every child can attend a field trip free of charge,” shared Kyrene del Cielo principal Tammy Thaete. “Additional funds are used to pay faculty advisors for their time spent overseeing some of our student clubs, including No Place for Hate, Student Council and Playground Jr. Coaches.”

At Kyrene Akimel A-al Middle School, tax credit funds have helped sponsor clubs for students with a wide variety of interests such as theater, art, sign language and even an old school game club where students can “go back in time” to play board games sans computer screens.

“I like Old School Game Club because its different than video games and you can talk to people easier,” said Parker Steill, a sixth-grade student at Akimel A-al.

Olivia Nielson, a seventh-grade student at Akimel A-al shared that she loves American Sign Language Club because it means a lot to her that she can communicate without words and express herself with signs.

“We are still building out the variety of clubs that we have on campus as we recoup from the pandemic, but I am very proud of the clubs we have gotten started this school year,” said Akimel A-al Principal Shalini McCarthy

Positive Behavioral Intervention Support (PBIS) programs on both elementary and middle school campuses also receive a helping hand from tax credit donations.

“Cielo also purchases PBIS materials, including Do the Right Thing posters and student prize incentives among other tools with funds from tax credit donations,” said Thaete.

Thanks to the generous tax credit donations from the Kyrene community, students have more opportunities to explore new professions and passions and provides them with additional outlets to express their creativity and build confidence.