Author Archives: Imago Dei Middle School

About Imago Dei Middle School

Imago Dei Middle School is a tuition-free private school providing outstanding education to children of low-income families in Tucson. We believe in the power of education to transform hearts and minds. Our mission is to break the cycles of poverty through education. Every child can achieve great things!

Science Fair Projects Have Begun!

Every year, our scholars investigate the world of science and technology by creating special experiments to explore the natural properties of the world around us, chemical reactions and the effects of force and gravity on solid objects. This year, we’re especially grateful to PICOR for awarding us a Ken Nickel STEM grant for a project involving student-built catapults!
Isaac and Eunice science fair

Stonewall Foundation and Tucson Museum of Art Renew Commitment to Imago Dei Art Classes

The Stonewall Foundation has been a generous supporter of Imago Dei for years, and the Tucson Museum of Art (TMA) has long provided art classes to our students at the museum campus. Because of funding shifts, we were confronting the possibility of losing those classes, but concerned members of the TMA Board of Directors and the great folks at the Stonewall Foundation stepped in and provided the support we need to continue our program with the museum. A big thanks to Rick Small, Jean Cooper, the Stonewall Foundation and the Tucson Museum of Art!

An Amazing Thanksgiving Holiday: Thanks to Pappas Kids Schoolhouse Foundation!

We want to thank Pappas Kids Schoolhouse Foundation once again for generously giving every single family at Imago Dei a Thanksgiving turkey and all the trimmings this year! Dayna and Ted from Pappas made the drive down from Florence to help us celebrate, and Mike Solis and his great crew from Food City delivered the Thanksgiving bounty. All of our scholars and their families had a truly festive Thanksgiving this year!

Food City Delivery Team

Mike Solis and the Food City delivery team.

Dayna with IDMS Poster

Pappas Executive Director Dayna Sandoval holds up a thank you poster from Imago Dei’s scholars.

Dayna Ted Rev Anne Kids

Left to right: Pappas Executive Director Dayna Sandoval and Board Member Ted Carpenter; IDMS scholars Jonathan, Marky and Josh; and Head of School Rev. Anne.

Sonu Reporting Live

Sonu Wasu and a crew from KOLD-TV News came down to interview our staff and scholars and tell everyone about Pappas Foundation’s amazing gift!

Contemplating Thanksgivings Meaning

Before receiving their Thanksgiving meal fixings, our scholars and their family members took a moment to contemplate the meaning of Thanksgiving.

 

Tucson Federal Credit Union and SAAF bring an early Thanksgiving feast to Imago Dei!

Volunteers from Tucson Federal Credit Union (TFCU) and the Southern Arizona AIDS Foundation (SAAF) joined Imago Dei scholars for an early Thanksgiving meal today! The fabulous Drayanna Massingale and her team of volunteers at SAAF’s Food For Life program cater our meals every day, and TFCU has generously donated funding for special lunches for the school, including this amazing feast. Tucson Federal Credit Union actively supports nonprofits throughout Tucson, and we are so grateful to them for helping underwrite our lunches; and we can’t say enough good things about the amazing people at SAAF. Thank you to SAAF and TFCU for everything you do for Imago Dei and for Tucson!

Idolina and Zolly Making Decorations

Idolina and Zolly Making Turkey-themed Decorations

Monique and RJ from SAAF

Monique and RJ from SAAF help deliver the stuffing!

Krystal and Ashley from TFCU

The Amazing Krystal and Ashley from Tucson Federal Credit Union

Ashley Chats with Imago Dei Scholars

Ashley chats with Imago Dei Scholars before lunch.

RJ from SAAF serving lunch

RJ from SAAF serving lunch!

Saying Thanks for Thanksgiving

Saying Thanks for Thanksgiving

 

GEICO and Arizona Leadership Foundation Announce Huge Gift for Local Scholarships

For the last few years, GEICO has partnered with Arizona Leadership Foundation to provide corporate tax credit scholarships to children of low-income families in Tucson. These scholarships allow children whose families have limited resources to attend the best private schools in Arizona and have every opportunity to succeed. Arizona Leadership Foundation has generously awarded scholarships to many of the scholars at Imago Dei.

Today, at a celebratory event at GEICO’s Tucson Regional Headquarters, GEICO announced that it will give $8 million in tax credit gifts this year through Arizona Leadership Foundation, $4 million of which will be reserved for students in Pima County. Tucson Mayor Jonathan Rothschild and Arizona Leadership Foundation President Aaron Muth spoke at the celebration, along with young scholars who had received GEICO corporate scholarships. Imago Dei was honored to be included in this event, and two of our Arizona Leadership Scholars, Marky and Mireya, represented the school with grace and charm!

Ariana Plus Kids

Marky and Mireya, with Arizona Leadership’s Ariana Muth and GEICO’s gecko. Ariana holds a stone & glass art tile made by Imago Dei students and presented to her as a thank you gift.

GEICO has been in Tucson for ten years now, and their commitment to the success and well-being of the local community is amazing. Through charitable donations, corporate tax credit gifts and employee volunteerism, GEICO makes a huge difference to non-profit agencies all over Tucson and Southern Arizona.

Geico Exec Martha Furnas

GEICO Regional Vice-President Martha Furnas (far right), with The Rev. Anne Sawyer (far left), Mireya and Marky, and the GEICO gecko.

Thank you to GEICO and Arizona Leadership Foundation!!

Group Photo with Mayor

Tucson Mayor Jonathan Rothschild (holding the check, at far right), celebrates GEICO’s announcement with teachers and scholars from around Tucson.

Guatemalan Bishop Armando Guerra Soria Visits Imago Dei!

Traditional Meal

We shared a traditional Guatemalan meal in honor of the Bishop.

We were honored to welcome The Most Reverend Armando Guerra Soria, Anglican Bishop of Guatemala, to our school today!The Bishop shared a meal and a worship service with our children, where he learned about our children’s lives and told them about life in Guatemala.

Bishop Armando Guerra Soria of Guatemala
Bishop Armando Guerra Soria of Guatemala.

 

Imago Dei Launches New Tennis Program!

IDMS Tennis

Coach Britt teaches the fundamentals on the first day of Imago Dei’s Tennis Program.

United States Professional Tennis Association (USPTA) Coach Britt Feldhausen is passionate about playing and teaching tennis. He has been playing tennis for more than 50 years and achieved the highest tested rating the USPTA offers, Professional 1. Britt is the former Director of Tennis at Loews Ventana Canyon Resort and founder of Britt’s Tennis Academy in Tucson, and thanks to Britt and the United States Tennis Association, Imago Dei now has a tennis program, and all of Imago Dei’s students have brand new rackets! Britt will be teaching our boys and girls the fundamentals of the game, along with amazing volunteers Susie Scott and The Rev. Tim Scott (retired rector of St. Alban’s Episcopal Church). Our whole community would like to thank Britt and Susie and Rev. Tim! Finally, a big thanks to Tucson High Magnet School for sharing their tennis courts with us.

IDMS Tennis
Ready? Play.
IDMS Tennis

Thanks to Susie and The Rev. Tim Scott for supporting Imago Dei!

IDMS Tennis

Eyes on the ball!

IDMS Tennis: The Ropes

First thing first: get to know your racket!

Great Kickoff to Our 2013 Annual Campaign!

We’ve kicked off our annual campaign to raise scholarships for Imago Dei students! Our goal this fall is to raise 5 full scholarships ($75,000) to provide deserving students everything they need to achieve their full potential. The campaign started just this week and we have already received more than $6,000 from our generous community to help our children learn, thrive and succeed!

Your investment in Imago Dei’s children lasts a lifetime! The support you provide our students today changes the course of their lives, as they navigate from the world they find themselves in toward the world they dream for themselves. You can help, and your contribution matters, no matter how much you can afford to give!

Mark 12:42-44: But a poor widow came and put in two very small copper coins, worth only a few cents. Calling his disciples to him, Jesus said, “Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put more into the treasury than all the others. They all gave out of their wealth; but she, out of her poverty, put in everything—all she had to live on.”

Your generosity creates a community of caring, curiosity, creativity and kindness. The teachers, staff and children of Imago Dei thank you for your generous support!

Click on this link to donate today!

Special Thanks to Beach Fleischman, St. Alban’s and St. Francis!

This month, we give special thanks to Beach Fleischman CPAs, St. Alban’s Episcopal Church & St. Francis in the Valley Episcopal Church, who have given our students backpacks filled with school supplies to kick off the year! Thank you for your generosity and your thoughtful efforts to help our students succeed!