NEWS
SBEF Celebrates Student Innovation at Annual Student Grants Reception
Looking out at a crowd of students gathered with their advisors and parents, Santa Barbara Education Foundation Board Member Isis Castañeda captured the spirit of the evening in a few simple words: “It’s about the student-driven ideas.” On Tuesday, March 3rd, high school students from across the Santa Barbara Unified School District filled the Faulkner [...]
Santa Barbara Unified Family Literacy Festival Returns on March 7th
The Santa Barbara Education Foundation is proud to support the Santa Barbara Unified’s 2nd Annual Family Literacy Festival, a free community event celebrating the joy of reading, learning, and family connection. The festival will take place on Saturday, March 7, 2026, from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. at the Santa Barbara Public Library (40 E. [...]
Santa Barbara Education Foundation Welcomes Vanessa Pelton as Executive Director
The Santa Barbara Education Foundation (SBEF) is pleased to announce that Vanessa Pelton has been named as its new Executive Director. Pelton will begin her role on March 3, 2026. Pelton joins SBEF as the organization celebrates its 40th year and will lead efforts to support nearly 12,000 students across the Santa Barbara Unified School [...]
EVENTS
The Santa Barbara Education Foundation (SBEF) will host Wealth of Knowledge, a free financial literacy workshop designed specifically for educators, on Saturday, April 18, 2026.
LATEST ISSUE
Education Matters
As we close out 2025, this issue of Education Matters celebrates the impact made possible by our community.
From a powerful story highlighting the lifelong influence of music education to key insights from Superintendent Dr. Hilda Maldonado’s State of Our Schools address, this newsletter reflects a year of growth and opportunity across Santa Barbara’s public schools.
You’ll also meet SBEF’s newest board member and join us in thanking a longtime leader for his dedicated service.
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