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2025 WRITE Grant Recap:
Each year, FriendsOffice proudly champions education through our WRITE Grant Program—We Reward Innovative Teaching & Education—and 2025 brought two exceptional recipients to the spotlight.
From middle school science to high school math, our grant winners shared powerful essays that answered the question:
“If I had these supplies from FriendsOffice, I could accomplish this in my classroom.”
We hit the road across Ohio to meet our winners in person, deliver their classroom supplies, and celebrate their creativity with heartfelt surprises.
Anna Miller
Tri-County North Middle School | 5th & 6th Grade Science
Anna wrote passionately about creating hands-on lessons tied to real-world experiences. With a Champion Sports Stopwatch Set, her students can better understand physical science standards like speed, distance, and time by actually measuring them—from walking the school hallway to clocking the speed of passing cars outside.
She noted how her students already experimented with walking “slowly” versus “quickly” and learned firsthand the value of accurate measurements. A full class set of stopwatches, Anna explained, would let every student actively participate and learn the science of motion in an engaging and memorable way.
Tricia Baden
Patrick Henry High School | High School Math Instructor
Tricia requested individual whiteboards and Expo markers to elevate her math classroom. These tools, she explained, allow for quick formative assessments, foster collaboration, and encourage participation—even from more reserved students.
In her essay, she described how students can work through algebra problems on their whiteboards and show their answers simultaneously—helping her tailor instruction on the spot. The whiteboards aren't just tools; they're windows into how her students think.
Beyond the Supplies: The Celebration
When we arrived at each school, we were welcomed by principals and superintendents who were just as proud as we were. And of course, we couldn’t show up empty-handed!
In addition to the requested supplies, we surprised our winners with:
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A FriendsOffice SWAG bag filled with branded goodies and insulated drinkware
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Our favorite Dietsch Brothers chocolate-covered pretzels and assorted chocolates—a sweet treat from our hometown of Findlay, Ohio
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And yes—balloons! Because who doesn’t love a good balloon celebration?
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A “Pay It Forward” box filled with extra classroom essentials, generously donated by our vendor partners, in case our winners want to share the love with fellow educators
About the WRITE Grant Program
Since 2012, the WRITE Grant has donated more than $25,000 in classroom supplies and furniture across Ohio, Indiana, and Pennsylvania. With the help of our amazing manufacturer partners—including Crayola, HON, Pentel, Smead, Newell Brands, Lorell, Purell, Safco, and our trusted wholesaler S.P. Richards—we’ve made it possible for passionate educators to turn great ideas into real classroom outcomes. And, we're hoping to postively impact more teachers including those in Michigan and Kentucky because of our growing company.
WRITE Grant applications typically open in late December or early January, with winners announced in spring. And yes—past winners can apply again!
Calling All Ohio, Southern Michigan, Eastern Indiana, Northern Kentucky, and Western Pennsylvania Teachers: Could You Be Our 2026 Winner?
Start thinking now:
If you had access to specific classroom supplies or furniture, what would you do differently?
Stay tuned on our website and social media channels for the 2026 WRITE Grant announcement—it only takes a few minutes to apply, and it could be worth thousands in resources to fuel your creativity.
Let’s keep empowering educators together.