COEUR d'ALENE - The concepts haven't changed, but learning pre-algebra has become a lot more appealing to students in Katie Pemberton's seventh-grade math class at Canfield Middle School.

The kids were busy breaking down numbers into factors Tuesday, using writing tablets connected to computer screens rather than pencils and paper.

The tablets were paid for with funds from a grant Pemberton and Kara Jedele, a Canfield language arts teacher, were awarded this year by the EXCEL Foundation.

"EXCEL has really enabled us to increase our students' engagement," Pemberton said.

The community-based nonprofit foundation supports teachers and students in the Coeur d'Alene School District by awarding grants to educators with innovative and creative lesson plans.

The EXCEL Foundation is hosting its annual Big Event fundraiser Friday at the Best Western Coeur d'Alene Inn. The dinner and auction is one of the ways the foundation brings in money for the grants.

It promises to be a bigger party than usual because EXCEL is celebrating its 25th anniversary, and this year the total amount of grants awarded since 1986 hit the million dollar mark.

There will be lots of confetti and balloons, promises Mike Ward, president of the EXCEL board.

"I know, having had my kids go through the school district, I've had many conversations with teachers who have said if it weren't for EXCEL, they wouldn't have been able to inspire the kids," Ward said.

In teacher Kara Jedele's classroom across the hall from Pemberton's, students use the writing tablets to complete their writing assignments and submit them electronically.

"The kids actually want to edit their papers," Jedele said.

In addition to engaging students, the writing tablets are saving paper. Jedele estimates the tablets have decreased her classroom paper use by 500 sheets per week.

Pemberton said district teachers are grateful to the foundation for making these kinds of classroom experiences possible.

The $2,500 grant awarded to Pemberton and Jedele was one of 53 grants totaling $72,000 that were awarded by the Excel Foundation this year.

As usual there are a wide range of programs being funded.

Coeur d'Alene High School teachers Bruce Twitchell and Tim Burnside co-wrote a $2,100 grant used to purchase a special telescope that allows students to study astrophotography, the photography of celestial objects in the night sky.

Kevin Haler, a chemistry teacher at Lake City, was awarded two grants this year. One grant will purchase supplies for students to construct lava lamps. The other grant award is being used by Haler to secure a larger grant award from the M.J. Murdock Charitable Trust.

The larger grant will allow chemistry students to synthesize silver nanoparticles and test their anti-microbial properties, Haler said. Silver nanoparticles are used to prevent bacteria growth and are included in anti-microbial clothing.

"We're going to make the particles and then we're going to test what concentrations are needed for them to be effective," Haler said.

Wanda Quinn and Nancy Sue Wallace worked together to develop the EXCEL Foundation back in the '80s.

At the time, Quinn, now chair of the Coeur d'Alene school board, was a mother doing her principal internship at the old Harding School in Coeur d'Alene. The school was struggling to achieve accreditation because of its condition. Quinn proposed they create a foundation to raise funds for the school's facilities. Warren Bakes, superintendent at the time, suggested they develop a foundation that would help the entire school district.

"I had the interest and the connections, and Nancy Sue came with business program knowledge of nonprofits," Quinn said.

The women researched other educational foundations throughout the nation and tailored EXCEL to suit the community's needs.

Quinn said they knew they wanted the money to go directly to students through the educators.

"It's been a wonderful partnership between the community, very dedicated volunteers and wonderful grants written by teachers," Quinn said.

Tickets for the Big Event are nearly sold out. They can be purchased for $50 each by calling Toni Hackwith at Magnuson & McHugh, 765-9500.

For more information about the organization, visit www.excelfoundation.org