Jonathan Kesler spent the past decade helping keep Canyons District schools running smoothly as a Facilities Maintenance Technician. This fall, he’ll return to those same schools in a new role — as the first Aspiring Canyons Educator (ACE) Scholarship recipient to begin teaching in a Canyons classroom.
The milestone marks a full-circle moment for the employee-funded scholarship program, which helps Canyons employees and graduating seniors pursue careers in education and, ultimately, return to serve students in the District.
“I’ve always been interested in learning, and art is my particular emphasis,” Kesler says. “I also have family in education, so it was just one of those fits that seemed to work out and click.”
Kesler was among the inaugural recipients of the ACE Scholarship, having received the award in 2024. Since then, the employee-supported scholarship fund has doubled in size and helped six Canyons employees and two graduating seniors afford training toward licensure. Funded by Canyons employees through an optional payroll deduction program, the scholarship provides up to $5,000 in annual tuition assistance. To date, the Canyons Education Foundation, which administers the scholarship, has paid more than $40,300 in tuition for ACE recipients.
“It’s been really nice because I’ve been paying my own way through school,” Kesler says. “I’ve been taking classes halftime while continuing to work. The District has been very good about accommodating my schedule.”
For Brooke Carn, Development Officer for the Foundation, Kesler’s return to Canyons classrooms is validation that the program is fulfilling its mission.
“The ACE Scholarship gives employees from every department the opportunity to pursue their dream of becoming a teacher,” Carn says. “Thanks to the generosity of their coworkers, we’re seeing that dream become reality in our own classrooms.”
Kesler will begin his student-teaching requirement this fall at Brighton High where he will finally be able to apply his love of learning about sculptures, ceramics, and fiber arts to teaching students to have that same passion.
“It’s just been a really good opportunity,” Kesler says. “I’m glad to have been accepted and being able to make use of this scholarship.”
Anyone can make a one-time ACE donation online, while Canyons employees have the option each fall of supporting the scholarship by designating how much they are willing to contribute through a payroll deduction.
