Congratulations to the Con Amore School in Duchesne County School District and North Point Elementary in Alpine School District for winning the #SITLAfunds18 Photo Challenge this year. Each school received $1000 to supplement their School LAND Trust Funds. In cooperation with the School Children’s Trust Office at the Utah Office of Education, SITLA organized the photo challenge asking K-12 students, parents, teachers, and administrators to show how School LAND Trust Funds are used in their schools. Con Amore School allocated its trust funds to rent aquatic facilities, which allows students with autism, sensory processing disorders or other disabilities to participate in adaptive physical education programs known to help increase positive academic outcomes. North Point Elementary School uses its School LAND Trust Funds for its Kindergarten Rocket Readers Program, which provides targeted literacy support at the very earliest level. This program has helped the youngest learners “blast off” into literary success by eliminating problems before they become ongoing concerns. Elementary, middle, and high schools throughout the state received $64.25 million in School LAND Trust Funds this school year, up 30 percent over last year. The $64.25 million is interest and dividends from the $2.3 billion-plus Permanent School Fund, which houses earnings generated from lands managed by SITLA. Individual schools use their School LAND Trust funds on projects determined by its School Community Council. This council, which includes parents, teachers, and the principal, identifies and discusses its school’s particular needs and administers the funds accordingly. Annual distributions from the Permanent School Fund have grown tremendously, from just $8.3 million in fiscal year 2004 to $64.25 million this year. This growth is due to the support of state policymakers, investment returns generated by the School and Institutional Trust Funds Office, and $1.7 billion by SITLA from development on Utah’s 3.3 million acres of school trust land.