Thanks to the generous support we receive from individuals, corporations, foundations and employee giving, we were able to award over $64,000 to teachers and staff this spring. These funds are used to improve and enrich the learning experience of our students.
One of the over 70 individual winners, Catrina Mougia, is using her grant money to add a hydroponics system to her food science classroom at Lakeview Centennial High School.
Michele Querry’s students will learn problem solving and collaboration with the breakout boxes her grant allows her to purchase, providing a unique experience for her students much like visiting an escape room.
James Ifurung is using his grant money to start a STEAM program for newcomer students, helping them build confidence as they learn English and prepare to participate in STEAMposium.
Several teachers will now have robots and other engaging resources to help their students learn coding and turn lessons into video games. Other grants focus on resources for reading such as audio books, rhyming and phonic awareness materials and even games to help prepare for STAAR.
We love seeing how teachers use their grant money to implement special programs in their classroom. Scholarship winners are using their money to continue their education, pursuing Masters in everything from school counseling to educational leadership.
Each semester, the foundation embarks on a "grant blitz" to surprise teachers and staff with news of their award. GRS-TV was there to capture the reactions of some of the Spring 2018 recipients.
