Laugh and cry with GEF as they deliver grants to district educators

Teacher receiving big grant check

Is it a bird... Is it a plane... No, it's Super-GEF with giant checks!

The Garland ISD Education Foundation (GEF) broke records in January when they delivered 200 grants and scholarships to teachers and staff across the district. A whopping $254,563 was awarded to employees to improve classroom and campus experiences for students or to further staff education.

Each year in the fall, district educators have the chance to submit grant proposals outlining their ideas for supporting GISD students. Watch district information channels in the second half of this year for when you can submit a 2023 proposal.

The predominant theme from the last round of proposals was SEL and student wellness. Campus staff focused on promoting well-adjusted citizens. Amy Sinclair, the counselor at Beaver Technology Center, applied for funds to create grief kits for students experiencing loss. The materials and resources provided in the take-home kits will give Amy the ability to reach students and parents on campus and beyond.

Traditional topics such as literacy, fine arts and math also received a share of the grants, though our imaginative teachers came up with creative ways to promote their subjects. Bradfield Elementary’s librarian, Kelsey Ray, applied for a grant to fund indoor/outdoor floor cushions for her campus. Bradfield students will now be able to enjoy reading in a variety of settings. For the second year running GISD campuses received funds to install book vending machines. These vending machines have proved so popular with young readers that our teachers came back for more. Students at Shugart and Watson will soon be enjoying books from their new vending machines.

Delivering grants to support kids in public education is about as feel-good an activity as you’ll find. Join GEF President Lisa Cox as she journeys across the district surprising grant recipients, and try to keep the smile off your face. Then see the full list of 2022 grant and scholarship recipients below.

2022 Grant and Scholarship Winners

Name School Amount Category
April Abla Lister 3,000.00 Other
Christine Adame Rowlett 400.00 Other
Kristina Alcocer-Cejin Spring Creek 750.00 Scholarship
Erika Alvarado FACE 750.00 Scholarship
Erica Anderson GHS 1,000.00 SPED
Seleta Andrus Webb 1,511.10 Science
Lisa Anthony Freeman 828.00 Other
Lisa Anthony Freeman 2,989.63 Other
Lisa Anthony Freeman 417.00 Other
Angie Arey Heather Glen 1,500.05 Literacy
Jonathan Armstrong FACE 2,000.00 Other
Candace Bach Liberty Grove 2,000.00 Other
Jennifer Baker Williams 2,751.00 Math
Jennifer Baker Williams 1,305.00 Literacy
Tish Baltao Park Crest 2,860.00 Science
Elizabeth Barrett Cooper 1,000.00 Furniture
Katie Battenfield Bullock 2,897.71 Other
John Beltz Northlake 556.79 Technology
Teranee Berry Luna 1,000.00 Scholarship
Victoria Bezares Southgate 1,440.13 Other
Victoria Bezares Southgate 1,000.00 Scholarship
Monica Black Shugart 650.00 Other
Monica Black Shugart 500.00 Other
Monica Black Shugart 1,000.00 Other
Monica Black Shugart 459.00 Other
Melva Bradley Weaver 130.00 Literacy
Edda Brown Parsons 967.00 Other
Tiffany Burkett Sellers 1,000.00 Scholarship
Emily Caldwell Pearson 1,000.00 Other
Crystal Carter Bussey 2,000.00 Literacy
Crystal Carter Bussey 175.00 Other
Kristen Chinn Pearson 750.00 Scholarship
Aileen Cruz Watson 181.44 Math
Angelica Cruz Calixtro Memorial 750.00 Scholarship
Jordan Davis Kimberlin 2,603.55 Other
Emily Day Couch 2,772.91 Literacy
Sara Deal GHS 1,000.00 Science
Delma Defoor Watson 529.91 Literacy
Delma Defoor Watson 383.70 Literacy
Delma Defoor Watson 3,000.00 Literacy
Maria Diwa Spring Creek 1,000.00 Literacy
Tammy Doroshow Rowlett 2,000.00

SPED

Rushondra Elder Hickman 3,000.00 Other
Magdalena Ferguson Jackson 750.00 Scholarship
Kimberly Finke Sam Houston 1,000.00 Scholarship
Christopher Fleming SHS 1,000.00 Other
Teresa Fontenette Watson 481.58 Science
Maureen Foster Northlake 2,922.00 Other
Shanna Frost Loeza Walnut Glen 178.00 Other
Roxana Gaitan Shorehaven 500.00 Technology
Jennifer Ganter LCHS 1,000.00 Scholarship
Deborah Garthwaite Carver 2,000.00 Math
Selene Garza Golden Meadows 977.70 Literacy
Christy Geller Schrade 561.78 Technology
Shannon Geltman Special Education 3,000.00 SPED
Denise Gerberich Pearson 1,000.00 Other
Cascelia Glover Dorsey 242.97 SPED
Amanda Godwin NFHS 1,999.90 Other
Marily Gonzalez Steadham 1,000.00 Furniture
Debra Goodrich SHS 1,103.34 Other
Jon Greuel SGHS 3,000.00 Other
Jon Greuel SGHS 1,000.00 Other
Jon Greuel SGHS 1,000.00 Other
Jon Greuel SGHS 1,000.00 Other
Jon Greuel SGHS 1,000.00 Other
Meredith Grotti Daugherty 2,872.80 PE/Athletics
Yvette Guzman Rowlett 3,000.00 Other
Nicole Harper-Hohenberg SHS 982.00 Other
Nicole Harper-Hohenberg SHS 996.39 Other
Alexander Hartdegen Park Crest 1,500.00 SPED
Jill Havard Special Education 3,000.00 SPED
Paul Hawkins SHS 700.00 Technology
Travis Hayes Club Hill 2,000.00 Literacy
Kimberly Hendricks Spring Creek 1,920.55 Other
Kimberly Hickman Hudson 1,808.16 Literacy
Kimberly Hickman Hudson 986.82 Literacy
Leslie Hill Steadham 1,000.00 Other
Alexis Hill RHS 2,000.00 PE/Athletics
Heather Hillebrenner LCHS 1,000.00 Other
Elizabeth Hinkley Dorsey 738.00 Music
Amy Hubschman Handley 1,994.16 Other
Michelle Hudson Walnut Glen 900.00 Science
Rachada Iturrino SHS 1,000.00 Fine Arts
Shuwanda Ivery Spring Creek 1,000.00 Other
Dakota Jackson NFHS 1,000.00 Science
Amanda Jennings Bussey 1,500.00 Other
Amanda Jennings Bussey 835.00 Fine Arts
Chloe Johnson Davis 250.00 Other
Carole Jane Johnson NFHS 2987.66 Other
Danielle Johnson Dorsey 750.00 Scholarship
Natalie Johnson Facilities & Maintenance 750.00 Scholarship
Shelby Jones Armstrong 1,000.00 Scholarship
Larry Kennedy GHS 2,000.00 Other
Heba Khalil SHS 3,000.00 Other
Shannon Klein Sewell 998.76 Literacy
Verallen Kleinhenz Sellers 1,000.00 Music
Felicia Lavarn Park Crest 2,836.88 SPED
Abraham Leal Spring Creek 996.79 Literacy
Nikki Lem NFHS 750.00 Scholarship
Andrea Lonzano Weaver 1,000.00 Scholarship
Cecilia Lopez Jackson 1,164.00 Science
Nayelli Lopez Houston 802.00 SPED
Tina Lowry Rowlett 539.46 SPED
Jami Lynn LCHS 3,000.00 Other
Magaly Mancera Freeman 3,000.00 Technology
Reginald Marcellus Sellers 300.00 Social Studies
Barry Martin Watson 325.00 Music
Crystal Martinez NGHS 1,000.00 Other
Crystal Martinez NGHS 1,000.00 Other
Rick Mayberry Austin 444.15 Literacy
Deirdre McCown LCHS 789.87 Other
Deirdre McCown LCHS 934.45 Literacy
Carrie McCullough Montclair 1,000.00 Scholarship
Angela McGill NFHS 268.73 Other
Sarah McGuire Stephens 3,000.00 Literacy
Sarah McGuire Stephens 400.00 Technology
Danny Medina Rivera Guidance & Counseling 572.16 Other
Kim Megahan Cisneros 3,0000.00 Other
McKenzie Membreno Bussey 750.00 Scholarship
Christie Milam LCHS 1,000.00 Other
Amy Miller Caldwell 805.57 SPED
Stephanie Montgomery Schrade 1,000.00 Other
Julie Moore Heather Glen 500.00 Other
Anthony Moran Weaver 900.00 Science
Hati Munetsi Herfurth 402.95 Other
Jack Murphy Lyles 3,000.00 Other
Jack Murphy Guidance & Counseling 70.96 Other
Jack Murphy Guidance & Counseling 317.61 Other
Jack Murphy Guidance & Counseling 61.96 Other
Maureen Nall Weaver 2,590.89 SPED
Haley Neahr GRCTC 1,000.00 Other
Haley Neahr GRCTC 2,070.85 Other
Ashli Orban Austin 750.00 Scholarship
Michael Owens Hickman 1,900.00 Fine Arts
Toni Pelayo CRCTC 1,000.00 Other
Lisa Pharr Bullock 551.20 Other
Katherine Powell Couch 2,500.00 Other
Rachel Privitt Club Hill 1,000.00 Scholarship
Erica Ramirez Beaver 624.21 Science
Melanie Ramirez Southgate 750.00 Scholarship
Kelsey Ray Bradfield 400.00 Other
Kelsey Ray Bradfield 1,505.16 Technology
Victoria Reed Shorehaven 1,000.00 Scholarship
Tammy Reid Bussey 577.00 Other
Magdalena Reyes Lopez Beaver 750.00 Scholarship
Terrence Ricketts GRCTC 412.08 Technology
Julie Rilana Keeley 2,498.00 Science
Shannon Roberds-Coffey Herfurth 310.00 Literacy
Shannon Roberds-Coffey Herfurth 427.00 Literacy
Nina Robinett Steadham 560.25 Literacy
Nina Robinett Steadham 931.57 Science
Edna Rodriguez Davis 1,000.00 Literacy
Rosanna Rodriguez Special Education 3,000.00 SPED
Betzaida Rojas Daugherty 1,000.00 SPED
Kelsey Ruckel Coyle 389.97 Fine Arts
Maria Ruiz-Robles Office Of Innovation 750.00 Scholarship
Melissa Rushing NGHS 1,500.00 Other
Lisa Sanborn SHS 200.00 Other
Staci Sanford Brandenburg 1,000.00 Scholarship
James Saunders GRCTC 1,000.00 Scholarship
Amy Schaefer Abbett 1,421.28 PE/Athletics
Kelly Shelton Hillside 2,000.00 Other
Jessica Shindle Handley 464.40 Other
Ashley Shine Teaching & Learning 2,878.24 Science
Rhonda Simpson Dorsey 3,000.00 Other
Amy Sinclair Beaver 1,100.00 Other
Nikki Smith Centerville 1,550.00 Other
Nikki Smith Centerville 1,820.86 Literacy
April Smith GRCTC 1,000.00 Other
Krista Smith Carver 2,000.00 Music
Courtney Smith Couch 1,000.00 Scholarship
Heather Somoza Armstrong 2,000.00 SPED
Karla Sosa Cisneros Pre-K 500.00 Other
Rana Stamm SHS 500.00 SPED
Tracy Stanphill Transportation 2,000.00 Other
Anne Summitt Club Hill 2,000.00 Other
Jessica Tanguy Abbett 458.32 Science
Cheryl Taylor Caldwell 400.00 Other
Laura Thomas Weaver 413.77 Science
Sara Tomlinson Toler 2,836.88 SPED
Melissa Turingan Sellers 939.77 SPED
Heather Turley Vial 1,330.00 Fine Arts
Christie Turner SGHS 1,000.00 Other
Michelle Usher Vial 460.25 Math
Jazmin Vega Rowlett ES 750.00 Scholarship
Noemi Ventura Tello Golden Meadows 1,000.00 Scholarship
Amanda Waits Sewell 975.15 Other
Dr. Kristina Weeks Schrade 2,000.00 Literacy
LaShaka Wesley Hosier Teaching & Learning 2,000.00 Technology
Rebekah Willis Walnut Glenn 1,092.52 Other
Rebekah Willis Walnut Glenn 1,366.89 Other
Rebekah Willis Walnut Glenn 817.39 Other
Monica Wood Beaver 3,000.00 SPED
Danielle Wright Roach 2,000.00 Other
Leah Wright Vial 2,968.56 Other
Christina Young Southgate 1,678.77 Other
Taegan Ziviski & Missy Bryant Watson 1,963.65 Science