2022 Teacher Grant Awards

The Foundation awarded $48,915.15 in teacher grants in 2022, a record amount!

The grants went to teachers at every school and in a variety of disciplines from music to technology and from books to manipulatives. The awards were:

• Stayin’ Alive, Stayin’ Alive – submitted by Kelly Eastman, WWJH.  Affects 115 8^th grade students.  Dollar Amount Approved: $1000.  The money from this grant will be used to purchase 10 adult and 4 infant CPR manikins.  CPR certification training will be taught to all 8^th graders enrolled in health classes.  CPR is a vital life skill and providing this training will be beneficial to our schools, our community, and the families of the students. 

• Science Lab Equipment and Supplies for Greater Student Success – submitted by Mandy Roberts as a team with Bria Jordan and Emily Sides, EINT.  Affects 190 4^th grade students.  Dollar Amount Requested: $2759.58.  The money from this grant will be used to purchase science lab equipment such as beakers, graduated cylinders, beam balances, circuits and electrical components to test them, three-dimensional models, magnets, mass weights, weather measuring tools, soils, and supplemental curriculum and supplies.  These materials will allow the students to gain hands-on, real-world application of scientific concepts and give them the opportunity to test hypotheses in a practical environment.  The equipment should last for 10-12 years, if not longer. 

• TIME for Kids magazine supplement for reading Language Arts – submitted by Angie Kenley as a team with Ramona Nelson and Katie Fulton, WWJH.  Affects 255 5^th grade students.  Dollar Amount Requested: $1402.50.  The funds from this grant will be used to purchase a one-year print and digital subscription to TIME for Kids magazine.  Students will be engaged with newsworthy, up-to-date, worldly topics that will spark curiosity, critical thinking, and writing skills.  These magazine issues will enhance the future state testing changes that will align with science and social studies content and even technology.  These issues will be used for years since they are digitized including 95+ years of historic content for future use. 

• Building Balanced Bulldogs – submitted by Alison South as a team with Cliff Wilke, EJH.  Affects 680 6^th – 8^th grade students.  Dollar Amount Requested: $1851.94.  The money from this grant will be used to purchase different equipment and tools to fulfill a new classroom that aims to help students regulate emotions, break down barriers, and equip students with coping strategies be successful in the classroom.  Some of the items include weighted blankets, floor mats, stress balls, sand timers, bean bags, and much more

• Texas Foreign Language Association Fall Conference – submitted by Emily Taylor as a team with Elisa Lerma, WHS.  Affects 600 8^th-12^th grade students.  Dollar Amount Requested:  $1028.  The money from this grant will be used to pay for the TFLA Conference in Allen, TX, for two Foreign Language teachers.  A minimum of two. Consecutive years of a World Language is required by Texas for all students to graduate from high school.  With this funding, these teachers will have access to diverse educational sessions including the most up-to-date methodologies, innovative resources, and immersive experiences.  These educational opportunities will be implemented at all levels in the department which affects more than 600 students per year across three campuses.  Interesting note:  These teachers were granted this same request in 2020 by the WBEF but had to forfeit the money and experience due to Covid. 

• History Department Chromebooks – submitted by Kendall Harrison as a team with Grant Martin, Michael Elliott, James Toney, Patricia Snow, Cullen Hayworth, Josh Gillespie, Garrett Dowell, and Markelle Martin, WHS.  Affects 1300 9^th-12^th grade students.  Dollar Amount Requested: $6,900.  The money from this grant will fund 25 Chromebooks and one Chromebook Charging Cart which will be used as supplemental educational resources and technology in the 9 classrooms.  The Chromebooks will be used by students to dig deeper and expand their knowledge on Social Studies topics.  Students will have access to assessments and study preparation programs such as Kahoot!, Quizlet, and Google products.  They will also be able to access Google Classroom, which many teachers utilize for their subject assignments and additional resources.  The Chromebooks will also be helpful in implementing the Science, Technology, and Society History STAAR objectives and teaching the students how to be appropriate digital citizens. 

• Cross-Curricular Technology Integration – submitted by Sydney Enderlin as a team with Ursula Brekke, Julie Stewart and Erinn Rice, EJH (will transfer to EINT next year).  Affects 87 5^th grade students.  Dollar Amount Requested: $4,000.  The money from this grant will be used to purchase 12 iPads for students to use in the classroom to enhance daily instruction and motivation to learn.  These additional iPads would make enough for a “class set”.  Students will practice a variety of skills, conduct research, take assessments, and communicate through this technology.  

• Sparking Students “Smarticles” – submitted by Suzanne Wright, ECC.  Affects 40 preschool students with disabilities.  Dollar Amount Requested: $989.42.  The money from this grant will be used to purchase classroom educational toys, manipulatives, printer supplies, and lamination pouches for visuals and educational activities.  These learning tools will help students with disabilities reach their individualized goals and objectives.  The toys, manipulatives, and activities will provide an engaging and fun opportunity for students to learn and master the skills that are necessary to begin a strong foundation for their academic experience.  These materials will help provide creative lessons to reduce generalization and gain retention. 

• Hands-on learning materials to support reading and STEM in kindergarten – submitted by Sheryl Davis, ECC.  Affects 20 kindergarten students.  Dollar Amount Requested: $564.40.  The money from this grant will be used to purchase hands-on, concrete manipulatives to support reading and STEM in kindergarten.  These manipulatives will help young students connect to abstract concepts, use their imaginations to build and create, and will build STEM problem-solving skills, teamwork, and communication skills. 
• Leadership Literature – submitted by Kristian Spencer, WEJH.  Affects 250 7^th and 8^th graders.  Dollar Amount Requested: $891.70.  The funds from this grant will be used to purchase a variety of literary resources to support the leadership and SEL curriculum taught in the Interpersonal Studies and LEAD classes.  These resources include class sets of 3 different books, along with 7 other books used to present the curriculum.  These resources will allow the students to not only investigate what leadership is but to see it present in novels, through self-reflection, peer interactions, their relationships, and more.
• Social Skills Through Games and Toys – submitted by Kristina Hadaway, ECC.  Affects 50 Special Education and Pre-K students.  Dollar Amount Requested: $995.09.  The money from this grant will be used to purchase materials to help make and print color pictures to help non-verbal students.  It will purchase more manipulative hands-on activities for math and reading and items that will help with social skills. 
• 7^th Grade Math VersaTiles – submitted by Allie Harris, WWJH.  Affects 250 7^th grade students.  Dollar Amount Requested: $719.96.  The money from this grant will be used to purchase 1 classroom set of VersaTile Workbooks and 4 sets of 8 Answer Cases.  These items will impact student engagement and participation for completion of assignments.  Students will be able to work at their own pace while also checking their answers as they work.  These materials should last more than 10 years. 
• Crossover the Mallet – submitted by Angela McKnight as a team with Mario Trevino, EINT.  Both teachers touch all students throughout the year allowing them to ask for $2,000 each.  Affects 375 4^th and 5^th grade students.  Dollar Amount Requested: $3,963.  The money from this grant will be used to purchase Orff (mallet) instruments of different sizes and West Music for the music classroom.  Mallet instruments allow for children to play multiple notes at one time using mallets in both hands.  Playing mallet instruments forces children to cross the midline of their body which creates space for children to become fluent readers and is a precursor for higher levels of learning.  These instruments will last for many years. 
• Wylie West Junior High PE Equipment – submitted by Adrienne Ruffin as a team with Shay Cox and Garrett Cox, WWJH.  Affects 600 5^th-8^th grade students.  Dollar Amount Requested: $2,928.28.  The money from this grant will be used to buy footballs, football belts, dodgeballs, corn hole sets, jump ropes, storage shelves, basketballs, and a dry erase board.  These items will help to improve health, social skills, and teamwork. 
• Hands-on STEM Learning in Pre-K – submitted by Lacey Kennedy, ECC.  Affects 18 Pre-K students.  Dollar Amount Requested: $976.95.  The money from this grant will be used to purchase a Magnetic Center with Turn and Learn Magnetic Gears and an Engineer a Coaster Activity Kit, See-inside Magnetic Blocks, Color Changing Light Table with Manipulative Center, and Crazy Shapes Magnetic Building set.  These items will support and encourage STEM learning while keeping the students engaged in hands-on learning. 
• Get Back to the Basics While Giving a Helping Hand – submitted by Megan Oliver, WElem.  Affects 44 2^nd grade students.  Dollar Amount Requested: $990.86.  The money from this grant will be used to purchase board games to practice basic math facts and financial literacy while building social skills such as teamwork and following directions.  It will, also, purchase flashcards, coverslips, and colored covers to meet the needs of dyslexia and ADHD students.  Additional items will create an organized student desk and classroom library such as boxes and baskets.  Most items will last 3-4 years. 
• Sorry about the “mess”, we are learning here – submitted by Karissa Garcia Sanchez, ECC.  Affects 18 Pre-K students.  Dollar Amount Requested: $991.89.  The money from this grant will be used to purchase various hands-on Learning Center items.  The items will include Math, Science, and Alphabet manipulatives as well as multicultural baby dolls with various accessories to help promote learning through play.  These learning center items will give students more opportunities to learn social, emotional, and educational skills through play. 
• Fine Motor and Small Group Update – submitted by Leah Pruitt, ECC.  Affects 18 Pre-K students.  Dollar Amount Requested: $412.84.  The money from this grant will be used to buy manipulatives that promote fine motor skills, small group differentiation, and student-directed learning in free choice centers.  The new materials will help students gain confidence with holding a pencil, using scissors, finding fun in letters and numbers, and encouraging their choices and engagement with their own learning.  The materials should last 8 years or more. 
• Cooking Necessities for Daily Living Class – submitted by Rachel Hamilton, WEJH.  Affects 7 Functional Academic 5^th-8^th grade students.  Dollar Amount Requested: $436.  The money from this grant will be used to purchase cooking appliances and supplies.  They will be used to provide hands-on learning experiences for special needs students.  They will have the opportunity to practice making recipes, learn proper food handling, and how to cook to ensure future independence.  The appliances and tools will be used for many years to come. 

• The Great Escape – submitted by Jeanette Rodriguez, WEJH.  Affects 120 8^th grade students.  Dollar Amount Requested: $912.  The money from this grant will be used to purchase six Breakout EDU kits and two years’ worth of online subscriptions.  The Breakout EDU brings a real-life escape room to the math classroom.  The kits will provide students with a different platform to review concepts they have learned while developing team-building skills to complete various tasks to ultimately make their great escape.  The subscriptions will last two years and will be renewed at the discretion and expense of the teacher. 

• Let’s Scope Out Our Love of Reading! – submitted by Tanya C. Miles, WWJH.  Affects 85 6^th grade students.  Dollar Amount Requested: $934.05.  The money from this grant will be used to buy 85 Scope Scholastic reading magazines.  These will empower middle school Language Arts students with thrilling multi-genre stories and engaging activities that strengthen literacy skills and instill a lifelong love of reading.  It inspires kids to think critically about their world with resources that reflect their lives, interests, and identities.  Plus, these monthly magazines reach every reader with an ever-expanding set of differentiation tools, like thoughtfully leveled texts, audio read-aloud support, and more. 

• Cross-Curricular Connections – submitted by Angie Kenley as a team with Stephanie Barham, WWJH.   Affects 80 5^th grade students.  Dollar Amount Requested: $1,631.77.  The funds from this grant will be used to purchase fiction and nonfiction books to enhance the transfer of learning across all discipline areas, especially in reading, language arts, science, and social studies.  Students will have the opportunity to make deeper connections and make learning a meaningful and impactful experience. 

• Pushing Through Pottery – submitted by Lisa Camp, WHS.  Affects 150 10^th – 12^th graders.  Dollar Amount Requested: $600.  The money from this grant will be used to purchase a North Star Stainless Steel Clay Extruder package.  This package includes both the extruder and the dies needed to create different shapes both hollow and solid.  With the use of this manual classroom tool, the students will be able to create the base and basic structure of their clay works more quickly and have more class time to focus on the design aspects of their works.  This clay tool will last for many years. 

• Sing, Say, Read, Play – submitted by Mario Trevino as a team with Angela McKnight, EEL.  Affects 775 1^st, 2^nd, and 3^rd graders.  Dollar Amount Requested: $3,994.04.  The money from this grant will be used to buy drums and resonator bell sets to better learn collaboration and real-world social-emotional learning skills.  Instrument group and partner work aid in musical collaboration using learned skills such as active listening, applicable music theory, and historical and cultural relevance.  Students will take tools learned in the music classroom and apply them in other parts of their daily lives. 

• Broadcasting Class Develops with a Quality Camera – submitted by Ann Hurst, WWJH.  Affects 20 8^th grade students.  Dollar Amount Approved: $1,000.  The money from this grant will be used to purchase a Canon XA11 camcorder so that students can create quality video and film projects including interviews, campus announcements, creative films, awareness segments, and promotional videos.  The camera is a great camera for beginner journalism projects.  The technology will also contribute to building a multimedia/broadcasting program. 

• Popular Book Series Collection for the Library – submitted by Suzie Haden, EINT.  Affects 350 4^th-5^th graders.  Dollar Amount Requested: $1,988.95.  The money from this grant will be used to purchase 151 books for the new East Intermediate library.  These popular fiction book series have been requested by the students.  The books will add to the small selection currently available and will encourage a love of reading that can inspire students for a lifetime.

• Novelty in Early Childhood Education Experiences – submitted by Jillian Johnson, ECC.  Affects 15 Pre-K students.  Dollar Amount Requested: $997.80.  The money from this grant will be used to purchase 17 learning activities and defined center areas.  The activities include sorting, fine motor skills, social-emotional interactions, dramatic play, math and reading skill-building. These items will bring more opportunities for students to be engaged and explore learning through play with their peers. 

• Sensory and Fine Motor Activities for the TK Classroom – submitted by Mandi McVay, ECC.  Affects 15 TK students.  Dollar Amount Requested: $997.33.  The money from this grant will be used to purchase items and storage materials to add fine motor and sensory activities into the classroom.  These manipulatives will help encourage sensory exploration, incorporate hands-on learning activities, and foster creativity. 

• Student Art Tables/Flexible Seating – submitted by Tina Jones, EJH.  Affects 285 6^th – 8^th grade students.  Dollar Amount Requested: $1,956.80.  The money from this grant will be used to purchase 4 art tables.  The tables will match the current tables used in the art room and will allow for a more uniform environment in the seating arrangements provided to the students.  Being able to vary seating allows for flexible seating options to accommodate various projects, and differing learning styles and maximizes student engagement.