The Katy ISD Education Foundation recently announced its sixth year of Inspiring Imagination teacher grant recipients. Over 300 Katy ISD teachers at 42 different campuses were chosen for grants this year. Grant activities range from school gardens to robotics and extend to all subjects and grade levels. Funding will be provided for the 2018-2019 school year.
This school year, the Foundation raised and distributed more than one-half million dollars to its Katy ISD community: $250,000 in Harvey relief for Katy ISD staff and students followed by $314,691 in teacher grants. The Foundation exists to raise support for and manage the grant program, an initiative that funds innovative classroom instruction not possible within the parameters of a school district budget. The Foundation’s Board of Directors launched its one-time Harvey Fund special project in response to the storm’s effect on the Katy ISD community.
Grants are made possible by annual pledges from business and community investors, one-time contributions and events. The Foundation hosts two major fundraising events every year: Fireflies and Foodtrucks, slated for October 18, 2018, and GROOVE on March 29, 2019. BP, the Foundation’s Cornerstone Investor, funded multiple grants for its BP STEM Grant Program. The Katy ISD Education Foundation is an independent 501(c)(3) organization for which donations are tax deductible to the extent allowed by law. To learn more, contact foundation@katyisd.org, 281-396-6031 or
Photo Caption: The Katy ISD Education Foundation recently awarded more than $314,000 in teacher grants, bringing its six-year grant program total to $1.3 million. Over 300 Katy ISD teachers at 42 different campuses received funding for innovative classroom projects for the 2018-2019 school year.
Katy ISD Education Foundation Inspiring Imagination Grant Recipients 2018-2019 School Year
Individual Grants – One teacher for up to $1,000
Cinco Ranch Junior High, Mobile Motor Lab, Brittany Vega; Creech Elementary, You CAN Do the Rubix!, Donna Parker; Kilpatrick Elementary, Little Storytellers-Big Ideas, Laura Bennett; King Elementary, Charging Up Science!, Barbara Minenko; McDonald Junior High, “Unlocking” Advanced Learners’ Potential with Breakout EDU, Heather Anderson; Taylor High School, On Campus Coffee Delivery Service, Edward Skaggs
Team of Two Grants – Two teachers for up to $2,500
Team of Two Grants – Two teachers for up to $2,500
Exley Elementary, Uke Are My Sunshine and Tubanos, led by Sabrina Silva; Fielder Elementary, Coding For All, led by Kathy Counterman; King Elementary, Bringing Brain-Work to Physical Education, led by Sarah Dockery; McDonald Junior High, “Scope-ing” Out Informational Literacy in Science and ELA, led by Kristin Vaughn; A Cardboard Springboard: Virtual Reality as Visual Supports, led by Felicia Hood; Morton Ranch Elementary, Checkmate!, led by Hilda Vargas; Lego We Do Coding 2.0, led by Jennifer Schnaidt; Randolph Elementary, Music: The Great Escape, led by Anna Villanueva; Sensory on Wheels, led by Sarah Simmons; Shafer Elementary, It’s a “BOT” Learning, led by Stacey Stokes; Stanley Elementary, Creative Inspiration, led by Jennifer Shortt; Tays Junior High, Micro:bit GO, led by Trevor Gibson, West Memorial Elementary, Wild Things Nature Club, led by Jennifer Lightsey; Wolman Elementary, “BOOST” Student Learning with Computer Science, led by Diane Austin
Team Grants – Three or more teachers for up to $5,000
visit www.katyisdeducationfoundation.org.
About the Katy ISD Education Foundation –The Katy ISD Education Foundation unites people and companies with big hearts and a big belief in Katy ISD teachers and students to provide unprecedented opportunities for both. To join us in helping extraordinary teachers create extraordinary classroom experiences visit http://www.katyisdeducationfoundation.org/
Alexander Elementary, ELA STEAM for the Win!, led by Mary Batycki; Thinkers and Tinkers Full STEAM Ahead, led by Rachael McKnight; Bear Creek Elementary, Striving for STEM Innovation, led by Colleen Dominguez; Bethke Elementary, Classroom Collaboratory, led by Alicia Lambert; Ready Bodies, Ready Minds, led by Kesley Thompson; Teaching with Tech, led by Jennifer Johnson; What is this “new” math?, led by Kevin Weekley; Bryant Elementary, #BOTSquad: Ozobots, Robot Mouse, Dash & LEGO Boost, led by Nidia Casillas; Fun + Algebra = Yes!, led by Paige Hellman; Cinco Ranch Junior High, Exploring World Cultures Through Virtual Reality, led by Lauren Rowe; MAKING A Difference, led by Caitlin Graham; Movement Makes a Difference, led by Ashley Johnson; Creech Elementary, Connecting With Our World Through Blogging, led by Alicia Osen; Empowering Minds Through Play, led by Rebecca Fielden; Davidson Elementary, Clay and Drums Making an Impact in Young Minds, led by Vanina Orendorff; ECI Project TYKE, Developmental Buddy, led by Anna Gonzalez; Ready, Set, Take it Home, led by Denise Cloyes; Golbow Elementary, STEAM-rolling past Hurricane Harvey, led by Ashley Brewer; Hayes Elementary, Blast into Phonics in a Snap!, led by Amanda Pulido; Buy Buy Books, led by Pat Mitchell; HACK Creativity, led by Allyson Patterson; Solid Foundation, led by Laurie Funes; Holland Elementary, Voices Heard: A Student Run Newspaper, led by Stephanie Nady; Hutsell Elementary, Robotics and STEM: It’s Elementary!, led by Thomas Miller; Jenks Elementary, Beautiful Bars Project, led by Mary White;
Katy Elementary, Books! Beats! Boogie!, led by Leslyn Jacks; King Elementary, Fairy Tales to Further Learning, led by Katherine Treadaway; Math in the Real World, led by Julia Faber; Mayde Creek Junior High, Miniature Skeletons and Miniature Interactive Torsos, led by Kaitlin Bartuska; McDonald Junior High, Transforming Intervention Reading with Flexible Seating, led by Allison Fields; McMeans Junior High, We’ve Got The Beat, led by Kristine Moline; World Cultures Outreach, led by Lee Anne Butts; Memorial Parkway Elementary, Re-LT, led by Steve Kowalski; Memorial Parkway Junior High, Growing Together, led by Brenda Williams; Our Place, led by Suzanne Kujawa; Miller Career and Technology Center, A Crash Course on Emergency Crash Carts, led by Jennifer Dugger; Morton Ranch Elementary, Bilingual & Biliterate in the 21st Century Round Two, led by San Juana Esquivel; Kindergarten Enrichment, led by Tamara Bryan; Multi-Sensory Environment/Room, led by Angela Rippley; Nottingham Country Elementary, READ: Read, Enjoy and Discover-Reading With Your Parents, led by Megan Sullivan; Recipe for Success, led by Gina Vidal; Raines High School, Immersive Virtual Reality Education, led by Payton Bartee; STEM Discovery Center, led by Asrar Maye; Randolph Elementary, All Aboard the STEM Train!, led by Lindy Davis; Seven Lakes High School, Transforming Students into Escape Room Artists, led by Kelli Andrascik; Shafer Elementary, Discipline, Respect, and Unity through MusicCollaboration, led by Melanie Braddy; Little Scientists: Exploring Their Way Into the Future, led by Becky Pecot; Math Tools in Action, led by Amanda Saldana; Skip and Jump, led by Sara Ballard; Stockdick Junior High, Flight, led by Malvina Castillo; Sundown Elementary, Growing Scientist, led by Angelique Ramon-Valdez; Help Our Gardens and Minds Grow, led by Mary Smith; Taylor High School, Forensics Cumulative Activity – The Case of Sacco & Vanzetti, led by Jessica Mixon; SmartMicroScope USB Microscopes Cross-Curricular Technology, led by Lisa Estill; Tays Junior High, Establishing a Mars Colony, led by Stephen Bennett; Tompkins High School, Engaging and Differentiating Investigations in Physics, led by Tina Vu; West Memorial Elementary, Train Your Brain!, led by Brittany Brehm; West Memorial Junior High, Force and Motion through the Years, led by Kendall Zurbuchen; Williams Elementary, Drum Jam Community, led by Jennifer Patterson; Winborn Elementary, Coding Creations, led by Dawn Gray; Wolman Elementary, Read React Respond (R3) Book Club, led by Jennifer Studdard; WoodCreek Junior High, Partners PE, led by Abbie Wylie