Milestone $2 Million Given in Eight Years with $348,087 Awarded This Year
Katy, TX ~ The Katy ISD Education Foundation recently announced its eighth year of Inspiring Imagination teacher grant recipients. Thanks to the faithful giving of its investors and broad-based community support, the Foundation kept its promise to a record number of teacher grant applicants. More than 350 Katy ISD teachers at 44 different campuses were awarded teacher grants this year. Grant activities range from fine motor skill equipment to swine lungs and medical mannequins, and extend to all subjects and grade levels. Funding will be provided for the 2020-2021 school year.
The Foundation exists to raise support for and manage its Inspiring Imagination teacher grant program, an initiative that funds innovative classroom instruction not possible within the parameters of a school district budget. Grant funds are raised through annual pledges from business and community investors, one-time contributions and Foundation-hosted events: Fireflies & Foodtrucks, GROOVE and Reason2Race. 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 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 www.katyisdeducationfoundation.org.
The Katy ISD Education Foundation recently reached a milestone $2 million in teacher grants awarded through its Inspiring Imagination teacher grant program, including this year’s $348,087 total. Over 350 Katy ISD teachers at 44 different campuses received funding for innovative classroom projects for the 2020-2021 school year.
Katy ISD Education Foundation Inspiring Imagination Grant Recipients
2020-2021 School Year
Campus Collaborative Team of Two Grants – Two campuses for up to $2,500
Stockdick Junior High and Paetow High School
Adapted Balls, Parachute and More, led by Shanna Canales (Stockdick Junior High)
Taylor High School and West Memorial Junior High
Deaf and Hard of Hearing “Rotten Tomatoes” Book Critiques, led by Andrea Alford (Taylor High School)
Campus Collaborative Team Grants – Three or more campuses for up to $5,000
Katy, Mayde Creek, Morton Ranch and Paetow High Schools
Podcasting to Create Educational Awareness, led by Russell Sadberry (Katy High School)
Seven Lakes, Katy and Cinco Ranch High Schools
Wired to Program, led by John Paul Kirk (Seven Lakes High School)
West Memorial, Katy, WoodCreek Junior Highs and Katy High School
Orchestral Library Hub, led by Natalie Koepp (West Memorial Junior High)
Individual Grants – One teacher for up to $1,000
Alexander Elementary, Raising the Bar for Student Success, Heather Spahr
Morton Ranch High School, Hands on Computer Science in the Classroom, Susan Hoyt
Rhoads Elementary, Let’s LEGO!, led by William Vaughn
Team of Two Grants – Two teachers for up to $2,500
Cardiff Junior High, Robotics, led by Amanda Ward
Mayde Creek Elementary, Magnets Matter!, led by Stacy Pontius
Morton Ranch Elementary, We’re Not Lost… We’re Reviewing Science!, led by Todd Stapleton
Raines High School, Rigid vs. Flexible, led by Kimberly Stacks
Shafer Elementary, Successful Learners in Life Skills, led by Deborah Brome
Exploring Our World- Seeing Life in Three Dimensions, led by Stacey Stokes
WoodCreek Elementary, Marvelous Mallets, Marvelous Me!, led by Bonnie McSpadden
Team Grants – Three or more teachers for up to $5,000
Adams Junior High, Include Me, Partners in PE, led by Amy Fuqua
Project Voice, led by Laura Smith
Beck Junior High, Unlocking the Past, led by Christopher Duarte
Breaking the Mold: Teaching with Breakout EDU, led by Rebecca Gruen
Bethke Elementary, Math in Action, led by Pamela Richardson
Bryant Elementary, Powerful Passion Projects Part 2, led by Penny Flores
Campbell Elementary, The Edible Schoolyard, led by Jillian Boehm
GEMS, Are You Thinking Bling?, led by Gabriela Bogani
BRAIN STEMs, Planting Inspiration and Imagination, led by Liliana Duarte
Cinco Ranch High School, Makin’ Waves, led by Todd Montgomery
Cinco Ranch Junior High, Mathletics, led by Natalie Scott
Co-LAB-orative Kids, led by Misty Thomson
Early Childhood Intervention, Keep on Movin & Groovin- Motor Skills in Infants & Toddlers, led by Denise
Cloyes
Mi Mochila del Desarrollo, led by Karla Ojeda
Fielder Elementary, Swivling Students and Teachers to Success, led by Kendall Barrientos
Engaging Students Learning Through VR Experiences, led by Aaron Ihlenfeldt
Science Lab Equipment, led by Saima Peer
Hayes Elementary, STEM Outside the Box, led by Cathy Black
Coastal Conundrums, led by Sarah Clark
Holland Elementary, Using Math Tool Kits to Build A Strong Math Foundation, led by Traci Grange
Code to Success, led by Heather Tomberlin
Hutsell Elementary, Changing the World Through Makerspaces, led by Thomas Miller
Jenks Elementary, Designing Tomorrows Future, led by Nicole Busby
Designers of the Future: 3D Trailblazers, led by Susie Davis
Journalism is for the IGeneration too!, led by Heather Giles
Make a “Difference” just Swivl!, led by Amanda Keeter
Light up our Learning, led by Mariah Mallard
Katy Junior High, Dirt’s on Fire, led by Susan Hayes
Sense, Think, Act with Robots, led by Sara Szymanski
Kilpatrick Elementary, Robot Petting Zoo!, led by Sharon Audelo
King Elementary, Gateways to Science Success, led by Michelle Donaldson
School to Home Connection – Fact Fluency, led by Julia Faber
Growth Mindset with Maker’s Spaces, led by Amaya Spillman
Mayde Creek Elementary, STEAM Challenge Backpacks to the Rescue!!, led by Mary Hardman
Reaching our Potential through Purposeful Play, led by Janet Wilkins
McMeans Junior High School, Books-Food for the Brain, led by Lynette Alidon
Memorial Parkway Elementary, Let’s Talk!, led by Melissa Palestina
Next Level Cinema Production, led by Maria Ungaro
Miller Career & Technology Center, Man, Oh Manikin! Practice Patients for Practicing Medicine, led by Laurie Conrad
Cooking in the Classroom, led by Marguerite Penewitt
Morton Ranch Elementary, Shaping the Future, led by Jennifer Lynn Schnaidt
Morton Ranch High School, Next Step, led by Alicia Blankenship
100 Years of Action, led by Sarah Gonzalez
Morton Ranch Junior High, Probing into the Future with Vernier Technology, led by Kimberly McGowen
Nottingham Country Elementary, A Literate Life: The Right of Every Child, led by Morgan Marberry
Paetow High School, C-3PO, The Future is Still in Our Hands, led by Mary Ann Miron
Boys Will Be Boys…Who Read & Lead: Bridging the Gender Gap, led by Myrea Schmidt
Pattison Elementary, Can You Hear Me Now?, led by Suzanne Pham
Rhoads Elementary, Nothing but the Facts – 24® Game Tournament, led by Man-Wai (Angel) Chan
Flexing with Math Fluency, led by Allyson McCoy
Rockin’ Robots Code for Success, led by Angela Smith
Endless Reading Adventures, led by Marilyn Volschenk
Rylander Elementary, Breakout and Learn!, led by Shasta Glasenapp
Acoustics, Poetry, Music, led by Megan Kessler
Shafer Elementary, Teaching Texas, led by Lindsay Wade
Stephens Elementary, Ukes for ALL!, led by Mary Manceaux
Sustainable Me, led by Stacy Slater
Stockdick Junior High, Speaking Up: The Power of the Spoken Word, led by Kelly Oliver
Sundown Elementary, The Cozy Corner Reading Room, led by Audra Gorsuch
Taylor High School, Illuminating Chemistry Classrooms with Spectroscopy, led by Hoainam Nguyen-Jackson
West Memorial Junior High, The Magic of Digital Cameras Unleashed!, led by Elizabeth Shaikh
Williams Elementary, Ready Set Glow, led by Katherine LeVrier
Wolfe Elementary, Partnering for Literacy Content, led by Megan Barnett
Effective Guided Reading, led by Krista Jolley
Wolman Elementary, Let’s Talk About Facts, led by Karissa Bolin
Books, Buddies, and Bundles of Fun!, led by Shayne Byrne
STEAMing Up Fine Arts Learning, led by Emily Lucas
Grow Me, led by Judi Miser
A Tournament of Books- March Madness, led by Tori Waskawic