The twice-a-year awarding of Hays CISD Education Foundation Innovative Teaching Grants is always a time of excitement and joy for grant recipients and this spring’s award winners proved no different.

Seven local grants, funding everything from books to iTouch mobile devices to a trip to the Johnson Space Center, were awarded on Monday. The Education Foundation’s investment in innovative teaching ideas this round amounts to $19,701, bringing the 10-year award total to more than $350,000.

Foundation President Chris Harkrider, as always, is upbeat about the grants and the fund-raising it takes to secure the money for those grants.

“The Foundation continues to work hard to provide a source of funding for the very innovative grants we are awarding. I personally like the broad scope of what we are funding, which are all very important initiatives,” Harkrider said. “The fun part is that you never know where they will lead.”

The full list of Education Foundation grants includes the following:

  • Lehman High School’s J.D. Stumpt and Orlando De la Fuente received $4,000 for their “Wildscape Project,” which aims to establish a permanent Texas Parks and Wildlife-recognized “native Texan” landscape on a portion of the Lobos’ campus.

  • A shared grant of $1,287 went to Tobias Elementary and Simon Middle School, with participants Karen Kessel, Kady Dupre, Kayci Stewart, Tracy Campos, Staci Perkins and Kristyna Doumakes. “What’s New? Newbery!” is the project name and its purpose is to provide boys and girls the opportunity to participate in a book club targeting reluctant readers, as well as those who love to read.

  • Barton Middle School’s Jeremiah Thomas, Sally Foster, and Jacque Burgin received $2,390 for their project, “Digital Camera Initiative — Capturing Moments in Time.” The initiative seeks to build on students’ love of technology and teach advanced photography and related technology skills.

  • Hays CISD’s five middle schools — Barton, Wallace, Dahlstrom, Chapa, and Simon — will share a $3,195 grant for “Read it Forward, Hays CISD.” Implementing the grant are Staci Perkins, Dianne Mueller, Suzanne Krecji, Krystyna Doumakes, and Halley Ortiz. The grant is designed “to bring diverse students together for a common goal, spreading positive messages of one book and a love of reading” among the extended community of learners.

  • Camino Real Elementary’s Issa Medrano received a $500 grant for “Storybook Alive.” Intended to increase students’ enthusiasm for and appreciation of literature, the funds will help purchase recognizable storybook character costumes for teachers and other staff members to wear while reading books and performing dramatic stories.

  • Lehman High School received a $4,506 grant for “Mobile Minds.” HCISD Distance Learning Specialist Christie Rickert will coordinate with Kris Peterson, Paulette Garza, and Jennifer Hernandez on the project. It targets English as a Second Language students, putting iTouch mobile devices in the hands of this class with the intent of creating a digital backpack.

  • Camino Real Elementary’s “Blast Off” grant received funding of $3,823 with Deborah Fullman, Sydney Bradfield and Christopher Bonhamgregory implementing the grant. With the funds, approximately 100 fifth graders and adults will “blast off” for a day of learning and adventure at the Johnson Space Center in Houston, generating excitement shortly before the 5th grade Science TAKS test. Students will create multi-media technology presentations to showcase their new knowledge at the HCISD Technology Showcase.

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