Members of the Pasadena ISD Education Foundation join with school district officials and corporate sponsors Tuesday morning to celebrate hitting the $1 million mark in mini-grant funds awarded to district teachers since 2003.
Prize Parade Stop at Jackson Intermediate Makes History
The Pasadena ISD Education Foundation made district school teachers feel like a million bucks on Tuesday -- and in a very real sense.
Representatives of the Education Foundation and the Pasadena ISD held their spring Prize Parade, launching surprise visits at 21 district campuses to reward 33 teachers and groups of teachers who had written successful grant requests.
Most significant was the stop at Jackson Intermediate, where a mini-grant check from Albemarle Corp. for $5,000 was presented to a trio of music educators for the purchase of sound and recording equipment.
The $5,000 check officially pushed the Education Foundation's total mini-grant funding, since the program was launched in 2003, over the $1 million mark.
Bill Barmore, president of the Education Foundation, called the latest round of mini-grant awards "a great milestone."
"What a great honor it is to be able to provide the students of Pasadena ISD with enhanced educational opportunities, brought to us in the form of innovative mini-grants by the talented educators of our district," Barmore said.
"We at Jackson Intermediate feel very honored to be the recipient of the grant that is the millionth dollar in mini-grant money that the foundation has given over the years," said the school's principal, Paula Sword.
"Pasadena ISD Education Foundation has given so many opportunities for the students in our district. They have worked tirelessly to raise the funds for the numerous mini-grants they have provided."
District officials applauded the milestone by handing out "Thanks A Million" candy bars to Education Foundation members and mini-grant sponsors.
By far, the big Prize Parade winner was Williams Elementary, which landed six mini-grants worth $14,188.
Teachers at Pasadena High, Sam Rayburn High and Moore Elementary earned three mini-grants each. Jessup Elementary landed two.
Mini-grants were also awarded to Memorial High, The Summit, the L.P. Card Center, Shaw Middle School, Morris Middle School, Melillo Middle School, Fisher Elementary, Sparks Elementary, Red Bluff Elementary, Bush Elementary, Gardens Elementary, Kruse Elementary, Parks Elementary, McMasters Elementary and Turner Elementary.
Mini-grant awards on Tuesday totaled $113,553, raising the eight-year total to $1,103,250.
Barmore gave credit to the hundreds of volunteers who contribute time and money to Education Foundation events.
Said Barmore: "This represents the culmination of countless hours of volunteer work done in connection with the Texas Invitational Basketball Tournaments, the Shining Stars Galas and the Dancing with Principals events, the generosity of hundreds of faithful educators with their donations to the Cornerstone Club, and the faithfulness of individuals and corporate partners in their financial contributions to the Foundation."
Click on the campus links below for additional mini-grant news and photos.
Representatives from the Albemarle Corp. join Jackson Intermediate teachers and staff in celebrating the mini-grant sward that broke the $1 million barrier: (left to right) Jackson Principal Paula Sword; Albemarle representatives Karen Berner, Karen Bounds and Rick Schriever; Jackson peer facilitator Suzanne Smith; Jackson counselor Angela Waggoner; and Jackson music teachers Allen Grubbs, Bradley Jacob and Anthony Lesario. Smith and Waggoner wrote the winning grant request.
LINKS FOR CAMPUS MINI-GRANT NEWS AND PHOTOS:
BUSH ELEMENTARY
FISHER ELEMENTARY
GARDENS ELEMENTARY
JESSUP ELEMENTARY
KRUSE ELEMENTARY
McMASTERS ELEMENTARY
MOORE ELEMENTARY
PARKS ELEMENTARY
RED BLUFF ELEMENTARY
SPARKS ELEMENTARY
TURNER ELEMENTARY
WILLIAMS ELEMENTARY
MELILLO MIDDLE SCHOOL
MORRIS MIDDLE SCHOOL
SHAW MIDDLE SCHOOL
JACKSON INTERMEDIATE
PASADENA HIGH SCHOOL
PASADENA MEMORIAL HIGH SCHOOL
SAM RAYBURN HIGH SCHOOL
L.P. CARD CAREER and TECHNOLOGY CENTER
THE SUMMIT
