Education

The Katy ISD Education Foundation recently announced its eleventh year of Inspiring Imagination teacher grant recipients. Over 375 Katy ISD teachers at 48 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 2023-2024 school year.

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. Grant funds are raised through annual pledges from business and community investors, one-time contributions, and events. The Foundation hosts four major fundraising events every year: Fireflies and Foodtrucks, GROOVE, Dine Out to Donate, and Limelight Run. 

The Katy ISD Education Foundation Inspiring Imagination Grant recipients for the 2023-2024 school year are as follows:

Individual Grants

• Bethke Elementary, Loose Parts and Multi-Sensory Learning in the Early Childhood Special Education (ECSE) Classroom, Led by Avery Seago
• Franz Elementary, Amazing Animal World, Led by Omayra Hernandez
• Katy High School, Let there be laughter...bring Literature Alive!, Led by Anne Stuckly
• Mayde Creek Junior High, Authentic Literary Resources for the Spanish Classroom, Led by CarolDee Ramos
• Jenks Elementary, Samosa, Bao, Empanada- Finding the Common Ingredients in Family Life, Led by Angela Caine
• Memorial Parkway Junior High, Fiddlin’ with Technology: Maximizing Student Achievement in the 21st Century Orchestra Classroom, Led by Alejandro Padro-Fuentes
• Morton Ranch High School, Using Podcasts in the Classroom, Led by Nicole Benke
• Tompkins High School, Coding with Ozobot, Led by Michelle Tuttle
• McRoberts Elementary, Putting the E in STEM!, Led by Jennifer Powell
• King Elementary, Readers for Readers, Led by Mary Kay Sherman
• Rylander Elementary, STEM for Pre-K, Led by Yosleny Garrido
• Robertson Elementary, Meet Them Where They Are!, Led by Lauren Hassig
• Stanley Elementary, Wiggles, Wobbles, but They Don't Fall Down, Led by Amber Valcin

Team of Two Grants

• Exley Elementary, Special Buddies Friendship Cart, Led by Jessica Smith
• Miller Career and Technology Center, Vex Robotics Grant for Innovative Robotics Solutions, Led by Dallas Bergstrom
• Tays Junior High, Connecting Two Worlds Together, Led by Jennifer Tang
• Youngblood Elementary, Building Foundations of Making, Led by Katherine Counterman

Team Grants

• Campbell Elementary
  • Learn, Grow, Butterflies...Go!, Led by Amanda Beebe
  • Petite Palettes, Led by Elizabeth Bishop
  • BRAIN STEMs, Planting & Growing Inspiration & Imagination in Our Students. Year 3, Led by Liliana Duarte
  • Fly Guys: The Sky is NOT the Limit, Led by Kristi Gardner
  • Feelings in 3D, Led by Brenda Greaux
  • Mini Gems: Polishing Our Diamonds in the Rough, Led by Andrea Torres
  • Who Knew School Could Be SEW Much Fun!, Led by Katherine Treadaway
• Adams Junior High Thinking on your Feet! , Led by Valerie Patterson
• Bryant Elementary
  • Let’s Make Sense of Our Emotions: Self-Regulation to Ensure Success, Led by Julie Akerson
  • Help Our Garden Grow! “Growing” Character through Gardening, Led by Penelope Flores
• Beck Junior High, Imprinting Education: 3D Design and Exploration, Led by Elizabeth Herndon
• Cimarron Elementary
  • Diverse Classroom Library, Led by Talesha Poydras
  • It Just Makes Sens(ory)! , Led by Marie Valverde
• Cinco Ranch Junior High
  • Engagement All Around, Led by Leslie Ashby
  • Turning Up the Volume on Differentiation, Led by Kristen Matthews
  • Cube Club Collaborators, Led by Ashley Treadwell
• Fielder Elementary
  • Cultivating Science Literacy, Led by Saima Peer
  • Sensory Interventions 2, Led by Olga Pekar
  • KinderGARDEN, Led by Rebekah Swick
• Coleman Student Support Annex
  • Who Are the People in Your Neighborhood?, Led by April Burdette
  • Overcoming Hurdles to Inclusion with THE OVERCOMER, Led by Sean O’Connor
  • Let Me Play! Inclusion for PE using Switches and Battery Devices, Led by Abigail Wylie
• Exley Elementary, Purposeful Play From Head To Toe, Led by Annabelle Vibar
• Jordan High School
  • Inclusive Balls and Equipment for Collaborative Physical Education, Led by Shanna Canales
  • Childcare Exploration, Led by Kelsey Hutchison
• Williams Elementary
  • Problem Solving Breakout Boxes, Led by Maria Oviol
  • Brr...It's Cold in Here, Let's Learn About the Atmosphere, Led by Laura Shapiro
• Katy Elementary, Sensory Seekers and Mindful Leaders, Led by Coby Dycus
• Katy High School
  • Historical process and development of student learning opportunities, Led by Kimberly D'Angelo
  • Better science instruction with Data and Analysis, Led by Howard "Jay" Jackson
  • 3D Maker Hub, Led by Andrea Mion
• Mayde Creek High School, Drop Everything and Read, Led by Willie Vito
• Mayde Creek Junior High, Makers Make Magic, Led by Rachel Weatherford
• Miller Career & Technology Center
  • "Every Breath You Take": Pediatric and Adult Assessment and Airway Management, Led by Laurie Conrad
  • Keeping cool in Katy, Led by David Philip Shair
  • "You're So Vein" Advancing Clinical Skills, Led by Amanda Wallace
• McDonald Junior High, STEM, Coding, Crafting, and Tinkering: Making a Space for All! , Led by Christina Alvarado
• Memorial Parkway Elementary
  • Empowering Student Learning Outside of the Notebook with Ozobots, Led by Faith Kangieser
  • Cucina Per Tutti Noi: A Kitchen for All of US, Led by Maria Ungaro
• Morton Ranch High School
  • Using Multiple Types of Dry Erase Board to Create Student Models, Led by Jennifer Doiron
  • Engineering Empires, Led by Emily Harrington

Team Grants

• Morton Ranch Junior High
  • Grow With Us Through Gardening! , Led by Chelsea Dowty
  • Shake, Rattle, and Roll: Plate Tectonic Models, Led by Tia Grimm
  • Jazzin' It Up! , Led by John Liner
  • LIFE SKILLS, the SPEDtacular learning environment!, Led by Mohanie Ramlal
  • It's a SMALL world.... to discover!, Led by Zachary Williams
  • Force and Motion: Why, How, WOW!!, Led by LaShaun Wright
  • Making Meaning out of Maps, Led by Zachary Wright
• Nottingham Country Elementary
  • S.T.E.A.M Driven: All of the Lights, Led by Michael Ho
  • Trikes for Tikes, Led by Melissa Nass
• Kilpatrick Elementary, Build It Big With Rigamajig!, Led by Sharon Audelo
• Leonard Elementary
  • 3D kindness, Led by Kelly Bond
  • Story Retelling through STEAM, Led by Danielle Motruk
• Tompkins High School
  • Did Earth pass the test?, Led by Bob Holder
  • Inspiring the Future with 3D Design and Printing, Led by Daniel Sefcik
• Paetow High School, Knock'em Out, ChRiSPeR!, Led by Ashley Griffiths
• McElwain Elementary, Percussion Pals: Using Xylophones and Children’s Literature to Foster Emotional Literacy, Led by Nicole Matthys
• McRoberts Elementary, Chess for All, Led by Rebecca Salinas
• Alexander Elementary
  • Virtual Reality: Where the Classroom Ends, The Experience Begins, Led by Amanda Ballew
  • How I Wonder What I'll Be!, Led by Leigh Ann Cantu
• Faldyn Elementary
  • Every Student Learns Science!, Led by Brooke Foreman
  • Touch It, See it, Do It!, Led by Stacy Pontius
• King Elementary
  • Ozobot Coding and Science Technology: Steam Coding Kits, Led by Karla Phillips
  • Diverse Reads for Diverse Needs, Led by Erin Ramirez
  • Balancing Bodies and Minds through Gross Motor Skills, Led by Michelle Teinert
• Rylander Elementary, Reaching the Summit, Led by Diana Lopez
• Creech Elementary,TRIP: Taking Readers to Interesting Places, Led by Amanda Morvant
• Sundown Elementary, STRONG BODIES, STRONG MINDS!!, Led by Sarah Emshoff
• Robertson Elementary, First Things First!, Led by Kendall Barrientos
• Stockdick Junior High
  • Academic Vividness: Accessibility for Language Learners, Led by Donna Clark
  • Is It A Dream or Is It Reality?, Led by Steven Dickerson
  • Breaking Boundaries through Education, Led by Kiara Thompson
• Seven Lakes High School, Gardening for ALL: An Emphasis on Community, Led by Maria Dahlberg
• Stanley Elementary, Look at Me, Look at You! Children Finding Themselves in the Classroom, Led by Amy Jones
• Taylor High School, Spark of Hope, Led by Alicia J. Leung
• Tay Junior High
  • Generating Geniuses, Led by Katie Beard
  • Recreation For Every Student; A Collaborative P.E. Project., Led by William Huff
  • Building up STEM from Bits to Bots, Led by Molly Niedens
  • Turning Pages, Turning Tides: Empowering Change through Social Action Book Clubs, Led by Kristal Parrish
  • Building Blocks for Middle Grade Mathematics, Led by Jaimie Raulerson
• Wilson Elementary
  • Keyboarding Towards the Future, Led by Alyssa Boudny
  • Extra! Extra! Taking Students from Writers to Journalists: Creating a Student-Run Newspaper, Led by Zulema Esparza
  • STEM GEMS Club - Girls Excelling at Math and Science, Led by Stephanie Watson
• Stephens Elementary
  • Read and Create: Taking the Ordinary to Extraordinary!, Led by Melissa Bryant
  • Let's Have a Moment of Science!, Led by Stacy Slater
• WoodCreek Elementary
  • Speak, Sing, Move and Play - Supporting Emergent Bilingual Students the Musical Way! Led by Christy Bailey
  • Rhythm Road: Traveling the Road Between Music and Social Studies, Led by Bonnie McSpadden
• West Memorial Junior High, Dynamic Junior High Decoders, Led by Madalyn Estrada

About the Katy ISD Education Foundation

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