December
6, 2023 – Rosenberg, Texas – This week, and just
in time for the holidays, the District’s Lamar Educational Awards Foundation
(LEAF) awarded $345,237.91 to 350 teachers during this
school year’s “Grant Express,” which will fund more than 100
classroom innovation grants.
On December 5, LEAF hosted the “Grant
Express” for the 2023-2024 school year where 73 representatives
loaded buses and traveled throughout the District to surprise teachers in
their classrooms with giant checks. Representatives included foundation
partners, district administrators, Lamar CISD Board of
Trustees, and LEAF Board Members.
“Everything we do is for the kids. My wife is the
PE instructor at another campus, and we both applied this year. We both won,
which means the kids won,” grant recipient Brian Stuckey and PE Coach
at Long Elementary School said. He will use the funds to
purchase neon gym games such as bowling and mini golf.
During the application process, almost 300 different projects
were submitted for consideration, and then thoroughly reviewed and scored
by the foundation committee members and volunteers. Awarded projects included
activities such as exploring artificial intelligence in healthcare, riding
bikes while reading, and simultaneously teaching literacy and robotic
programming. Teachers will use these grants to elevate the
learning experience for all students within Lamar CISD.
“This is our second teacher grant distribution for 2023,” LEAF
Executive Director Kameela Lewis said. “I am ecstatic to announce
this fiscal year, we have distributed more than $550,000 in
grants that help bring ideas to life and spark student connections. We
can’t do this alone. The generosity of our foundation partners makes this
all possible.”
LEAF is grateful to many special guests who joined the event
including representatives from Brazos Valley Credit Union, First
Financial Group of America, PBK, Rice &
Gardner, Stantec, and Russo’s New York Pizzeria – Greatwood. If
you are interested in supporting the mission of LEAF, you can make a
tax-deductible donation and become a Friend of the Foundation by emailing [email protected].
To view event photos,
please click HERE.
⤓ Download the Press Release