Every year, the Liberty ISD Education Foundation allocates a substantial amount of funds to support innovative teaching projects that may not receive funding from the school district’s budget. The foundation, known for its commitment to enhancing education within the community, raises the money for these grants through a variety of initiatives, including successful fundraisers like the recent Casino Night held in February.
Funds for the grants come not only from fundraising events but also from contributions by individual donors, businesses, corporations, and community service organizations.
This year, the Foundation is proud to announce a total of 14 grants, amounting to an impressive $39,221.10, that will directly impact the quality of education in the Liberty ISD.
Since its establishment in 2007, the Liberty ISD Education Foundation has infused a cumulative total of $360,273.93 into the district through these vital grants. With this year’s grants, the foundation continues to play a pivotal role in advancing education and enriching the learning experience for students and educators alike.
Here’s a closer look at each of this year’s grants:
The Liberty Panthers Mighty Panther Band is poised to undergo a transformative change with the implementation of the Marching Band 2.0 project, at a cost of $1,259.98. This initiative aims to maximize efficiency in rehearsals and provide a better experience for students of various teaching styles. This grant is funded, in part, by the C.W. and Aggie Castle Family Endowment and the Mildred Arnold Endowment.
Liberty Middle School teacher Sarah Clarke received a $3,436.25 grant for Engineering with Sphero BOLT.
Inspired by Rodney Brooks’ belief that hands-on experience is key to understanding robotics, Clarke’s project offers a dynamic opportunity for students to delve into the interdisciplinary world of robotics engineering. Every 9 weeks, a new group of students embarks on an exciting journey exploring various engineering fields. The Sphero BOLT + Code Mat kit, featuring 15 robots, Maze Tape rolls, Activity cards, and a coding mat, empowers students to authentically explore robotic engineering through coding and programming.
The grant to Clarke is funded, in part, by The Norman and Brenda Dykes Endowment, the Dr. Reese and Sara Brown Endowment, and the Dr. Frank S. Griffin Grant.
Liberty High School teacher Sarah Hughes‘ project – “Let’s Connect: Exploring Science” – received a $3,286.70 grant.
According to Hughes’ grant application, the general consensus about the collection and use of data among high school science students is that it is boring. This notion is no longer true with the use of Vernier’s Go Direct Bluetooth sensors. Students will be engaged with the process of data collection in their chemistry, physics, forensic, and environmental science classes. With these tools, students will have the opportunity to explore the world around them scientifically — without the hinderance of wired connections.
This grant is funded by The Jeffrey Family Innovative Teaching Grant.
Liberty Elementary School teachers Julie Pruett, Ashley Smith, Rebecca Hill got a financial boost of $1,050.38 in their initiative to start an after-school book club for fourth and fifth-grade students. “James and the Giant Peach” and “Wonder” are the two books to be read and discussed. Each semester will end with the movie presentation of the book.
This grant funded by the Bruce and Tina Blake Endowment.
Liberty Middle School’s Ashley Smart got an $829.98 for a teaching program called “Baristas in Training.” Baristas in Training is a Whole Group, Hands On, Project Based, Individualized approach to developing academic, communication, social, and job skills through operation of a coffee shop cart. This grant funded by The Liberty Lions Club Grant.
Liberty Elementary School teacher Sommer Beck’s Sensory Bubble Tube for Special Education students is being funded through a $250 grant by the M.J. Ripkowski Grant. This super-active bubble tube will meet the needs of so many LES special education students. This relaxing tube will not only calm them, but also lift their moods while at school. This bubble tube will also benefit students with sensory processing disorders and help decrease meltdowns.
Liberty High School Principal Karen Slack earned a $9,279.93 grant for Embracing Technology. This grant features a wide lens projector with expanded technical functions for a large space for more encompassing and inclusive audiences. The purpose is to expand the audience of all extra-curricular and academic programs throughout LISD. This grant funded in part by The Dawn Fourtiq Grant and the Ellison Miles Grant.
Liberty Elementary School teacher Katelyn McCreight’s project was given a $5,694 grant that will provide scanning pens that can scan text and read aloud for students who have disabilities in reading. The goal is to reduce frustrations of these students in classroom learning. This grant was funded, in part, by the Bill Griffin Sr. Endowment, the Jana Marie Buchanan Grant, the First Liberty Bank Endowment and the Rick Mearns Grant.
Liberty Middle School’s Kirsti McCarty earned a $1,194 grant for BrickLab STEM Foundations, an innovative and comprehensive educational product designed to ignite a passion for science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) in learners of all ages.
This unique set combines the timeless appeal of building with bricks alongside cutting-edge STEM curriculum to create an engaging and immersive learning experience. Imagine being able to build with blocks and learn at the same time. This grant is funded in part by The C.A. (Abe) Miles Endowment and The JoBeth Willoughby Teaching Grant
Liberty Elementary School teacher Marijo Hergemueller received a $997.91 grant to launch a Math Club, which promises to be an exciting afterschool program to help foster students’ love of math. As a group, students will discover how math is used in everyday life situations using a quite different approach based in the TEKS guide to projects. This Grant is funded by the Laura Jane Hartel Endowment.
Liberty Middle School teacher Angela Brooks plans to use her $1,195.67 grant for an Art Legacy Mosaic. Art classes, using individual ceramic tiles, will paint a mosaic as a collaborative class project to be hung as a permanent work of art at Liberty Middle School. This grant funded by the Nora Miles Endowment and the Vara Martin Daniel Innovative Teaching Grant for the Fine Arts.
Liberty Middle School’s Malissa Phillips received a $1,293.75 grant for “Unlocking the Power of Number Sense.” Anyone who has ever encountered a person who has an uncanny ability to process complex math calculations in their heads might have wondered how that was possible.
In certain cases, they may indeed possess exceptional intelligence, but more often, their proficiency stems from having acquired mental math techniques that simplify the calculation of certain mathematical problems. The objective for “Unlocking the Power of Number Sense” is to equip Math & Science Team students with this remarkable skill, enabling them to enhance their competitiveness in the State competition. This grant funded by the Dahlia McManus Endowment.
Liberty High School teacher Sarah Hughes earned a second grant of $7,759.05 for “That’s GENE-ius! DNA Exploration.” This project will allow for real time DNA analysis using state of the art equipment including PCR and Gel Electrophoresis systems. It will also provide labs demonstrating how DNA analysis is useful in every field of science including biology, AP biology, forensic science, health science and environmental science.
This grant funded in part by the Baxter Willis Dunagan, Sr. Endowment, the Liberty County Farm Bureau Endowment, the JoAnn McGuire Endowment, and the M.J. Joe Leonard Endowment.
Liberty Elementary School teacher Brian Beck was given a $2,066.55 grant for “PE: Strength & Conditioning Fun w/ parachutes.” By engaging students using parachutes in P.E. classes, the program will create a fun environment so students can learn about the benefits of cardiovascular health and muscular strength and conditioning.
This Grant is funded in part by the Ken Berry Endowment.
If you would like to donate to help fund future grants, please go to https://securepayment.link/libertyeducationfoundation/ . To contact the Foundation or for more information about joining in our efforts, visit our website at libertyeducationfoundation.net or call Bruce Wright, Foundation Executive Director at 936-641-0367