The energy was contagious when the Alvin ISD Education Foundation Winners Wagon surprised teachers on 33 different campuses in the middle of the school day to award 119 of the Foundation’s Innovative Teaching Grants. Students joined in the celebration as staff members at each campus received their giant checks.
A total of $107,050.94 was awarded for grants to teachers and staff at Alvin High School, RISE Academy, Hasse Elementary, Walt Disney Elementary, Stevenson Primary, Nelson Elementary, Harby Jr. High, Alvin Elementary, Alvin Jr. High, Passmore Elementary, Fairview Jr. High, Manvel High School, Mark Twain Elementary, Hood-Case Elementary, Caffey Jr. High, Merdiana Elementary, Iowa Colony High School, Sanchez Elementary, Manvel Jr. High, E. C. Mason Elementary, Shadow Creek High School, Brothers Elementary, McNair Jr. High, York Elementary, Nolan Ryan Jr. High, Marek Elementary, Wilder Elementary, Duke Elementary, Pomona Elementary, Jeter Elementary, Rodeo Palms Jr. High, Savannah Lakes Elementary, and Alvin ISD FSP Department.
Foundation board members, Alvin ISD officials, school board members, parents and community partners rode on school buses from school to school to surprise recipients and award the grants. The Foundation was also assisted by Alvin High School, Manvel High School, and Shadow Creek High School band students, cheerleaders, and mascots.
“The students brought the spirit and the fun to the Winners Wagon and they let everyone know that the Winners Wagon was on campus,” said Carol Nelson, superintendent of schools.
“It is exciting to surprise these teachers and provide extra money to implement innovative ideas in their classrooms. Because of the generous support from our community for the Alvin ISD Education Foundation Turtle Race, we are able to award grants each year,” said Sheila Olson, Education Foundation executive director.
Staff members will use the grant money to implement various initiatives that support student achievement and success at their schools.
Grant recipients from Alvin High School include Eli Lipschultz, Christi Walton, Teresa Luneau, Amanda Peterson, Tauna Leonardi, Jennifer Hammond, John Grimmett, and Rebecca Van Horne.
The grant recipient from RISE Academy was Barbara Trevino.
Hasse Elementary recipients were Ana Dominguez and Susan Bright-Moore.
The Walt Disney Elementary recipient was Gayelyn Stanley.
Stevenson Primary had four recipients including Holly Hilton, Karen Shepherd, Anastazia Cauley, and Laura Lamm.
Grant recipients at Nelson Elementary were Amy Magness, Danica Garza, Megan Robjohns, Amy Davison, and Candus Morgan.
Harby Jr. High recipients were Juli Green and James Post.
From Alvin Elementary the grant recipients were Raquel Vargas and Cynthia Hickman.
Alvin Jr. High grant recipients were Kelly Gonzalez, Elizabeth Rodriguez, and Amy Louthan.
Passmore Elementary recipients were Suyen Vela, Madeleine Fitch, Megan Goodman, Jacqueline Drilling, Emily Carlin, Ashley Gallo and Kim Nichols.
Grant recipients from Fairview Jr. High were Jessica Jackson, Jennifer Bill, Brigitte Bick, Alicia Martinez, Sarah Barron, Andrea Pacheco, Alicia Martinez, Vanessa Villolobos, Chelsea Hobbs, Carolee Osborne, Melissa Watkins, and Damon Gibson.
Manvel High School recipients were Pennie Yancey, Ongel Davis, Jacob Smith, Theresa Lewis, Daniel Fladung, Stephanie Jones, Daniela Koontz, Tamica Baldwin, and Alonzo Silabong.
Courtney Moore with Jackie Caffey Jr. High received a grant.
Mark Twain Elementary had six recipients including Jennifer Hiett, Laura Lankford, Meagan Henry, Macey Nichols, Jeri McGee, and Denise Stanton.
Brittany Baldwin, Bonnie Murray, and Codi Lucenti were grant recipients from Meridiana Elementary.
Iowa Colony High School recipients were Felysha Tamez, Karin Marshall, and Caitlin Cunningham.
Bel Sanchez Elementary had five grant recipients including Angel King, Amie Borden, Adriana Sanchez Cantu, Janneth Martinez, and Julie Merry.
Grant recipients at Manvel Jr. High were Patricia Womble, Robert Borden, Jenny Morgan, Maria Tobar, and Holly Knight.
E. C. Mason Elementary grant recipients were Kelly Chatham, Ashley Harper and Karla James.
The grant recipients at Alvin Jr. High were Kelly Gonzalez, Elizabeth Rodriguez and Michelle White.
Shadow Creek High School grant recipients were Shannon Oliver, Kristen Vollman, Emilee Cavazos, Flora Niznik, Alexis Anderson, Anna Saus, Kim Simon, Michael Abner, Francisco Tejeda, Rafael Balderas, Anna Sasu, David Bailey, Lauren Heckler, Madeline Lacumu, Kimberly Simon, and Rafael Balderas.
The grant recipients at Shirley Brothers Elementary were Celia Garza, Nupur Engineer, Holly Taylor, Jessica Portillo, Sydney Dodson, Kyu Yi, Kelly McFaddin, Jeanie Schultheis, Paige Ricker, Kayla Castillo, Jennifer Stokes, Katherine Lindstrom, Kathy Burt, Ebony Lankford, Amber Hunter, Ndidika Jackson, Sheri Dominique, Tiffany Baker, Kimberly Thompson, Kris Ollivierre, Kheisha Green, Monique Jakes, and Kelly Russell.
McNair Jr. High grant recipients were Misty Kettler, Brandi Kiekel, Alana Scott, Jide Bell, Patricia Murphy, Shreena Punwasi, and Lindsay Brown.
Sixteen staff members at Wilder Elementary received grants including Angela Olivarez, Amanda Boyd, Sandra Godfrey, Barbara Connelly, Allie Lynn, Torey McCord, Samantha McKinzie, Quanastacia Bowens, Stephanie Rivera, Lauren Gengo, Michelle Welker, Samantha Ayre, Taylor Mai, Leigh Dickerson, Siteria Yarbrough, and Elyse Watson.
The Glenn York Elementary recipient was Madilyn Lerma.
Nolan Ryan Jr. High grant recipients were Teresa Fisher, Mileke Russaw, and Mary Sykes-Assadi.
Marek Elementary recipients were Lynne Gillie, Anita Phipps, and Joanna Wang.
The Winners Wagon surprised six teachers at Dr. Red Duke Elementary with grants and the recipients were Jacque Breed, Meredith Mooney, Ashley Champion, Danica Richards, Ashley Thompson, and Olivia Morell.
The grant recipients at Pomona Elementary were Kristen Walker, Frances Morado, and Michelle Delgado.
Don Jeter Elementary grant recipients were Jennifer Matute, and Dr. Erika Aziegbe.
Rodeo Palms Jr. School had nine grants funded and the grant recipients were Barbara Love, Kaitlyn Bourg, and Jessica Jackson.
From Savannah Lakes Elementary Amanda Jaramillo and Phoebe Conerly both received grants.
“We are proud of all our grant recipients this year and can’t wait to see their grants in action,” said Melba Ervin, president of the Alvin ISD Education Foundation Board of Directors, “the Winners Wagon is one of the best days in Alvin ISD. We love making teachers happy and supporting their dreams.”
This year the INEOS ICAN Foundation awarded the Foundation a grant for $6,600 that was designated for Innovative Teaching Grants that focused on STEM. This allowed seven additional grants to be funded and the Foundation appreciates this partnership.
For information on how you can support Alvin ISD students and staff through the Education Foundation, contact Sheila Olson or Melinda Purcell at solson@alvinisd.net 281-331-2586.