Every year, J. Landon Short Mini-Grants for Educators awards small grants valued at up to $500 towards projects that will help Spring Branch ISD students learn and grow. This year, 17 project winners were chosen from 47 grant applications In all, 23 teachers won either individual or campus team awards. A panel of judges chose the winning competitive applications.
District Coordinator for Partnerships & Volunteer Programs Sue Loudis announced the winners during the Sept. 24 monthly meeting of the SBISD Board of Trustees.
The Mini-Grants competition is named for lifelong education advocate and supporter J. Landon Short. Mr. Short, who is deceased, was a founding member of the SBISD Partners in Education Advisory Board.
About $9,500 was awarded this year through the permanent endowment of The Robert and Janice McNair Foundation, and through gifts from the Spring Branch Education Foundation and First Community Credit Union. A pre-meeting reception was held for teachers who won grants this year. Ridgecrest Elementary teachers Ryan Ferrugia and Rebecca Riegel were chosen as one of the winning teams.
They received a Mini-Grant to help their students explore the world of music though an unusual instrument, the ukulele.
The Mini-Grant awarded to the two teachers will be used to buy 25 ukuleles. As students learn how to play the ukulele, they will learn how to read music and have the opportunity to transfer this newly acquired skill to other musical instruments, such as the guitar.
Spring Oaks Middle teachers Betsy Foye and Valarie Nappier won another Mini-grant.
Through their project, eighth-grade students will pick a cause that they feel needs attention and write a persuasive letter in an attempt to convince the class to vote for their cause as the most worthy.
After the students complete their research, write their letters and chose a winning project through a class election, the students will carry out the project.
“This mini-grant will give students the opportunity to work together and realize that they do make a difference in both their school and community. When each class completes their project, they have a sense of accomplishment and better understanding of the result of positive actions,” the teachers wrote in their application.
In addition to these chosen mini-grants, 15 others will help improve the lives of SBISD students and expand their knowledge during the upcoming school year.
2012-13 Winning Mini-Grants
To view all 47 mini-grant applications including the 17 chosen grants click here
Communications Dept. Intern Kali Venable compiled this report.
2012-2013 Winning Mini-Grants
- Jeanette Choy - Terrace Elementary
- Ryan Ferrugia, Rebecca Riegel - Ridgecrest Elementary
- Christine Chumillo - Wildcat Way School
- Ann King - Westchester Academy
- Theresa Schwab Trevino, Sally Craddock - Rummel Creek Elementary
- Valarie Nappier, Betsy Foye - Spring Oaks Middle
- Teresa Dolan - Treasure Forest Elementary
- Mary Beth Lynch - Westchester Academy
- Jim Kirkwood - Spring Woods High School
- Wanda Lamb - Hunters Creek Elementary
- Karen Harrell, Dorothy Thompson - Rummel Creek Elementary
- Virginia (Ginny) Huff - Spring Oaks Middle
- Judith Drilling - Sherwood Elementary
- Tracey Jensen - Stratford High
- Robye Snyder, Ashley Johnson, Margaret Lee - Meadow Wood Elementary
- Christine Englund - Terrace Elementary
- Mario Romero - Thornwood Elementary