Every year, during the Convocation ceremonies at NEISD, the North East Educational Foundation (NEEF) brings joy and excitement to teachers by surprising them with a Student Impact Grant check. Seeing the joy and emotion as teachers’ wishes for their classrooms came true was heartwarming. Additionally, NEEF held drawings at each cluster, allowing teachers to win HEB gift baskets and rolling totes filled with essential school supplies! The ceremonies commenced at Roosevelt High School, which was electric, with teachers celebrating the new year with cheers, beach ball games, and more.
Notably, the Space and Engineering Technologies Academy (SETA) at Krueger Middle School received $11K for the Giant Moon and Mars Map Project, allowing students to explore the Buzz Aldrin Foundation Curriculum and learn about living on the moon and Mars. At the Madison Cluster Convocation, Carrie Van Cleave of Woodstone Elementary was awarded $3,088.16 for a Sensory Room, benefiting the school’s special education program.
During the Churchill Cluster Convocation, Kimberly Villarreal, an art teacher at Bradley Middle School, was awarded $2,879.30 for the “Air Brushes for Art” project. This initiative aims to enhance the graphic arts skills of advanced art classes by incorporating airbrushing into various mediums such as murals, sculptures, and clothing.
At the LEE Cluster Convocation, Jetrina Salazar-Licon, a special education teacher at Castle Hills Elementary, received $7,039.51 for the “Senses and Sensibilities” project. This project will provide students with a safe area to recover from behavior challenges. Another grant of $11,661.98 was awarded to The Ferrari Center—Driving Seeds of Change—Amy Kamata & Carl Sevier. The Ferrari Center is a learning center for adults offering over 50 English as a Second Language (ESL) and High School Equivalency (HSE) classes weekly, plus citizenship classes and workforce certification classes called IETs (Integrated Education and Training). They will use the land as a garden area for students to practice their English, volunteer, and learn sustainable gardening.
Joaquin Hernandez, the Principal at MacArthur High School, received a $60,200 grant for the MacArthur Integrated Career Technical Education Garden. The garden will support various programs and initiatives while also offsetting the costs of the culinary program through food production.
At the Johnson Cluster, Cibolo Green Elementary was awarded $6,616.35 for the CG Likes to R&R (Relax and Refocus) grant. The funds will be used to purchase a Relax and Refocus starter kit for every classroom from PreK to 5th Grade. With this resource, staff and students will maximize using this space to self-regulate emotions and incorporate SEL lessons within their curriculum.
Finally, Reagan Cluster grant winner and ESL Teacher Heather Thurston received $7,857.95 for Bush Middle School to purchase Inchy’s Bookworm Vending Machine. The grant aims to promote a love of reading across the diverse student body by including books that cater to various cultures, ages, and backgrounds, including titles in both Spanish and English.
It’s essential to recognize the NEEF board’s unwavering commitment to supporting NEISD, tirelessly working to provide teachers and classrooms with the tools they need to thrive. These stories serve as a testament to the profound impact of community support and the invaluable role of organizations like NEEF in shaping the future of education.
