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‘Prize Parade’ delivers grants
  
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By JERI MARTINEZ
It was that time of the year again when teachers and staff from around the Deer Park Independent School District received grants to be able to do specialized lessons in their classrooms that they otherwise would not be able to do without the help from the Deer Park Education Foundation.
About 30 individuals including foundation board members, community members, administrators, cheerleaders and band members marched through halls last Thursday at each campus chanting and cheering as they surprised faculty with their checks during the annual “Prize Parade.”
Students at each campus were allowed to come into the hallway to see the band members and cheerleaders while their teachers were presented with a check or checks.
“This is absolutely my favorite day out of the year,” said Sheri Brown, Deer Park Educational Foundation coordinator. “It’s rewarding to us and my board members by getting to see the kids succeed for the future by doing extra things in the classroom.”
Close to $67,000 was given out to 80 faculty members in the form of 48 grants that morning and will be used for projects that will help enhance the quality of their students’ education.
A few of the teachers were recipients of more than one grant this year.
A board of review which consists of campus principals, district administrators, instructional specialists and education foundation board members go over all of the grants to make sure they meet district innovative, Texas Essential Knowledge & Skills and foundation criteria.
“Once they meet all of that then we try to give them some money,” said Brown.
They look at the needs and the creativity of the grants and base it from that.
Some of this year’s grant winners had lessons such as math and science in Jeopardy!, “Wild About” writing, “Eee-ooo, Dissecting! The Food Chain Revealed, box turtle domain, and the Deer Park High School musical. The musical grant was partially funded in honor of Sammie Stone.
Others were in relation to TAKS testing and positive behavior.
This is an opportunity for them to go above and beyond in order to get the kids interested in the subject, Brown said.
The DPEF believes that with these grants that it will help provide the students with opportunities for full participation in the democratic society and the increasingly complex world.
Once the grants are finalized then the campus principals are notified that they have grant recipients and it is kept a secret from the teachers so they can be surprised on the day that the “Prize Parade” makes a visit to their school.
A few of the teachers were surprised when the group showed up to their classrooms and didn’t know what to say such as Parkwood Elementary teacher Deana Parrish.
“Thank you all so much, I am so excited,” she said.
Michelle Maxson, of the Early Childhood Center, was also surprised to learn that she received a grant because she didn’t think she would get it, but of course she was excited when she learned she was awarded one.
The education foundation belief statement says that the difference between a good preparation and a great preparation may be the “little extra” that enhance the education all students receive.
In 1991, the foundation was incorporated to acquire and distribute resources that enhance, supplement and extend the educational services offered by DPISD.
Brown said this money is raised through generous donations from the community leaders, industry, individuals and two yearly fundraisers.
About 30 individuals including foundation board members, community members, administrators, cheerleaders and band members marched through halls last Thursday at each campus chanting and cheering as they surprised faculty with their checks during the annual “Prize Parade.”
Students at each campus were allowed to come into the hallway to see the band members and cheerleaders while their teachers were presented with a check or checks.
“This is absolutely my favorite day out of the year,” said Sheri Brown, Deer Park Educational Foundation coordinator. “It’s rewarding to us and my board members by getting to see the kids succeed for the future by doing extra things in the classroom.”
Close to $67,000 was given out to 80 faculty members in the form of 48 grants that morning and will be used for projects that will help enhance the quality of their students’ education.
A few of the teachers were recipients of more than one grant this year.
A board of review which consists of campus principals, district administrators, instructional specialists and education foundation board members go over all of the grants to make sure they meet district innovative, Texas Essential Knowledge & Skills and foundation criteria.
“Once they meet all of that then we try to give them some money,” said Brown.
They look at the needs and the creativity of the grants and base it from that.
Some of this year’s grant winners had lessons such as math and science in Jeopardy!, “Wild About” writing, “Eee-ooo, Dissecting! The Food Chain Revealed, box turtle domain, and the Deer Park High School musical. The musical grant was partially funded in honor of Sammie Stone.
Others were in relation to TAKS testing and positive behavior.
This is an opportunity for them to go above and beyond in order to get the kids interested in the subject, Brown said.
The DPEF believes that with these grants that it will help provide the students with opportunities for full participation in the democratic society and the increasingly complex world.
Once the grants are finalized then the campus principals are notified that they have grant recipients and it is kept a secret from the teachers so they can be surprised on the day that the “Prize Parade” makes a visit to their school.
A few of the teachers were surprised when the group showed up to their classrooms and didn’t know what to say such as Parkwood Elementary teacher Deana Parrish.
“Thank you all so much, I am so excited,” she said.
Michelle Maxson, of the Early Childhood Center, was also surprised to learn that she received a grant because she didn’t think she would get it, but of course she was excited when she learned she was awarded one.
The education foundation belief statement says that the difference between a good preparation and a great preparation may be the “little extra” that enhance the education all students receive.
In 1991, the foundation was incorporated to acquire and distribute resources that enhance, supplement and extend the educational services offered by DPISD.
Brown said this money is raised through generous donations from the community leaders, industry, individuals and two yearly fundraisers.
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