AEF Awards More Than $60,000 in Classroom Grants

Aldine Education Foundation (AEF) awarded 13 Innovative Teaching Grants to educators across Aldine ISD as the AEF “Prize Posse” surprised them when visiting their respective campuses on Wednesday, November 15.

The grants announced totaled $60,269 and were funded by generous donor-designated gifts as well as monies raised through AEF’s annual golf tournament. Since 2013, AEF has awarded 62 grants totaling $212,854.

The Prize Posse’s bus stops included:

  • Nimitz Ninth Grade to award a $1,234 grant to Karen Caldwell for a program where students create clothing with recycled materials;
  • Nimitz High School to award a $7,490 grant to David Ericson for a robotics project for students in partnership with Thomas Tolson at Aldine High School;
  • Dunn Elementary to award a $6,000 grant to Anamarie Hernandez to help students travel the world through reading;
  • Magrill Elementary to award a $6,880 grant to Marie Clay so students can learn to code and create an app;
  • Lewis Middle School to award a $4,856 grant to Jeff Tienor for technology to improve music skills;
  • Davis High School to award a $7,441 grant to Chelsea Davis-Bibb for a project to improve student writing skills;
  • Shotwell Middle School to award a $720 grant to Mable Holt for a virtual reality writing project across middle schools;
  • Gray Elementary to award a $5,705 grant to Kim Boquilon for a project to introduce special needs students to a wider range of interests;
  • The Bamberg Staff Development & Resource Center to award a $3,140 grant to Michaelann Kelley for a Visual Arts Department program for advanced placement students;
  • Keeble EC/PreK to award a $6,342 grant to Sonia Stapleton for a project to provide listening centers to improve students’ vocabulary acquisition;
  • Aldine Ninth Grade to award a $7,465 grant to Tiffany Sims for a digital media and printmaking program;
  • Black Elementary to award a $1,496 grant to Hillary Volkman for a project to provide Maker Space materials for student STEAM activities; and
  • MacArthur High School to award a $1,500 grant to Eva Lanczos for a project to increase the cultural acclimation and English proficiency of students new to the US.

This year’s Prize Posse representatives included AEF Board Members Rose Avalos, Dr. Charlotte Davis, Bill Ginder, Jeff Hartmann, Jay Hibbard, Nadine Kujawa, David Smith, and Stacey Smith as well as AEF staff Judy Hoya and Michele McGovern.