Lufkin High School cheerleaders and drumline members paraded their way into several Lufkin ISD campuses this morning as the Prize Patrol awarded several teachers with grants to fund their educational projects.
“It’s such an honor and privilege to reward all of these teachers,” Co-captain Cheerleader Caroline Chance said. “I know they work hard and they really need the grant. I think it’s going to help advance their education and the education of those students as well.”
Members of the Prize Patrol, created by Lufkin Education Foundation, awarded 13 teachers in grants totaling $37,087.82 to fund projects at different campuses in the school district. Trout Primary in particular was celebrating today as this was their first year to receive a grant, and not only did they receive one, they received three grants in total.
Trout Primary Teacher Amanda Malone was awarded $3,890.00 for a Rock Climbing Wall project, Teacher Megan Frederick was awarded $2,096.56 for an Outdoor Classroom project, and Teacher Katie Yeary was awarded $4,979.15 for an Alternative Seating Redesign Will Make Our Students Shine project.
“Our plan is to make an outdoor area for the whole school,” Frederick said. “We are hoping to make an amphitheater type, where it goes up, so everybody can see, and have an experiment table in the front so we can do all sorts of learning whether it’s science, social studies, whatever curriculum we want to do out there. (We) just want to have a special place where anybody can go and learn a little bit more.”
Superintendent LaTonya Goffney called the event “powerful” and was excited to see the hard-work the teachers put in, specifically the hard work the teachers put in at at Trout.
“They were intentional in brainstorming and thinking about something that could add value to their campus and help our kids to learn and to have a more engaging experience,” Goffney said. “They did the work and consequently they were awarded more than any other campus.”
Another school celebrating was Lufkin High School, as Teacher Erin Kay, along with the math department, received the largest grant of $5,000 for their Limitless Innovation project.
Chairman of the Math Department Melissa Huffty explained that the money will go towards an innovator hub that will work with students’ TI Nspire Handheld calculators. It will allow the students to increase procedural fluency, practice coding, solving real world problems, and engineering 21st and 22nd century solutions.
“Our education foundation is fewer than four years old, we started it when I transitioned in 2013,” Goffney said. “We spent that first year putting a steering committee together, to see if this was even feasible, and to see the manifestation of that vision is just amazing.”
Here is a list of all the winners along with their grants and project titles:
Vada Hughes and Suzy Jungmann – $4547.95 – Mobile Make Faire: TInkering with Technology
Rebecca Tucker – $2,719.57 – Full STEAM Ahead with MakerSpace
Amber Barnett – $1,572.25 – “Plyo Play Circuit” Stimulating the Mind/Body Connection through Movement
Teresa Roe – $1,256.00 – Surgery is “Suite”
Erin Kay – $5,000 – Limitless Innovation
Amanda Malone – $3,890.00 – Rock Climbing Wall
Jana Richardson – $3,438.84 – Get On the Move with Learning
Laura Yuja – $3,619.77 – Drum Fit
Elli Williams – $407.73 – STEAMing LEGOS
Gustavo Monsante – $2,110.00 – Ultimate Guitar Club
Megan Frederick – $2,096.56 – Outdoor Classroom
Tonya Turnage – $1,450.00 – “Alive” – Self Regulation through Biofeedback
Katie Yeary – $4,979.15 – Alternative Seating Redesign Will Make Our Students Shine
For more information on the Lufkin Education Foundation, visit lufkineducationfoundation.org.
