Education Foundation of Odessa awards over $72K to ECISD teachers

The Education Foundation of Odessa awarded nearly $73,000 in grants to Ector County ISD teachers for the upcoming school year, fulfilling 12 elementary classroom requests and 13 secondary classroom requests.

The grants fund teachers’ efforts in a variety of areas, from supporting the Odessa Career & Technical Early College High School’s first ever robotics team, to funding STEM projects for Cameron Elementary students and programs that enhance proficiency in reading and math at Johnson Elementary. See the list of awardees below.

Every year, teachers, principals and administrators from across the district submit proposals to the Education Foundation. A committee of Foundation Board members and community volunteers then evaluates the grants on their innovation, creativity, student need being addressed, sustainability and content.

The Foundation has now awarded more than $2.8 million in teacher grants.

“These grants have been instrumental in funding the seedling of our Bookworms Program that touches every Pre-K through 1st grade student in the district, bringing innovation to the classroom and encouraging great teachers to go that extra mile,” said Lisa Wyman, Education Foundation board president.

2023-2024 Grant Recipients

Carver Early Education Center
Teacher(s): Tatum Galindo, Kristin Medina
Bugs, Worms, and Frogs! Life Cycles and Changes – $1,200.00

Teacher(s): Paula D’On Paquette, Kristin Medina
Growing Lil’ Life Long Gardeners – $350.00

Lamar Early Education Center
Teacher(s): Brooklyn Arias
PreK Picks a Peck of Pumpkins – $3,266.28

Cameron Elementary
Teacher(s): Selsa Lerma, Diana Tavarez, Blanca Urrutia, Noemi Cuevas De Chacon
Learning Through STEM Projects – $2,089.99

Teacher(s): Selsa Lerma
Technology is the Key – $549.00

Hays Elementary

Teacher(s): Mischel Pinon
Rugs Alive – $254.00

Johnson Elementary

Teacher(s): Dr. Zenovia Crier, Principal
Building Foundational Math – $3,780.00
AR/MYOn Reading Development – $12,000.00

Teacher(s): Lance Wolf
Science Field Trip to Planetarium – $3,100.00
Gardening Club – $2,000.00

Zavala Elementary
Teacher(s): Erin Reddell, Linda Marquez
Pawn Stars – $892.00

Teacher(s): Erin Reddell, Crystal Campbell
Giggle, Giggle, Quack – $2,535.00

Alternative Education Center
Teacher(s): Reynaldo Duran
Gamifying School Counseling – $1,102.72

Bonham Middle School
Teacher(s): William Pettigrew, Hector Izaguirre, Brian Barrientes
From Bare Bones to Baritones – $4,000.00

OCTECHS
Teacher(s): Shelley Wagner, Mark Perales
To Walk in Their Shoes Symposium – $4,500.00

Teacher(s): Shelley Wagner, Danielle Jones
Our FIRST ROBOTICS Team Ever!!!! – $1,600.00

Teacher(s): Shelley Wagner, Bridgette Profit
Get ENVOLVEd! – $2,000.00

Odessa High School

Teacher(s): Dallas Kennedy
Sitting in Style! – $1,700.00

Teacher(s): Cheryl Sellars, Chyree Lemaster
Rockin’ the Renaissance Again – $1,000.00

Odessa High School & Bowie Middle School

Teacher(s): Francesca Florance
Empowering Harp Performance – $2,000.00

Perian High School

Teacher(s): Ashley Sikora
Sensory Friendly Environment – $2,497.98

Teacher(s): Leondra Holman
Specialized Classroom Coffee Cart Adventure – $1,936.19

STEM Academy

Teacher(s): Candice Sikes, Shannon Davidson, Karey Grametbaur
Unlocking the Secrets of the Brain – $12,000.00

Teacher(s): Iva Hodges, Nicole Olivas, Keli Gunn
Enhancing Education Through Podcasting – $3,000.00

CTE Department

Teacher(s): Christina Butler
Aquaponic Pond – $3,347.08