The sounds of the Mount Pleasant High School Fight Song rang out in gyms across Mount Pleasant ISD last Friday. It was an atmosphere full of energy as MPISD celebrated “Grant Day” on November 4 with a flurry of excitement and fanfare provided by members of the MPHS Goin’ Gold Band and Colorguard, Tiger Dolls, and Varsity Cheer squad. The MPISD Education Foundation proudly awarded $34,995.06 to 31 individual staff members on seven different campuses, bringing their total to over $500,000 in just 8 years.
Fall 2023 grant recipients and their funded projects are:
Frances Corprew Elementary School ($10,427.72): Jamie King for competition Robotics kits, Melanie Falkner for Reading/Writing Instructional material and STAAR practice, Candice Watkins for Math Instructional material and STAAR practice, Tiffani Powell for Spanish Language Arts Instructional material and STAAR practice, Christie Ridenour for shoelaces to teach students how to tie their shoes, Jessica Williams for items to transform the classroom into a donut shop, racetrack, hospital, and vet clinic to correspond with different lesson units, Donna Smith for a Smart Board, Vicki Brown Lee for Scottish Rite Dyslexia Build program and books, Ashley Sterrett for electric keyboard, CDs, and books, and Nakeisha Gardner for cursive writing learning kits.
E.C. Brice Elementary School ($8,000.00): – Ruth Sustaita for a Smart Board, Sonia Garcia for a Smart Board, Frances Morgan Hooks for a Smart Board, and Kayla Molina for a Smart Board.
Vivian Fowler Elementary School ($4,879.26): Patsie DeSantiago for flexible seating, David Forest for a rock-climbing wall and mats, Claudia Klump for a smart TV,sound bar, Apple TV box, and wall mount, and Julie Merrill for a smart TV, sound bar, Apple TV box, and wall mount.
P.E. Wallace Middle School ($7,145.80): Penny Phetteplace for a Smart Board, Tara Flores for VEX Robots competition upgrade kits, Diane Swiger for a Smart Board., Madison Burns for materials for an indoor garden system, Maria Sonia Ibanez for iPads, cases, Apple TV, and organizational materials, and Elda Hernandez for wireless mics and Bluetooth speakers to be used for community and campus events.
Mount Pleasant Junior High School ($770): Azeneth Castro for an outdoor gazebo and picnic table.
Mount Pleasant High School ($3,082.42): Jaton Broach for stretching straps and yoga blocks, Kati Bell for poster making supplies, Jack Jones for metal, caster, and spray paint to build P.E. carts for elementary school, and Margaret Bradley for Circuit Venture, supplies, and stand.
Titus County Shared Services ($689.86): Natalie Lee for behavior reset center materials, and Rachel Lee for games to be used during speech therapy.
“We are so thankful to the MPISD Foundation for again presenting grants to our staff members,” said MPISD Superintendent of Schools, Judd Marshall. “These funds will allow our teachers to do things that will benefit our students that would not be possible without Foundation assistance as they fall outside the budgets for our campuses. These supplemental funds will help us enrich the learning experiences of our students. I am also very thankful to all our employees and community members who have donated to the Foundation. Without them, these grants would not be possible.”
“The Foundation Grant Patrol toured different MPISD campuses on November 3rd to surprise the grant recipients with the news that their grant requests had been selected for funding,” said Mariela Crockett, MPISD Foundation Executive Director “It was an awesome time, as always! This fall the Foundation awarded $34,995.06 to 31 applicants throughout the District. The Foundation has awarded over $561,000 in grants to MPISD teachers and administrators in our eight years of operation. We could not have accomplished so much without the support from MPISD staff members and the Mount Pleasant community and we are very grateful for that support.”
Anyone interested in getting involved with the MPISD Foundation should contact Crockett at 903-575-2000
