Monday, December 9, 2024
LAKE WORTH — On Nov. 21, the Lake Worth Education Foundation handed out over $21,000 grants to teachers in LWISD.
The foundation committee reviewed all 19 applications and selected 11 of the best for the foundation board to consider for funding for this year. This year's grant awards totaled $21,750.
The teachers awarded were Sharon Stewart, Susie Tijerina, Holli Grant, Nicolas Salazar, Kinsey Teague, Lisa Lineberry, Alison Jacobson, Rachel Jowers and Amanda Casas.
Lake Worth High School Art Teacher Sharon Stewart is thrilled to have received the grant.
"I was beyond thrilled to be chosen to receive a grant from the Lake Worth Educational Foundation," Stewart said. "The art students participate in many competitions and shows throughout the year and we have been wanting to get a mat cutter to be able to present our students’ works in a professional manner. This grant will allow us to get the equipment needed to show off the amazing artwork our students create."
Since 2014, Lake Worth saw many teachers in the school district who did not have basic materials and supplies needed to fitly educate students in their classrooms. Back then, the poverty level was higher than the state average and the graduation rate was lower than the state average. These injustices compelled a group of people to take action. Then came the Lake Worth Education Foundation.
Wilson Daggs is vice president of finance and governance for LWEF and explained the primary purpose of the foundation.
“The primary purpose of the foundation is to support academic excellence and improve the educational opportunities of all students of Lake Worth ISD,” Daggs said.
Daggs said the foundation currently funds two primary projects. One of them is the ‘Top 10 Dinner,’ a celebratory dinner honoring the top 10 highest academic scoring students and their parents.
“The purpose is to recognize and encourage academic excellence among our students,” Daggas said.
The foundation also graciously funds teachers through grants to supply their classrooms with advanced technology and provide more opportunities for their students.
“The second is a teacher grant awards event where we fund innovative and new teaching ideas and projects that are not currently funded by the district,” Daggs said. “This is an effort to improve the actual learning experience of students with new tools and resources.”
Grants are awarded to district educators and each fall applications become available to the teaching staff for them to present proposals to the foundation for consideration.
“A committee made up of foundation board members and a district administrator reviews the proposals and selects the ones that are anticipated to have the most value for our students,” Daggs said. “This year the foundation has raised a total of $30,884.35.”
