By David Taylor Managing Editor
HIGHLANDS, Texas — Anna Espinoza told members of the Greater Highlands Chamber of Commerce that the Goose Creek CISD Education Foundation exists to help teachers do what school budgets often cannot.
Espinoza, director of Education Foundation and Partnerships at Goose Creek CISD, said the nonprofit organization has returned about $3.3 million to district classrooms over the past 16 years through innovative teaching grants, designated donations and in-kind support.
“It’s amazing what we’re able to provide our students,” Espinoza said. “Those were things that weren’t necessarily allocated in our operating budget.”
The foundation, which operates as a separate 501(c)(3) organization supporting the school district, awarded $188,000 directly back into Goose Creek classrooms this past year. Espinoza said the money funded 63 grants for 103 teachers across 25 campuses.
“Our biggest goal is to try to increase that to every campus,” she said. “We want to see applications from every campus. That way, everybody stands an equal opportunity to get those grants.”
The foundation’s innovative teaching grants open each fall. Teachers submit applications for classroom projects, which are reviewed by campus principals, curriculum directors, technology staff and an independent foundation committee before awards are made.
One of the largest grants this year, Espino-za said, was a $21,000 award at Stuart Career Tech High School for welding instruction. The grant will fund a camera system that removes the glare from a welding arc and projects the weld bead so students can observe techniques without crowding inside a welding booth.
Espinoza said the project began with about 90 welding students in mind but quickly expanded to include digital communications and information technology students, increasing the potential reach to about 400 students.
“It went from 90 students to closer to 400 students, and then that $21,000 didn’t seem like such a stretch,” she said. “It is such a great idea.”
Espinoza also highlighted grants that supported test preparation at Early College High School, virtual reality headsets at Crockett Elementary and a project at Highlands Junior School that allowed students to create handmade thankyou cards for foundation donors.
The foundation also serves as a conduit for designated gifts from businesses and community partners. Espinoza said ExxonMobil recently gave $180,000, including support for fifth-grade science curriculum and $100,000 for a planned community STEM night in the Goose Creek area.
“We are very excited about this opportunity and that they believe in us enough to want us to do this for the community,” Espinoza said.
Other contributions have included shirts for new teachers and district employees, book vending machines for schools and money set aside for teacher professional development.
Espinoza also described the foundation’s “Get on the Bus” employee giving campaign, which allows district employees to contribute as little as $2.50 per paycheck. About 1,500 employees participated, she said, helping generate money that goes back into classrooms.
One of the foundation’s signature events is the Students Choice Awards, where Goose Creek seniors write letters about the educator who made the greatest impact on their lives. Espinoza said 400 to 500 letters are submitted each year, and a committee selects the honorees.
“You know how much of a difference teachers make in the lives of your students, but it never ceases to amaze me until you read those letters,” she said.
The foundation’s annual gala, its largest fundraiser of the year, is scheduled for Nov. 13 at the Hyatt Regency Baytown- Houston. Espinoza said the event will include raffles, auctions and entertainment by Flight of the Keys, a dueling-piano group with ties to Goose Creek CISD.
Jim, a foundation board member who spoke during the presentation, urged chamber members to support teachers through the foundation, saying classroom grants can have a lasting effect.
“If you give a classroom teacher that same amount, that program is going to live in that classroom for years to come,” he said. “How many kids are we impacting? Hundreds, if not thousands.”
Espinoza said the foundation’s work depends on board members, district employees, business partners and donors who believe in public education.
“To be able to see the impact that we made over the last 16 years is pretty incredible,” she said. “I’m very proud of the board. They do a great job, and they always support us.”
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