District News
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Waco ISD Education Foundation Awards $148,406 in Innovative Grants
Stephanie Hines
2025-2026 Grant Funding Cycle
The Waco Education Foundation and its SurPRIZE Patrol recently visited 19 Waco ISD campuses. The group surprised 50 teachers with the exciting news their 34 grant applications were approved for funding for the 2025-2026 school year. This year, the foundation is awarding $148,406 back to the district, bringing the total amount of grants funded over the past decade and a half to more than $2.45 million.
District teachers and staff had the opportunity to apply for funding through the foundation’s Innovative Grants program at the beginning of December. The program annually awards approximately $100,000 in grant funding in the four focus areas of early childhood development, enhanced programming for advanced students, extended education for staff, and emphasis on student performance.
This year’s grant projects span a wide array of topics and areas from district-wide training for AVID teachers, chess and reading clubs, performing and visual arts, to coding robots, and immersive learning through virtual, augmented, and mixed reality.
A list of grant recipients can be found below, and photos are available at the following link:
2025-2026 Innovative Grants Photo Album
Maria Aguilar & Tara McKinzie
Waco High School
“Digital Blood Pressure Package”
$1,500
Named in honor of: Rogers-O’Brien Construction Company
Michelle Armenta & Lisa Hughes
Tennyson Middle School
“Virtual Horizons: Immersion in Action”
$8,430
Named in honor of: H & B Packing Co., Inc.
Sherry Bagby & Maria Reynoso
Lake Air Montessori
“Word Work Works Wonders!”
$540
Sage Cavazos-Gonzalez
Brook Avenue Elementary
“Bridging Language Gaps”
$6,480
Named in honor of: Sally & Johnny Bledsoe
Sage Cavazos-Gonzalez
Brook Avenue Elementary
“3D Printing Our Future”
$2,312
Named in honor of: Baylor Scott & White - Hillcrest
Lyssa Davoust & Paula Miller
Advanced Academics Department
“Waco ISD Teachers are AVID-ly Amazing”
$10,000
Named in honor of: H-E-B
Nicholas Davoust & John Robinson
University High School
“A more perfect union: Project based politics”
$1,170
Theresa Entzi-Powell
West Avenue Elementary
“It’s a Chess Thing”
$1,320
Named in honor of: Lowe’s of Waco
Trent Futral & Kathleen Knight
Future Educators Academy
“Envisioning The Future”
$4,953
Named in honor of: Community Bank & Trust
David Gerada
University High School
“Musical Masterpieces on the Move!”
$7,100
Named in honor of: Volvo & Mack Trucks of Waco
Emily Gray & Carmen Sosolik
South Waco Elementary
“Mission:MakerSpace 2.0”
$8,500
Named in honor of: O’Connell Robertson
Susan Hanscheck
G.W. Carver Middle School
“Apple Products Suite for the Choir Classroom”
$6,533
Named in honor of: Educators Credit Union
Bonnie Holmstrom & Traci Winter
Waco High School
“It’s Hammertime”
$8,500
Named in honor of: Lowe’s of Waco
Joann Hughes
Dean Highland Elementary
“Gaga Glory Zone”
$7,771
Named in honor of: Cargill Protein
LaQuan Hughes
Provident Heights Elementary
“STEM IN THE GYM”
$6,500
Named in honor of: Central National Bank
David Hurtado
Waco High School
“I FIT 4 LIFE”
$7,547
Named in honor of: TFNB Your Bank for Life
Alisa Keen & Chelsea Wells
Waco High School
“Open mic”
$1,400
Named in honor of: Lochridge-Priest
Dana King & Shelli Ferris
Mountainview Elementary
“Enhancing Physical Wellness and Mental Health through Weights
and Wellness for Teachers and Students”
$900
Erin Lange
Cedar Ridge Elementary
“Exploring the Universe in our Own Backyard”
$2,000
Named in honor of: First Financial Group of America
Michelle Lenker & Tyler Sage
Waco High School
“Expanding the Flutiverse”
$5,933
Named in honor of: H-E-B
Cathy Montemayor
Provident Heights Elementary
“Nature’s Classroom – Field Trip to Mother Neff State Park”
$1,500
Named in honor of: Keurig Dr Pepper
Sally Peavy
Cesar Chavez Middle School
“Hanging Out to Dry”
$6,000
Named in honor of: Raising Cane’s Chicken Fingers
Sherry Prather
Tennyson Middle School
“The Ripple Effect: Making Waves for Clean Water Grant”
$3,500
Named in honor of: First National Bank of Central Texas
Nicole Raner & Seven Hodge
Mountainview Elementary
“Learn a lot with Ozobot”
$4,500
Named in honor of: The Prince Family
Terrance Ratliff, Carolyn Green & Nikitha Hartfield
West Avenue Elementary
“PEP in My Style”
$2,500
Named in honor of: McCreary, Veselka, Bragg & Allen
Barbara Redenius
Parkdale Elementary
“Our Future is Bright with Math”
$2,400
Named in honor of: Ascension Providence
Nellie Reyes
Challenge Academy
“Sensory Integration Room”
$2,500
Selena Rivas & LaQuan Hughes
Provident Heights Elementary
“Who’s Going Gaga for Health”
$4,080
Named in honor of: Keith Ace Hardware
Kym Schubert & Natasha King
Provident Heights Elementary
“Sensory Pathways to Academic Success”
$740
Jessica Scott
Crestview Elementary
“Number Tales: Where Math Comes Alive”
$482
Lorin Sulak & Elvia Harrell
Mountainview Elementary
“Multi-sensory Word Building Board”
$2,530
Named in honor of: Sheehy, Lovelace & Mayfield
Dana Telep & Amy Cheatham
Hillcrest PDS
“WISE Readers Club”
$7,453
Named in honor of: Sturdisteel
Elizabeth Updegrove
Cedar Ridge Elementary
“Words Worth Printing”
$9,382
Named in honor of: Keurig Dr Pepper
Marilissa Young
Bell’s Hill Elementary
“Creating With Clay Supports Cleverness All Day”
$1,450
Named in honor of: O’Connell Robertson