FEF Awards Over $20,000 at Spring Legacy Grant SurPrize Patrol

The Friendswood ISD Education Foundation (FEF) awarded FISD with more than $20,000 in grants during its Spring Legacy Grant SurPrize Patrol on Friday, May 5.

FEF Legacy Grants are designed to go above and beyond the threshold of FEF’s traditional Adopt-A-Grant program in size, scope and impact, and may be submitted for projects ranging from $5,000 to $40,000.

“More and more often, we have teachers coming to us with ‘dream big ideas’,” FEF Executive Director Ashley Adair said. “The Legacy Grant Program allows us to capture those and work towards securing funding to bring them to life.”

Per FEF’s Investment Policy Statement, 3% of FEF’s endowment fund is pulled each year to fund Legacy Grants. The endowment currently sits around $1.5 million and continues to grow with the support of FEF’s Century Club members.

According to FEF Grant Committee Chair Kelly Lovell, the team received nine grants totaling more than $200,000 during the Spring cycle which made the Committee’s job very challenging.

After reviewing the submissions, five applicants were invited to present their projects in person and answer questions. Of those that presented, two were selected for funding and those teachers were informed with a surprise visit from FEF on May 5.

Grant recipients include Cline Quest Teacher Chelsea Copley who was awarded $5,524.46 to support new Special Education programs at Cline and Friendswood High School Culinary Arts Teacher Melissa Novak who was awarded $14,652.67 to outfit the new state-of-the-art professional kitchen coming to FHS next year.

“This new equipment will help our students expand their skills and get even more hands-on experience in the culinary kitchen,” Novak said. “Not only will it equip them to be creative when they are doing labs, but it will also support the campus, district and community catering events the class does as well.” 

Copley shared that her grant will help improve academic performance and social-emotional skills and will make a lasting impact on the lives of children with special needs.

“I can not thank the ‘Shark Tank,’ AKA Friendswood Education Foundation enough for their remarkable support and for being a champion for inclusive education,” Copley said. 
If you would like to invest in the future of FISD, you can make a tax-deductible gift to the endowment by joining FEF’s Century Club or making a general donation today. Contact AAdair@fisdk12.net or visit fef.myfisd.com/ways-to-give/century-club to learn more.