Teaching Grants

Seeing Dyslexia Differently – Peterson Elementary, $1,178.27

Sponsored by: ABM

Students with dyslexia often carry a negative self-image in elementary school. This can be especially disheartening when their classroom libraries are filled with characters that are not like them. It is important for students with dyslexia to see their potential and sometimes that comes when they read a book and find a character that has dyslexia just like them. Giving that opportunity to all dyslexic students and those that are not yet identified is my main goal of this project. Yet, there is an added benefit to this project. General education students will also be able to read these books to have a better understanding of their dyslexic peers.

Growing IndePENdent Readers ~ Using Assistive Technology to Boost the Self-Confidence of Students with Reading Difficulties – Lakeview Elementary, $1,450.01

Sponsored by: NEF Employee Giving Campaign

Students with reading difficulties, such as dyslexia, benefit greatly from assistive technology to alleviate the anxiety associated with decoding words. Reader Pens help enhance reading experiences for these students. When students are able to have the text read to them, there is less frustration and anxiety when reading. Students feel success as they grow as independent readers, deepening their love for reading. Students gain access to the books they WANT to read, while increasing confidence and self-esteem. This grant purchases 5 C-Pen Reader Pens for the library at Lakeview Elementary for students who have reading difficulty.

The R.A.D. B.A.S.K.E.T.S – Hatfield Elementary, $2,368.01

Sponsored by: ABM

Most classroom libraries are organized by author, genre, book sets, or title. RAD BASKETS changes that format to enhance the classroom library with baskets of books based on social emotional learning topics: R(Resilience), A(Acceptance), D(Diversity), B(Bravery), A(Anger), S(Self-Love), K(Kindness), E(Emotions), T(Teamwork), S(Successful People). The baskets will be available to students at Hatfield Elementary with the goal to improve reading skills, reading confidence and a wide variety of social and emotional skills. These books will also be use as powerful read-alouds and Morning Meeting discussions. The titles chosen for each basket are a collection of books that will inspire, challenge, encourage, and empower students on their journey to being leaders that positively impact our world.

Beaucoup Books – Berkshire Elementary, $4,816.80

Sponsored by: NEF Employee Giving Campaign

This grant purchases 220 new books for the Kindergarten team at Berkshire Elementary to ensure each student has a wide range of books to choose from that are on their personal reading level. Each week, students rotate to "Book Shop" - a time where they make their selections of 10-12 books that they will read during Reading Workshop's independent and partner reading time. This reading practice time is key to their acquisition of the grade level's reading skills and TEKS. As student's reading skills improve throughout the school year, their self-selection of independently read texts increase to keep the growing reader at their optimal Zone of Proximal Development - not too easy, not too hard. This grant would put hundreds of books into hundreds of kids' hands over the course of just a few school years, filling minds with information while creating avid readers who love to read!

A Menagerie of Books – Cox Elementary, $1,650.89

Sponsored by: CoServ Charitable Foundation

Each year, second grade students take a closer look at non-fiction, including its text features, content, and author craft moves. Specifically, in our writing, students dive into research regarding their favorite animal and then incorporate that research and write their own book showcasing that animal. With this grant, the second-grade team at Cox Elementary will purchase various non-fiction book sets bringing 45 new books per classroom and more than 40 books that can be shared as additional resources.

Book Vending Machine & PBIS – Berkshire Elementary, $4,850.00

Sponsored by: Pogue Construction

The Book Vending Machine & PBIS grant is a school-wide program that allows students at Berkshire Elementary to earn coins, which they can use to “purchase” books from the campus book vending machine. Students can earn coins for citizenship, hard work and more – the possibilities are endless. Goodbye to candy and toy prizes, this vending machine will cultivate a love of reading also bringing the school and community together!

Bridging the Gap in Literacy – Clara Love Elementary, $433.82

Sponsored by: Wabtec

Due to the pandemic and disruptions in learning, many students require intensive interventions in literacy to regain lost skills. The Epiphany Educational Literacy Card kit helps students understand relationships between letters, graphemes and phonemes, as well as commonly used prefixes, root words and suffixes that make up 97% of words that students encounter as they read. Students will be able to decode and create meaning, which will produce stronger readers across all content areas. The kits purchased through this grant will support literacy intervention for all elementary students and assist them in performing at grade level standards.

Sora into reading with NISD Elementary Libraries – Lance Thompson Elementary, $4,650.92

Sponsored by: NEF Employee Giving Campaign

With the power of 1:1 Chromebooks in elementary schools, libraries can provide electronic resources, such as eBooks and audiobooks to our students. This grant purchases more than 350 audiobooks and eBooks, which can be accessed by elementary students on every NISD campus. Students at every elementary campus will have access to new and diverse titles. The funds purchase more than 350 audio and eBooks. NISD librarians can offer students reading opportunities 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, whether they are at school, on summer break, or learning remotely!

You and Me in the Classroom Library! – Justin Elementary, $4,969.81

Sponsored by: CoServ

You and Me in the Classroom Library! will bring diverse classroom book sets to kindergarten through fifth grade students at Justin Elementary. Through the introduction of the new books, this grant team hopes to provide appropriate and accessible texts to act as both mirrors and windows into parallel cultures for all students. Funds will purchase 5 sets for kindergarten, 5 sets for first grade, 4 sets for second grade, and two sets each for third, fourth and fifth grade. Ultimately, the goal is for all students to feel represented, included, valued, understood, and able to express themselves accurately as we celebrate our differences within our learning community.

Primed for Engineering with Spike Prime – Granger Elementary, $1,840.91

Sponsored by: CoServ Charitable Foundation

The goal of Primed for Engineering with Spike Prime is to provide the necessary robotics equipment to enable the robotics club at Granger Elementary to design and program their own robots capable of solving real-world problems. With this grant, the robotics club and general classrooms across the campus will have access to five Lego Spike Prime kits, one Lego Education Spike Expansion set, and Classroom Activities for the Busy Teacher: Spike Prime. Using the kits and the built-in spike prime Chromebook software, students will use the building and unit plans to create guided builds as well as open-ended challenge designs. Robots can then be programmed using the drag-and-drop coding blocks to develop a movable robot and bring their creation to life.

The Mystery of Neuroscience: Solved – Adams Middle School, $1,621.17

Sponsored by: CoServ Charitable Foundation

Have you ever wondered just how exactly the brain works? When Ms. Batson covers the body systems unit in science, one of the most mysterious of them all is the nervous system. The way the brain, spinal cord and nerves can dictate everything that we do blows students away. The Mystery of Neuroscience: Solved aims to help students at Adams Middle School unravel the mystery of the brain and how it communicates. The grant purchases five Backyard Brain kits to provide access to hundreds of unique and hands-on experiments that bring the nervous system and all of its functions to life.

Navigating through 5th Grade Math – Seven Hills Elementary, $1,650.00

Sponsored by: CoServ Charitable Foundation

Following the pandemic challenges, student gaps in mathematics have risen and fifth grade teachers at Seven Hill Elementary wrote Navigating through 5th Grade Math with the goal to support those students in a new way! Students and teachers will utilize a math spiral review resource to keep all TEKS fresh on their minds throughout the year. The workbooks, which will be given to 100 fifth grade students, provide an opportunity for daily work on math concepts that students have covered in the classroom.

Science Olympiad Team – Medlin Middle School, $490.02

Sponsored by: Tri-County Electric

Students at Medlin Middle School asked their teachers to host Science Olympiad team, and with this grant, they are ready to make it happen! The Olympiad involves multiple projects where students engineer structures or machines and conduct scientific investigations. Their goal for the first year is to create positive experiences and relationships for students, to learn more about the Olympiad competition, and to allow students to pursue their science passions in a new way. This grant purchases project materials to allow students to compete.

Jamboard for Student Collaboration, Teaching and Presentations – Medlin Middle School, $1,736.64

Sponsored by: CoServ Charitable Foundation

Science teacher Jessica Famigletti wrote this grant to bring a collaborative resource to the teachers and students at Medlin Middle School. A Jamboard is a digital whiteboard that makes it easy to create without boundaries and share ideas in real time. With the purchase of the Jamboard, which will be portable and accessible to classrooms across campus, she hopes to increase student engagement and understanding of difficult learning concepts. The board will help students takes a hands-on approach to their education through collaboration and student-led presentations, improve coding instruction and technology comprehension in the classroom, and increase students understanding of difficult or abstract concepts.

Restorative Practices: Positive interactions to making a better world – Northwest High School, $1,288.48

Sponsored by: CoServ Charitable Foundation

Positive interactions are necessary in the world today. In the same way that we teach core classes and electives, students also need guidance on how to have positive interactions with both their peers and bosses in the real world. School should be their safe environment where these skills are implemented. This grant would provide students with opportunities to learn interpersonal skills through LEGO sets, LEGO creation books, and a variety of card and board games.

Life Principles Library – Clara Love Elementary, $4,854.81

Sponsored by: FastSigns

As a Great Expectations School, Clara Love educators integrate high academic expectations with social emotional learning and character education. Each week, the campus will focus on one of the 36 Life Principles taught through the program. Then, during Friday morning celebrations, each class will recognize a student as the "Heart of Texas" for best exemplifying the principal for the week. That student will add his or her name to a badge inside the front cover and they will get to share the book with their classmates and family. That book will be returned to the classroom library to share with students in each new school year!

Social and Emotional Learning Makes Our Character STRONGer! – Cox Elementary, $1,935.86

Sponsored by: NEF Employee Giving Campaign

Teachers at Cox Elementary have been working with their PTA, counselor and special education department to implement the Purposeful People character program, which helps students learn about important character traits, including respect, empathy, responsibility, perseverance, gratitude, honesty, kindness, cooperation, courage, and creativity. This grant purchases books from their recommended list, sensory walks and calming tools to use throughout the year! The goal of this grant, in partnership with the program, is to help students develop character skills. By addressing our students’ social and emotional needs, they will be better prepared to meet their academic challenges and goals.

Everyone Needs to Learn – Northwest High School, $1,728.30

Sponsored by: GPD Foundation

Special Education teachers work hard throughout the year to teach life skills and vocational skills to their students, but the academic information in high school classrooms can vary from what’s happening in general education so there is a gap in the conversations they can have with their peers and with other adults later in life. This grant purchases new learning materials for special education classrooms at Northwest High School. Using the specialized curriculum will create more opportunities for students to interact with their peers and the adults in their lives!

Reading Literacy in Math – Eaton High School, $303.33

Sponsored by: BTC

Research has been shown that reading just 5 minutes in a classroom subject can enhance literacy. Math class is often overlooked as one of these opportunities, however, there are several story books that incorporate math into them and can benefit my students tremendously. Storybooks provide a rich opportunity to build not only literacy skills, but also math understanding. Books with math concepts woven into the pictures and storylines can promote children's mathematical thinking and introduce foundational math concepts such as numbers, shapes, patterns, and measurement. This grant purchases 31 books for the special education classrooms at Eaton High School.

Sensory Room – Eaton High School, $1,099.83

Sponsored by: GPD Foundation

A sensory room is a quiet space dedicated to stimulating, developing and relaxing the senses. Unlike a school classroom, where students are usually expected to watch and listen to the teacher, a sensory room allows them the freedom and autonomy to explore the environment for themselves, in their own time, using all of their senses. Sensory rooms also provide a therapeutic environment for children with autism and other special educational needs. With this grant, special education teachers at Eaton High School will have the materials and resources needed to create this special space for their students!

Top Notch Spots – Berkshire Elementary, $1,107.97

Sponsored by: Tri-County Electric

Elementary music students sing, dance, and play instruments throughout class, prompting constant movement. Whether students are working individually, in small groups, or as a whole class, they need an environment that supports creativity by having options to move around the room. Having multiple seating and spacing options is one of the best methods to cultivate engagement. With the help of this grant, hundreds of students in kindergarten through fifth grade at Berkshire Elementary will benefit from these invaluable resources in the music classroom. The grant purchases more than 20 carpet markers, strips and music note spots that can be used throughout the school year. There are a myriad of activities that will challenge students' creative thinking and critical listening skills to test their knowledge. The context will consistently be based on objectives per grade level to support student learning outcomes.

Keeping "SHARP" by Ringing Those Bells! – Lakeview Elementary, $1,505.25

Sponsored by: NEF Employee Giving Campaign

Music students at Lakeview Elementary will soon be able to experience the joy of music making by learning how to play simple songs using bells! Students in kindergarten through fifth grade will learn how to scale, how to play as an ensemble, and much more. The grant purchases 25 sets of bells with the goal to engage students in music making and learning about music theory.

Electric Orchestra – Adams Middle School, $1,084.59

Sponsored by: Linebarger & NetApp

Electric string instruments have become a mainstream part of professional music ensembles ranging from jazz, contemporary, rock, pop, country and western, and even in the realm of "classical" music. Students can see these instruments in live performances and through online videos and want to be able to play the same styles. The grant funds will purchase an electric bass and an electric violin for orchestra students at Adams Middle School, which will provide new opportunities and allow students to experience different genres and techniques. Beyond this school year, new technologies have applications for these instruments that they can continue to build on for years to come.

Fun & Functional Fitness! – Cox Elementary, $4,232.60

Sponsored by: CoServ Charitable Foundation

Teaching kids to move in ways that they enjoy is a crucial part of physical literacy! Students love to crawl, climb, jump and balance. This grant purchases a Railyard Obstacle Course, which gives students at Cox Elementary the opportunity to move in all sorts of different ways in a safe and exciting manner. Students will be able to strengthen their bodies and their minds while playing on the obstacle course and have fun while doing it. That's a win-win!

Throw Your Hands In The Air Like You Do In 9 Square – Justin Elementary, $1,472.33

Sponsored by: Northstar Builders

9 Square In The Air is a newly invented game that has been uniting children of all abilities, cultures and ages around the world for the last decade. 9 Square combines children's favorite activities into a fun, community building, inclusive game that can be played for all ages! This grant purchases 2 deluxe game sets to support kindergarten through fifth grade students at Justin Elementary. The game helps level the playing field and close achievement gaps by allowing students of all skill levels can participate. One goal of this grant is to increase student’s competency and self-esteem through the success they find in this unique game.

We're Going Live in 3-2-1! – Peterson Elementary, $4,162.35

Sponsored by: CoServ Charitable Foundation

The classroom of yesterday no longer exists. With the pandemic, it became necessary for technology to shift from a supplemental resource to an integral part of everyday learning so that the classroom could exist beyond the walls of the school. Students began not only completing classwork through writing, but also through video and audio formats. The goal of this grant is to build a school media lab at Peterson Elementary and provide a new opportunity for students to learn and create. Equipment in the media lab will also provide materials necessary to create engaging video presentations and demonstrations, student-led podcasts, and quality audio recordings – all of which can be shared with our extended learning community.

Media Production and Podcast Room...Let's go Live! – Steele Early College High School, $3,496.78

Sponsored by: CoServ Charitable Foundation

The intention of this grant is to provide students at Steele Early College High School with media opportunities like the other NISD high schools. The grant purchases a variety of tools to help students learn and share, including cameras, lights, backdrops, microphones and more! With these resources, students will produce video announcements, practice journalism and broadcast skills, and record podcasts – all of which can be shared with the Steele campus community!

Drums for Diversity – Granger Elementary, $1,071.93

Sponsored by: Texas Health Harris Methodist Hospital Alliance

Granger Elementary has students coming from a wide range of backgrounds and cultures yet, many of their students have not had the opportunity to explore cultures other than those most easily accessible to them. Frame drums provide an innovative and culturally rich pathway that is highly engaging for students. The drums build connections between students and African and Middle Eastern cultures. The grant funds 25 16" Thinline Remo Drums.

We All Scream for Green Screens! – Granger Elementary, $579.50

Sponsored by: Tri-County Electric

We All Scream for Green Screens provides ten green screens for Granger Elementary. By incorporating the use of green screens into classrooms, teachers will be able to provide students with the tools to learn basic videography techniques to enhance their digital products. Access to green screens in the classroom will enable students to create video products to not only showcase their learning but also inspire and motivate others. In addition to classroom use, these screens may be utilized for video announcements and by student leaders such as student council members when making videos to advertise special programs, service projects, and school activities. Through the use of green screens and WeVideo, students will have the ability to create engaging videos that will not only inform but embolden and captivate the interest of the campus community.

Diverse Classroom Libraries – Cox Elementary, $1,341.69

Sponsored by: CoServ

In the first grade classrooms at Cox Elementary, each classroom has a personal library with books that are read aloud to students. Many of these books are purchased with the teachers personal money and each classroom differs on the books available. This grant provides resources to make the classroom libraries as diverse as their student and staff population. Teachers want their students to be able to see themselves in these books, but also see other cultures as well. This grant purchases 32 culturally diverse books for all seven first grade classrooms at this campus.

Here Comes the Sun: Outdoor Learning for Everyone – Cox Elementary, $3,972.65

Sponsored by: CoServ Charitable Foundation

The goal of this grant is to add an outdoor learning center to the campus courtyard so that students will have an opportunity to connect curriculum to the environment and build a community of learners. An outdoor setting will be a "breath of fresh air" to motivate and enrich the students' learning. The funds purchase two picnic tables, as well as science, sensory and kinesthetic resources for outdoor learning, investigation and exploration.

Bringing History to Life: Using AR Technology to Learn About Historical Figures – Granger Elementary, $1,426.64

Sponsored by: CoServ Charitable Foundation

With this grant, students will engage with history through technology in an innovative and exciting project that allows them to experience history in the palm of their hands. Through the use of Merge Cubes, students will create 3D objects of historical figures and historical artifacts. The funds purchase 8 Merge Cubes, 2 iPads, and a collection of current biographies for the school library to support student learning.

Work Hard and Enjoy It! High School Intramural Program – Steele Accelerated High School, $2,630.95

Sponsored by: NEF Employee Giving Campaign

Steele Accelerated High School is an NISD campus without any athletics program so this grant provides the resources for students to participate in friendly games and competitions through an intramural program. This will help teachers and staff engage students beyond their academics. Intramural programs include volleyball, dodgeball, ping pong, basketball and cornhole.

Little Hands Big Discoveries – Haslet Elementary, $976.53

Sponsored by: CoServ Charitable Foundation

Little Hands Big Discoveries targets the young child's natural curiosity in the world around them. Children's interest in nature supports the development of their social and emotional, intellectual and physical domains. This grant funds discovery resources to develop a "discovery center" to target science concepts with Pre-K students. The center will be used daily and materials are rotated based on current science concepts taught in the classroom.

Kids on Cougar News: Student-Led Morning Announcements – Hatfield Elementary, $785.95

Sponsored by: Texas Health Harris Methodist Hospital Alliance

During remote learning, the students at Hatfield Elementary got to watch their Principals deliver the Morning Announcements through pre-recorded videos. They loved getting to see their administrators, hear about the events coming their way, and, of course, laugh at the Joke of the Day. Now that most students are back in schools, the most practical way to receive the Morning Announcements is over the PA system. As with many of our routines, the COVID-19 school closure has shown us that technology can do way more than we ever imagined. So why go back to the old ways? Let's push into these new realizations and give students leadership opportunities at the same time. Kids on Cougar News: Student-Led Morning Announcements is an initiative designed to give students practice with confidence, public speaking, reading, creativity, and technology by allowing them to direct, film, star in, and stream the Morning Announcements for their school. Funds purchase an iPad, Live Broadcasting App, an iPad stand, two microphones and two soft boxes for lighting.

The Greatest Glowcase – Clara Love Elementary, $4,314.10

Sponsored by: Huckabee

All art teachers know displaying student art is important. Putting art on display is beneficial for the art program, school culture, and the community at large. A glowcase can be created when students use fluorescent art supplies and those supplies react with black lights as neon materials contain phosphors. This grant provides art supplies and lighting necessary to establish and sustain a unique art show for students, parents and staff alike. The annual glow gallery (appropriately named "The Greatest Glowcase") will be held annually during curriculum night at Clara Love Elementary.

Ready, Create, Regulate! – Clara Love Elementary, $4,861

Sponsored by: CoServ Charitable Foundation

Ready, Create, Regulate is a project that aims to benefit every student at Clara Love Elementary. In an effort to meet the needs of their diverse student population, this grant funds individualized art kits to provide equal access to art education. The purpose of the kits is to give students a pathway to explore their imagination and new ways to regulate their emotions. Each kit contains pencils, colored pencils, oil pastels, watercolor kits, and more. This grant will serve more than 600 students, helping them to communicate, create and regulate throughout the school year.

Start Spreading the News – Clara Love Elementary, $528.95

Sponsored by: Huckabee

Morning announcements are the perfect way to begin the day and incredible tool for building a sense of community. Beginning each day with a focus on shared goals and objectives helps every member of the campus community become more successful. This grant provides funding for Clara Love Elementary to not only improve the quality of their daily announcements, but also provide an invaluable resource to help create a culture of leadership and respect throughout the school. Funds purchase a camcorder and encoder.

Creating Multicultural Literacy – Justin Elementary, $880.66

Sponsored by: Texas Health Harris Methodist Hospital Alliance

This grant provides a school set of children's read aloud books that explore and celebrate cultural diversity within the school community. In partnership with the comprehensive school literacy set, funds would also provide a school set of multicultural art supplies to help students depict and express themselves adequately when reflecting upon their learning. The grant funds 30 children's books, as well as multicultural colored pencils, paper, paint, modeling dough, oil pastels and crayons.

We Yelli for More Gelli! – Justin Elementary, $764.04

Sponsored by: FastSigns

The goal of this grant is to expand student's understanding of art history across cultures and regions as they explore the art of printmaking. By utilizing Gelli printing plates, all students will be able to create thousands of unique works of art without the traditional dilemma of single use printmaking materials. Grant materials include Gelli mini printing tool sets, Gelli printing plates, and Chroma washable tempera sets.

The Looking Glass – Justin Elementary, $1,955.20

Sponsored by: NEF Employee Giving Campaign

At Justin Elementary, NISD staff are leveraging the relationships of caregiver and child in a supportive book club environment that allows families to dive deep into social emotional themes. Staff provide families the option of a picture book and/or a chapter book to share in a family book club. A toolkit was developed by a committee of leaders on our campus (teacher, counselor, librarian and parent) to help support and guide families during their book study. The Looking Glass grant will allow the campus to continue family book clubs by adding more themes to their collection. The book themes they selected focus around diverse topics like accepting differences, appreciating diversity and personal well-being. The funds purchase 3 new picture book sets and 3 new chapter book sets.

I can see your WORK and hear your VOICE! – Justin Elementary, $1,260

Sponsored by: CoServ

Funding this grant helps remote learners have a more equitable learning environment and enhances the learning that can take place on the school campus. During remote learning and beyond, web cameras would help those students show what they know. During remote learning, students would be able to work problems for the teacher in real-time. Adjustments and learning would be taking place during the lesson. Students could even teach part of the lesson and show their classmates their thinking, just like in the classroom. In addition to live lessons, students could start to make "how to" videos to show their learning. These cameras have better resolution and can be pointed toward student's work. This ability would drastically improve pictures taken of their work. Justin Elementary has been a model school for Units of Study for writing, and this grant would allow students to show their work more quickly, efficiently, and clearly. Once students are back on campus, the cameras would still be utilized for many things. Students would continue to show their voice and thinking by creating videos, digital resources, and more. Funding this project helps remote learners have a more equitable learning environment.

Science Snacks! (Small Bites of Scientific Discovery) – Administration Building, $3,835.30

Sponsored by: CoServ Charitable Foundation

Science Snacks will provide rich scientific instruction, in short video segments, designed to target specific elementary science TEKs in a weekly digital episode format. The episodes will be designed to support NISD science curriculum and student-family connections at home. Each episode will feature "bite-sized" content engaging students with exciting learning in short breaks, such as a snack time! Episodes will be paired with highlighted recipes to promote healthy nutrition, snack preparation and agricultural literacy, supporting the TEK focus of the week. The goal is to bring science to life for students with "real world" connections. The scientific investigations in each episode will be designed to foster family connections through scientific literacy and career awareness. This grant purchases technology equipment and gear for the video segments, books and instructional resources, and science lab equipment and supplies. The grant will support all NISD elementary students and their families.

Instruments for Education – Administration Building, $4,791.08

Sponsored by: CoServ Charitable Foundation

Music and the brain; did you know that music is processed by a different area of the brain than speech and language? Children may be able to better understand, absorb, and generalize educational skills and concepts that are presented through music. Clinical music therapy is the only professional, research-based discipline that actively applies supportive science to the creative, emotional, and energizing experiences of music for health treatment and educational goals. This grant, submitted by the NISD music therapist and Structured Learning Classroom (SLC) teachers, funds a set of specifically curated instruments to be used in each of the seven NISD SLC classrooms. This support will allow teachers to effectively and consistently incorporate music into their academic curriculum to enhance the education and improve learning of all SLC students. Instruments include rhythm sticks, egg shakers, mini cabasas, rainsticks, tambourines, ocean drums, djembes, shape drums, movement scarves, boomwhackers, frame drums and gathering drums.

Characters Like Me: Diverse Character Representation in Library Book Series – Sendera Ranch Elementary, $1,675.07

Sponsored by: FastSigns

This grant helps development the library book collection at Sendera Ranch Elementary to make it more culturally and ethically reprehensive by providing book series that feature diverse protagonists. Children need to read books that are about characters who look and live in similar circumstances as themselves. This helps them develop higher reading skills, higher self-esteem and an understanding of their importance in the world. Additionally, other children who engage with books with characters who are different from themselves ethnically, socio-economically, and culturally will have the opportunity to develop a larger world-view and a greater understanding of the importance of the diversity that make us a community. This grant purchases 9 book series sets for K-2 grade and seven book series sets for 3-5 grade, totaling 107 individual print books.

Getting the Upper Hand in Orchestra! – Wilson Middle School, $1,140

Sponsored by: CoServ Charitable Foundation

Orchestra is for everyone - but not every student in our classroom has developed the necessary fine motor skill control to be immediately successful in our classroom. Students that have ADHD, students that are a part of our SOAR program or our SPED programs, students that just haven't yet developed those fine motor skills can hit a real roadblock when learning to hold their bows. When they struggle to hold their bow correctly, it also affects the sound that they create on their instruments - this is the screechy scratchy "awful violin" sound that is often shown on TV or movies, and leads to frustration for the child (and the parents that have to listen to their practicing at home!). The Bow Hold Buddies were developed for students to help with their muscle memory, and allow for faster progress and less frustration for kids learning to play stringed instruments. This grant purchases 24 Bow Hold Buddies, 12 CelloPhants and 12 Hold Fish.

Leading the Way to Self-Regulation – Seven Hills Elementary, $1,399.46

Sponsored by: Pinnacle Bank

Self-regulation and mindfulness is a vital social and emotional skill for children. Leading the Way to Self-Regulation purchases supplies to create "Calm Down Kits", or self-regulation boxes, for each classroom and support staff room at Seven Hills Elementary. Each kit will include various sensory, fidget and stress relief resources, along with relaxation activities and directions for each teacher.

Social Skills = Success in the Future – Beck Elementary, $785.56

Sponsored by: GPD Foundation

The key to success in the future does not lay only in mastery of math and ready, it is found in mastery of socials skills and emotional learning. This grant allows students to have access to an entire center focused on learning their emotions, regulating their emotions, and mastering the social skills needed to build relationships and build a future. The SEAC Classroom is designed for students to have a therapeutic environment in which they can explore and learn about behavior, regulating outbursts, and navigating relationships. Adding an SEL center to the classroom will only aide in furthering the success found when these skills are mastered. By including a Sand Tray, Workbooks, and Picture Books, we will be able to work through emotions and situations in a way that is child centric and developmentally appropriate.

WILD Card Room Transformations – Beck Elementary, $1,974.38

Sponsored by: CoServ

Last year, teachers at Beck Elementary read The Wild Card by Hope and Wade King as a book study. It provides 7 steps to an educator's creative breakthrough. With the knowledge gained from this book study, Beck staff decided they want to be WILD Cards for their kids! What exactly does this mean? To them, it means using creativity to provide meaningful experiences in order to increase student engagement for Dyslexia and Response to Intervention (RTI) students. Dyslexia instruction is direct, explicit, multi-sensory, structured, sequential, diagnostic and a prescriptive way to teach those who struggle in the areas of reading, writing, and spelling. Instruction for RTI students is not much different in that it is also very structured and uses high-quality, research based curriculum. Although both help struggling students, struggling students do not always have the buy in needed to make the academic gains we are looking for from them. This grant will help teachers implement monthly thematic room transformations to build enthusiasm. Turning the classroom into a jungle, carnival, tailgate, or even a pirate ship are just a few of the ways they can make the learning experience more exciting and valuable for students. These room transformations will be utilized when teaching the most difficult concepts. If we can create a memory during instruction, students will be engaged and it will lead to overall student academic achievement. Grant materials include room décor, costumes, art, music, games and more.

Growing Readers – Beck Elementary, $2,250

Sponsored by: NEF Employee Giving Campaign

The goal of this grant is to provide first-grade students at Beck Elementary with more high interest texts in guided reading and meets the needs of their students. Currently, six teachers share two sets of books, and the choices for texts are quite limited. With this grant, teachers would greatly improve their ability to give each child exposure to many types of books that are on their specific reading level. The funds purchase seven sets of guided reading books. Each set comes with ten books, and there are six copies of each book.

We Exercise to the Beat of our Own Drum! – Peterson Elementary, $2,599

Sponsored by: NEF Employee Giving Campaign

Meeting the physical, mental, emotional and intellectual needs of students through one activity may sound too good to be true. An innovative program that addresses all of these areas, and is fun and exciting to participate in, is DrumFIT. DrumFIT is a cardio drumming program that combines the mental health benefits of drumming with the overall health benefits of physical fitness for a full body workout. Students from all grade levels will have the opportunity to participate in the DrumFIT program components strengthening and sharpening their movement and intellectual skills. This grant purchases 30 Drum Fit balls, 30 sets of drumsticks and a school license with Drum Fit Fitness.

Pre-Vocational Kits – Eaton High School, $3,755

Sponsored by: NEF Employee Giving Campaign

In special education, some of the most important skills that students can learn are the ones that will help them be successful in the vocational world after high school. So many skills that we take for granted are often skills that our students need to work very hard on. These skills can include things like being able to complete a task, asking for help, staying on task, reaching and grasping, following multi-step instructions and so many more things that come naturally to most people. This grant funds 3 different Pre-Vocational Kits that each offer a different level of appropriate work for the different levels of students we teach. When a student can successfully complete a task such as sorting or assembling, it builds their confidence and can show they are a candidate for working in a job outside of school and contributing to society. For many of our students, joining the workforce in the traditional sense is not an option. These kits can build skills that they can take with them in whatever environment they might live in, whether at home with a guardian, or in a facility that they reside in.

Diverse Books – Adams Middle School, $1,026.73

Sponsored by: GPD Foundation

With recent events surrounding our country, it's more important than ever for everyone, students especially, to know their value and importance in this world. This grant brings more diverse books into middle school classrooms, which will allow students to find pieces of themselves in the literature they are reading. These resources increase the total number of books available to students, as well as the number of books covering diverse topics. The grant purchases 83 different reading books.

For the Love of Books – Schluter Elementary, $4,555

Sponsored by: NEF Employee Giving Campaign

Putting books into the hands of kids is one of the best ways to support students' academic reading level. Each week, kindergarten students at Schluter Elementary make their book selections of 5-10 titles that they will read during Reading Workshop either independently or with a partner. This grant purchases 158 books per kindergarten classroom, which equates to 7 new reading opportunities per student.

Interactive Whiteboard for Students With Disabilities Increases Engagement in Learning! – Tidwell Middle School, $4,710.20

Sponsored by: Huckabee

Students with disabilities have a hard time with abstract ideas. For example, telling them to touch something should give a response to their touch. When students work at a regular white board and they have to wait for their teacher to change something on the computer, they can get frustrated or lose interest in the materials being taught. This grant purchases an interactive whiteboard for use in the special education classroom at Tidwell Middle School.

Let's Put the TEAM in STEAM! – Peterson Elementary, $4,392.13

Sponsored by: CoServ Charitable Foundation

Let's Put the TEAM in STEAM! joins the hearts and minds of students as they learn to problem solve and work collaboratively to find solutions to thought-provoking challenges involving coding and academics. The goal of the grant is to provide resources for a Junior Robotics program at Peterson Elementary to meet the needs of students in the primary grades. The Dash Robot Kits will be used for second and third grade classrooms, while the Cubetto Robot Kits will be used for pre-kindergarten through first grade classrooms. The Junior Robotics program is about more than just robots though; it is about what the children are doing with the robots to build relationship skills and grow as learners. Solving social and emotional challenges is a very similar process to that of the engineering design process. Through coding lessons, students will need to try new approaches, evaluate their effectiveness, adjust their plan, and try again and again. This grant will provide students with an opportunity to collaborate and practice Social and Emotional Learning skills in a low-stakes, highly engaging environment - a place where they feel safe to make mistakes, challenge themselves, and learn from each other. This grant will help students build competencies in self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, relationship skills and responsible decision-making skills that will not only benefit them in the classroom today, but in the workplace tomorrow.

Blankets With Sew Much Compassion – Adams Middle School, $3,788.59

Sponsored by: Texas Health Harris Methodist Hospital Alliance & the Eaton Family

Blankets With Sew Much Compassion combines creativity and charitable giving in an effort to teach life skills to students through quilted gifts for individuals in hospice care. The grant provides equipment and supplies for seventh and eighth grade Family and Consumer Science students at Adams Middle School to learn to design, measure, cut, piece, and sew fabric into lap quilts, walker caddies and adult bibs. The classes will partner with Solaris Hospice Care to bring cheer and comfort to their patients, and students will practice their writing skills by including handwritten notes of thanks for caregivers. The project will hone practical and technical skills, develop creativity, improve collaboration and give students an opportunity to help those in need. Their vision is to create a school culture of kindness, where students are ready to address real-world needs in our community and learn new skills while making useful gifts for others.

Propel the Next Pixar – Eaton High School, $2,519.95      

Sponsored by: The Eaton Family

In the field of 3-D animation, there is a growing number of job opportunities for creative professionals with technical skill and one of the greatest demands is for virtual 3-D sculptors. With Propel the Next Pixar, fine arts teachers at Eaton High School hope to inspire students to learn about virtual programming and offer training that is not currently available in the district. The grant purchases an iPad Pro, iPad pens and ZBrush software, which is the tool most used in the professional sculpting and animation field. Students will learn virtual sculpting and animation skills to create original works. The project allows students to express thoughts and ideas creatively while challenging the imagination, fostering reflective thinking, and developing disciplined effort and progressive problem-solving skills. Their hope is to expand the program to be accessible to students across the high school campus, and ultimately, the district.

Illoominating Learning! – Justin Elementary, $1,394.19

Sponsored by: FastSigns Alliance

Illoominating Learning! funds a class set of weaving looms and various textures of yarns for the art program supporting kindergarten through fifth grade at Justin Elementary School. This grant introduces and immerses students to a relevant global learning opportunity that many would not otherwise have the chance to. Through this tangible creative expression, the grant strives to build students perseverance during productive struggle while improving the motor skills tied to reading, writing and coding. Learning to weave on a weaving loom can improve fine and gross motor skills of all students, especially students receiving special education services, which is about 15% of the campus population. Weaving requires students to cross the midline of their brains and bodies, a skill where the left and right hemispheres of the brain are openly communicating. Through the improvement of this skill, students also improve in areas like auditory acquisition, motor planning, sensory input, reading, writing and organizational skills used for math.

We've Got Your Back(drop) – Tidwell Middle School, $999.00

Sponsored by: Huckabee

We've Got Your Back(drop) helps Tidwell Middle School fine arts teachers invest in their students and theatre department by purchasing QLab software and license. The QLab technology allows the theatre department to create digital backdrops instead of physical, painted backdrops, which is a long term money saver for the campus and a meaningful learning experience for students. Students will develop artistic merit and technical skill while they learn to create digital backdrops, utilize timing techniques to change backdrops during specific cues, and implement the use of their skills during a live theatre performance. This is the same program used by NISD high schools for use in their large-scale musicals and by many professional theatre shows so students will benefit from the experience in middle school, high school and beyond.

Band-Aid Instruments! – Chisholm Trail Middle School, $4,818.00

Sponsored by: NEF Employee Giving Campaign

At Chisholm Trail Middle School, 45% of their students are socioeconomically disadvantaged and 35% are considered an at-risk population, which can create unique challenges when it comes to providing equitable access to opportunities and services. With Band-Aid Instruments!, fine arts teachers will purchase two clarinets, two saxophones and two flutes for students who want to participate, but are unable to because of the cost to rent or purchase these instruments. With a goal to continue to grow the band program at CTMS, these school-owned instruments will be provided to socioeconomically disadvantaged students. The students effected by this grant will be able to participate in concerns, competitions, All-District and All-Region auditions/bands, Solo and Ensemble contests, fine arts showcases and community performances. Learning the fundamentals of music and performance allows these students to not only participate in full band ensemble, but to be competitive, successful young musicians.

iPads for Music Literacy – Wilson Middle School, $3,538.00

Sponsored by: NEF Employee Giving Campaign

When a person is learning a language, learning to speak the language is only the first hurdle. In order to be fluent, a person also needs to learn how to read and write in that language. Learning to play an instrument is just like learning a new language. In order to be truly fluent in the language of music, students must also be able to read and comprehend the symbols and notes on the sheet music in front of them. This is a process for all students, but there are many students for whom learning to read music is very difficult. This is the case for students who struggle with dyslexia, dyscalculia, ADHD or other challenges that educators often help students overcome. This year, the fine arts teachers at Wilson Middle School are implementing small group sessions in a once a week rotation with beginner band students to help target these skills and make all students stronger music readers. There are many applications available for the iPad that are intuitive and fun for students, but they are not available on district issued Chromebooks. iPads for Music Literacy funds an individual iPad for each student to use during their session, giving them a fun and engaging way to help them in the music language acquisition process! The goal of this project is to enhance the education of all beginner musicians by giving them a weekly deep dive into individual music literacy reinforcement and practice so that every child can feel successful on their instrument. Because of the pathways that are created in the brain during their musical training, their success in band can and does translate to success in other classes, too.

Takin' It to the Streets – Gene Pike Middle School, $750.95

Sponsored by: EECU

Takin' It to the Streets supports the fine arts department at Pike Middle School by funding a portable sound system. Choir students are often asked to perform in the community, but without a PA system and the necessary portable equipment, they have had to decline some of these invitations. With their new system, fine arts teachers hope to perform more frequently for the community, lower the number of issues related to technology, and support students by providing them with the equipment they need to perform their best. This grant creates more opportunity for students to perform and helps the campus collaborate with families and the greater community. They plan to perform at local nursing and assisted living facilities, along with community events like Justin Lion's Club Pancakes with Santa and the Harriett Creek Christmas Tree lighting.

Music Theory Madness! – Gene Pike Middle School, $1,854.00   

Sponsored by: Huckabee

Many young musicians consider music theory concepts difficult to grasp. Using technology, this grant will increase the musical literacy of band members at Pike Middle School and provide differentiated instruction to empower each student to succeed. Music Theory Madness! purchases six iPads to serve more than 200 students in their campus band. The iPads will be used to provide digital resources to students through lessons available with the campus NinGenius subscription. In a world of digital learners, this project provides an interactive way to approach music theory and engages students in a variety of lessons. Much like playing a game,  students will earn "belts" through each level and challenge themselves to improve weekly. This activity will reinforce current teaching materials, as well as help current and future band students improve music theory knowledge and music literacy. Cooperative learning games are a proven technique to build self-confidence and classroom community, along with its ability to provide differentiation for students through multiple levels of difficulty and self-paced learning. Teachers will be able to view all student scores, track individual progress and see class patterns.

Sewing and Design Club – Northwest High School, $3,019.95

Sponsored by: NTE Mobility Partners Segments 3 for NISD

Sewing and Design Club provides equipment and supplies to enable members of the Sewing/Design Club at Northwest High School to fully participate and build projects that demonstrate the mastery of skills acquired through membership in the organization. Students will learn to develop the skills necessary to take a clothing project from the design stage to the completed, wearable garment and learn to incorporate previous learning in math, geometry, art and design into building these new skills. The grant provides each student with a basic sewing kit, including sewing scissors, measuring and marking tools, pins, needles, and a seam ripper, as well as the fabric to complete their chosen project. In addition, every student will have the opportunity to learn on a well-functioning sewing machine and serger. One goal of the project is to help students acquire basic skills and build confidence as they learn to take ownership of their own apparel and to be more responsible consumers. The project also hopes to provide a meaningful learning experience for students who have an interest in gaining the necessary skills to enter a career in the industry.

Buzzing with Code – Justin Elementary, $1,899.55

Sponsored by: CoServ Charitable Foundation

International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) says that today's students must be prepared to thrive in a constantly evolving technological landscape. The ISTE standards help teachers at Justin Elementary develop technology rich environments that empower student voice and ensure student-driven processes. Buzzing with Code provides students and teachers the ability to evolve in their technological thinking skills. The library will model the integration of technology through coding with grade level curriculum standards; such as patterns in math and story retell in reading. For example, students will practice story retell skills while learning beginning code to get the Bee-Bot to move through the parts of the story on the floor grid. The ultimate goal is for the library to model the integration of robotics in meaningful learning experiences, which will in turn encourage teachers to plan future lessons using the Bee-Bots with their grade level curriculum. The grant purchases 16 Bee-Bot robots and 4 activity kits to add to the school library to support students in pre-kindergarten, kindergarten and first grade. These resources will create engaging reading and math instruction for all students to work on problem solving skills, collaboration skills and social emotional learning skills.

Wizards of Ozobots – Justin Elementary, $3,598.00

Sponsored by: CoServ Charitable Foundation

According to the International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) students must be prepared to thrive in our technology rich world. Wizards of Ozobots provides students at Justin Elementary with the opportunity to work on computational thinking in the digital world. Teachers will be able to develop lessons for students that provide opportunities to work in collaborative teams while solving coding problems with traditional academic concepts as the backdrop for the new technology experiences. The grant funds two class sets of Ozobots for third through fifth grade teachers to integrate coding into their regular instruction. Working with Ozobots will help students learn how automation works and how to use algorithmic thinking to develop a sequence of steps to create and test automated solutions. The activities help students work on problem solving, collaboration and social emotional learning skills with the goal of increasing cognitive demand and increasing student performance on grade-level specific math and science activities.

Diversify the Diversity – Medlin Middle School, $752.10

Sponsored by: Texas Health Harris Methodist Hospital Alliance

Diversify the Diversity aims to provide seventh grade students at Medlin Middle School with an opportunity to discover Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) traits through new and diverse literature sets. Some of the novels include Ghost, The Fault in Our Stars, Does My Head Look Big in This, The Secret Keepers, and more. First, students will choose their novel and divide into self-selected groups. Within their groups, students will read, discuss and take meaningful notes to solidify their understanding of the novel and its theme. Following a deep discussion with all students, they will complete the lesson with a community project. Members of the community will be invited to give input on the areas of need before students put their new SEL framework to work for the benefit of others in the school community.

You've Been Book'd! – Cox Elementary, $1,460.15

Sponsored by: FastSigns Alliance

You've Been Book'd is an innovative badge challenge to engage students in reading and celebrate literacy in classrooms at Cox Elementary. Kindergarten through fifth grade classes will receive a badge for each book that students read and it will be displayed on an engaging poster outside the classroom. By creating excitement and suspense through a badge challenge to read five of the "You've Been Book'd" titles, this project will offer an innovative approach to making reading an enjoyable activity and support meet their campus goal of increasing student literacy engagement The project goal is to encourage community-building through classroom reading, create friendly competition between classrooms, and establish a love of reading for all students.

Student Voice and Choice in the Classroom Library – Steele Accelerated High School, $1,479.45

Sponsored by: Huckabee

Research shows that accessibility to engaging literature and opportunities to read stories that are relevant to students' lives increases literacy, reading comprehension, reading stamina, vocabulary, writing fluency and empathy. Most importantly, finding book titles that are relevant to students' lives demonstrates that their lives, stories and experiences are meritorious and valuable to the learning community and society. Student Voice and Choice in the Classroom Library provides funds to introduce 30 new book titles to English I, English II and Practical Writing students at Steele Accelerated High School. The goal is to provide a diverse set of books to give students a "voice and choice" of what they read - both individually and in literary groups. The book selection will include stories of students struggling with mental health, students who immigrated to the U.S., students who learn in different ways, students who are homeless, students who have diverse backgrounds, and more. Because the campus does not have an on-site library, the books will also be available for all Steele students to check out for independent reading throughout the year.

Energizing Our Reading with Lightbox – Haslet Elementary, $1,730.00

Sponsored by: NTE Mobility Partners Segments 3 for NISD

Energizing Our Reading with Lightbox purchases a collection of interactive Lightbox books that will digitally modernize the existing library collection at Haslet Elementary School, support a wide variety of learning objectives, provide point-of-need reading at any time, and increase students' enthusiasm for reading and discovery. Lightbox books will be available through the campus' digital library for pre-kindergarten through fifth grade students, which allows students to access from school or home. Unlike traditional print books, these interactive e-books provide support tools for all levels of readers including audio, video, activities, web links, slideshows, transparencies interactive maps, quizzes and keywords; therefore, the multifaceted platform ensures every student can successfully comprehend and learn the content. Lightbox books also offer unlimited access, which allows multiple students to view the same book at the same time and provides a new opportunity for teachers to introduce or extend learning concepts in the classroom. Each book was carefully chosen to open up experiences for every student to energize their reading and discovery. The varied collection enables students to strengthen their competencies in the areas of basic social emotional learning skills, career exploration, space exploration, weather conditions, national holidays, STEM related topics and more.

A Step in the Right Reading Direction – Hatfield Elementary, $3,197.25

Sponsored by: NEF Employee Giving Campaign

The goal of A Step in the Right Reading Direction is to help students at Hatfield Elementary School become confident, accurate, fluent and independent readers. The grant purchases two Literacy Footprints kits to expand the leveled book resources available on their campus. The fourth grade kit will support fourth and fifth grade readers and the Compass Collection kit will support students who are acquiring English. The book kits follow a guided reading format and include pre-planned lessons for each title, which allows teachers to provide every student with the kind of quality, sequential instruction that is important for struggling readers. The engaging and varied titles benefit all students by giving them the skills to read on or above grade level, and to enjoy the learning journey as they go!

Publish Book of High School Students Creative Writing and Conferences – Northwest High School, $2,732.00

Sponsored by: NEF Employee Giving Campaign

Creative Writing students work hard throughout the year to go through all steps of the writing process. However, the step that usually is slighted during this process is the publishing piece. With Publish Book of High School Students Creative Writing and Conferences, teachers at Northwest High School hope to inspire the next generation of great writers by helping them experience the pay off, success and pride of achieving a published piece of writing! Publishing a piece of their own may be the extra push that some students need in order to build confidence in their writing abilities, which is a life skill that they can take with them beyond the four walls of the high school classrooms. All students on campus will be invited to submit work and participate in the published book, which will include poetry, short stories, song lyrics, and other written work. The grant also provides funding to host a Creative Writers' Conference for the entire school with professional speakers. Once published, the book will be sold for fundraising purposes to provide for future conference and publishing needs.

'All is Fair in Love & Books' – Clara Love Elementary, $2,500

Sponsored by: NEF Employee Giving Campaign

Research shows that representation matters. It is important for schools and libraries to be filled with books that serve as mirrors of the student's lives and identities, but also windows into parts of the world they have not yet ventured. 'All is Fair in Love & Books' provides funding for diverse literature so that every child at Clara Love Elementary School can see themselves in a variety of ways, foster a positive self-image, and raise cultural awareness. The grant will allow the campus to buy hundreds of book titles that have been carefully selected to represent their student population and bring social awareness to all students. In partnership with the Clara Love PTA, the campus will host "All is Fair in Love & Books" night to immerse students in art, flags, food, music, storytelling and presentations from the various cultures represented in these books. Their vision is to foster a sense of belonging and a culture of acceptance across the campus, which will support the Social and Emotional Learning core competencies and strengthen relationships between all stakeholders. In addition to books, the grant provides materials needed to successfully execute the culture night.

Listen, Learn, Read On with Audiobooks – Granger Elementary, $1,506.38

Sponsored by: NTE Mobility Partners Segments 3 for NISD

Research shows that the benefits of reading are tremendous including vocabulary advancement, development of critical thinking skills, reduced stress, and increased knowledge of the world. The purpose of Listen, Learn, Read On with Audiobooks is to purchase a collection of fifty audiobooks to allow teachers at Granger Elementary to offer a listening library that will increase students’ enthusiasm for reading and their reading achievement. They will achieve this goal by supplying access to digital content with enhance features to provide a multisensory experience when reading and give students additional resources for reading success. Each book has been carefully selected based on the criteria of outstanding professional reviews, quality content, and representation of a wide range of genres and varied interest levels. Thirty-eight titles will support third through sixth grade reading levels and twelve titles will support kindergarten through second grade. These recorded texts help bridge the gap for struggling readers and offer built in digital support tools such as the ability to adjust reading speed, which enables students to enjoy books above their independent reading level. Follett Digital Audiobooks are accessible from any computer or mobile device with current browser settings so reading can happen in the classroom, car or home.

Listen-Up with Interactive Reading – Seven Hills Elementary, $4,564.35

Sponsored by: CoServ Charitable Foundation

Good readers become great leaders! In order to be successful, kids today need to learn to read independently, think critically, and reflect universally on how reading impacts them. The purpose of Listen-Up with Interactive Reading is to provide books in a variety of formats so that every student at Seven Hills Elementary School is supported by resources and reading material in their primary learning style. This grant enhances the campus library to include various fiction and non-fiction titles in print, audio and interactive formats. The book titles were carefully chosen to support topics that are grade-appropriate and they range from Social and Emotional Learning traits to gardening and recipe books. By providing high interest text in a variety of formats, this grant engages all students in reading, promotes the importance of literacy, and helps struggling readers build their fundamental skills in a new way.

Free Little Library – Cox Elementary, $1,291.08

Sponsored by: FastSigns Alliance

Little Free Libraries is a grass-roots initiative that has spread across the country with the goal of providing a creative solution to the book access problem. School libraries may not be available twenty-four hours a day, but by offering a well-maintained Little Library with a variety of books, the school, teachers and community can provide the next best thing for all students. Free Little Library funds the start-up of three "libraries" to serve the needs of students at Cox Elementary: one for kindergarten and first grade, one for second and third grade, and one for fourth and fifth grade students. This is an important step in providing equal access to books for at-risk and struggling students. Each library will have a designated location outside of the school and will hold a variety of grade-level appropriate books. Three starter sets will provide a number of books to jump-start the program; however, the project will be sustainable as teachers encourage students to "take a book and leave a book."

The Bookworm Vending Machine – Peterson Elementary, $4,020.00

Sponsored by: CoServ Charitable Foundation

This year, teachers at Peterson Elementary School are focused on using Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) with fidelity. PBIS is a way for schools to teach students about behavior, just as they would teach subjects like reading or math, and an opportunity to celebrate students who make good choices and work toward extraordinary character! Teachers have implemented a "money" system and students have the opportunity to earn a gold coin when they are following the character expectations. The goal is to improve overall behavior and lower discipline referrals by setting character expectations and allowing students to work toward a reward, a positive note from their teacher and a positive phone call home. In addition, the campus is promoting literacy across all grade levels so that students develop a love of reading and improve fundamental skills. The Bookworm Vending Machine combines these two focuses by purchasing a book vending machine for all students to use during the school year. Each class will recognize one student per month for being a "Kid with Character!" and they will get to use their gold coin to choose a new book. As an ongoing initiative, this grant will positively impact 35 students each month and distribute more than 300 books per school year.

Math RTI Curriculum – Seven Hills Elementary, $2,092.15

Sponsored by: Pinnacle Bank & NEF Employee Giving Campaign

Fifth grade math is one of the most crucial years in education for immediate and future success. The goal of Math RTI Curriculum is to close achievement gaps for students struggling in mathematics and provide extensions for students who are on an advanced level at Seven Hills Elementary School. Seven Hills has a high ELL, ECD and at-risk population, and unfortunately, many students will not have the opportunity to be exposed to an interactive curriculum like this one. The intensive Response to Intervention (RTI) curriculum and math manipulatives purchased will be used daily during small groups or lead time. Each day students will learn through a "CRA" approach, which stands for Concrete, Representational and Abstract. The manipulatives used during lessons develops conceptual understanding and helps students self-discover the mathematical world through a hands-on approach. Since the program is designed for fifth and sixth grade, educators will also have the opportunity to support students who are on or above grade level. The sixth grade lessons will help set a baseline for any students interested in pre-AP math next school year.

Got a Knack for Speed Stacks – Justin Elementary, $1,150.00

Sponsored by: AllianceTexas Corporate Challenge

Got a Knack for Speed Stacks funds 60 sets of Speed Stack cups to support every student in kindergarten through fifth grade at Justin Elementary through their physical education classes. Cup stacking is a unique sport that levels the playing field in PE and closes achievement gaps because students of all skill levels can participate. When you cup stack, both hemispheres of the brain are activated and the movements promote hand-eye coordination, ambidexterity, quickness, concentration and bilateral proficiency. Students will begin by learning foundation skills and combinations before moving on to cup stacking games like relays and partner stacks when they are ready to increase the rigor. In addition to enhancing physical fitness, the patterns of cup stacking imitate patterns needed for reading and writing by activating the same parts of the brain and following the right-to-left sequence, which helps support academic achievement.

You Can 'Count on Me' – Thompson Elementary, $3,695

Sponsored by: NEF Employee Giving Campaign

Studies have shown that exercise decreases chronic disease and promotes psychological well-being by decreasing feelings of depression and anxiety. Additionally, exercise may help improve academic performance leading to better grades and achievement, improved academic behavior, and increased concentration and attentiveness in students. You Can 'Count on Me' is a grant aimed at teaching Thompson Elementary School students how exercise can positively impact their lives, and providing those students with the tools needed to improve their physical fitness and nutrition decisions. Using pedometers, students will monitor their activity levels to understand how much physical activity they get during the day and to set goals for increased movement based on their own past performance. An optic hub will allow the data to be available for PE teachers to track student progress over time and encourage students who show improvement. The project also encourages students to share what they learn with their family to empower students and the community as a whole to lead an active, healthy lifestyle!

Ready, Set, Regulate – Peterson Elementary, $1,156.57

Sponsored by: Huckabee

Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) is the process through which children and adults acquire and effectively apply the knowledge, attitudes and skills necessary to understand and manage emotions; set and achieve positive goals; feel and show empathy for others; establish and maintain positive relationships; and make responsible decisions. CASEL defines these as some of the most imperative skills that should be mastered in order to develop successful relationships and become contributing members of society. Ready, Set, Regulate aims to teach students at Peterson Elementary School about "zones of regulation" and help them learn SEL strategies to self-regulate their emotions in and out of the classroom, leading to more positive student interactions, less time out of the classroom and eventually more effective learning. In addition to books and resource materials, the grant provides each classroom with a "calm down" kit filled with sensory tools (breathing tools, fidgets, glitter jars, busy blocks, writing and drawing) for students to use to "get in the green" zone and be ready to learn!

Courage, Confidence, Kindness: Change Starts with Me – Prairie View Elementary, $751.38

Sponsored by: Pinnacle Bank

Educators begin the foundation of Social Emotional Learning (SEL) and literacy in pre-kindergarten and kindergarten classrooms. By introducing SEL skills early-on, students will be equipped with the appropriate resources and tools to not only recognize their emotions and behaviors, but also grow positive relationships and become successful learners. Courage, Confidence, Kindness: Change Starts with Me provides pre-kindergarten and kindergarten students at Prairie View Elementary School with a balanced educational and emotional support system as teachers work to show them the importance of literacy and SEL. The grant allows teachers to create a shared grade-level cart packed with English and Spanish books, SEL games, and literacy resources. The books and resources will be implemented into the everyday schedule to teach students about self-awareness and social awareness so they can learn to identify emotions, manage and use emotions positively, recognize strengths and weaknesses, and develop a growth mindset. Ultimately, their vision is for every student to leave the classroom with the building blocks of courage, confidence and kindness... and with the knowledge that they are worthy.

Shake, Rattle, and Roll to Self-Regulation – Clara Love Elementary, $4,828.34

Sponsored by: NEF Employee Giving Campaign

The ability to practice self-awareness, self-management, responsible decision making, and personal well-being are essential for success in school. For students who lack these skills, school can be difficult. Shake, Rattle and Roll to Self-Regulation funds an outdoor sensory motor lab in the enclosed courtyard at Clara Love Elementary School. The outdoor sensory lab will provide learning opportunities for students in pre-kindergarten through fifth grade who need assistance with self-regulation, calming, and pro-social behavior. In the lab, students will be able to access specific equipment and activities designed to provide an appropriate sensory "diet" to help them focus and prepare for learning. Students will have access to the lab as part of scheduled activities or as needed for sensory breaks if they become overwhelmed in the classroom.

An Exercise in Education and Empathy – Medlin Middle School, $1,983.15

Sponsored by: Texas Health Harris Methodist Hospital Alliance

An Exercise in Education and Empathy is a grant that combines physical movement with two important areas of focus in Northwest ISD; literacy and Social Emotional Learning (SEL). The funds purchase five FitDesk exercise bikes for the Medlin Middle School library to give students the ability to be physically active while they are reading or working on assignments. Middle school students are only required to take two semesters of Physical Education following their year in sixth grade, and because there is not an option for recess, this can result in a decrease of daily physical activity for many seventh and eighth grade students. For many students, physical activity provides a means of energy outlet that cannot be addressed well in an academic classroom and for students with focusing difficulties or emotional issues, the addition of physical activity can give them the ability to focus more on their school work. The goal is to provide a space for students to add physical movement to their academic tasks, which can result in improved focus, higher academic performance and positive mental health development in youth. 

Social Emotional Reading – Gene Pike Middle School, $783.23

Sponsored by: In Memory of Junko Stanley: NEF Employee Giving Campaign and SPED

The Committee for Children defines Social Emotional Learning (SEL) as “the process of developing the self-awareness, self-control, and interpersonal skills that are vital for school, work and life success.” Social Emotional Reading provides literature-based SEL resources to support each grade level at Pike Middle School. The lessons teach SEL strategies to all students, and enhance the individual and group therapy sessions for at-risk students who work with the Communities and Schools social worker and the campuses counseling department. Through reading texts that illustrate SEL strategies, the grant aims to help students understand and manage emotions, set and achieve positive goals, feel and show empathy for others, establish and maintain positive relationships and make responsible decisions. The campus plans to engage at-risk students with the new materials in its first year and then implement the resources school wide for teachers to use during their advisory time with all students.

iCommunicate: AAC Immersion for Students with Complex Speech and Cognitive Delays – Nance Elementary, $1,516.94

Sponsored by: GPD Foundation

Language and therefore, communication is the foundation by which all academic and educational practices are based. Verbal speech is used throughout the entire school day for teaching purposes including processes and procedures, new concepts, giving directions, basic conversation and socializing.  Yet, verbal speech is a mode of communication that students with cognitive differences and complex speech impairments do not have the ability to utilize. The goal of iCommunicate is to immerse students in a dual-symbol based Augmentative Alternative Communication (AAC) to develop language and communication. At Nance Elementary School, the Structured Learning Classroom teacher and speech-language pathologist will engage nonverbal and low-verbal students by modeling the use of an alternate language and communication system throughout the day. This will allow non- and low-verbal students to learn how to communicate effectively using symbols coupled with voice output technology so that their voices can be heard, even if they cannot communicate using verbal speech. By using the AAC application, students will have an opportunity to develop language and communication skills to their highest potential in school, the community and beyond.

Coffee Shop – Eaton High School, $1,487.51

Sponsored by: The Eaton Family and GPD Foundation

Special education students often need help and reinforcement with skills that can be taken for granted by general education students. Things like counting money, making change and socializing with customers are important skills that students will need when they graduate. Coffee Shop, as the grant title suggests, funds the implementation of a student-led coffee shop at Eaton High School. Special education students will manage the business and assume responsibility for regular operations. All campus employees will be able to order through a Google form for once a week delivery. Students will prepare the coffee order, including brewing, adding sweeteners and creamers, and affixing correct labels. They will deliver the coffee to the correct employee, collect money and make change, and interact with their customers. Once the shop has closed for the day, students will deposit profits, take inventory and clean the shop. This grant is an opportunity for special education students to learn crucial skills for the workforce and the world, to take pride and ownership in a service they provide, and to be seen doing great work in their campus community. It also allows general education students and campus employees to witness their capabilities and support their efforts. 

Everything is Awesome, Everything is cool when you're part of STEM club – Peterson Elementary, $488.59

Sponsored by: Joeris

STEM clubs offers unique learning opportunities for students that are not always part of the traditional classroom curriculum and allows students to expand on concepts they've learned in a fun and engaging way. Everything is Awesome, Everything is cool when you're part of STEM club provides resources for a second grade club at Peterson Elementary to help promote science, technology, engineering and math. Students will develop a passion for STEM, learn to collaborate in a team environment, and gain the communication skills necessary to problem solve with others. Each week, students will be presented with a different challenge where they must work together to design, build and test their creations.

Medlin Robotics Team – Medlin Middle School, $4,825.63

Sponsored by: CoServ Charitable Foundation

In January, teachers at Medlin Middle School started an after school robotics team for students in sixth, seventh and eighth grade. Their vision was to create an engaging student-centered extra-curricular organization for all students interested in robotics and coding, and to provide them with opportunities to learn and develop new skills. The response from students was so great that they didn't have enough equipment for each student to work with the hands-on activities. Medlin Robotics Team funds three VEX V5 Competition Super Kits and the supplies needed for storage on campus. With the long term goal of helping students prepare for and compete in the regional VEX robotics competitions, this grant ensures every student is able to join and develop skills through unique experiences with robotics, problem solving, communication and collaboration, and team-building skills.

Let's Breakout! – Hatfield Elementary, $2,000

Sponsored by: Facebook

Let’s Breakout! purchases 12 BreakoutEDU bundles to teachers at Hatfield Elementary School so that every classroom can create and implement an escape room to help students develop new skills and solidify their understanding of the content being taught through the experience. The kits allow teachers to access an online database of pre-created escape room activities or they can create their own set of challenges! Each bundle includes all supplies needed for set up and implementation, including locks, an invisible ink pen, UV light and a hasp. The goal is for students to practice critical-thinking skills and collaboration to solve clues with their team. To be successful, students will put their communication skills to the test as they work together to solve rigorous and higher-order thinking questions. Following an activity, teachers can use the results to show that students understand the content and use this as a formative assessment to guide their teaching. In addition to regular classroom use, the kits can be utilized for gifted and talented, special education, and fine arts classes, as well as staff team building activities.

Engineering Happier Endings – Justin Elementary, $1,112.52

Sponsored by: Facebook

Over the last few years, first through fifth grade students at Justin Elementary School have been engaged in MakerSpace problem-solving challenges on a weekly basis. When PPCD and pre-kindergarten students joined in on the learning fun this year, they realized they needed supplies and materials to develop the space for MakerSpace opportunities that can support all students. Engineering Happier Endings provides resources and materials to help early elementary students discover STEM through fairy tale literature and inspire them to explore each challenge by working together to find a solution! The kits purchased include the building materials, story cards, and teacher resources to implement into the MakerSpace challenges. Through this grant, students will learn and develop important skills, including creativity, problem solving, critical thinking and collaboration, development of positive self-image, and literacy.

STEM Backpacks to Go – Thompson Elementary, Granger Elementary, Sendera Ranch Elementary, Haslet Elementary, $3,168.96

Sponsored by: Facebook

STEM Backpacks to Go provides four elementary campuses with the resources to create circulating backpacks filled with STEM challenges and all of the materials needed to reinforce the learning concepts and higher-order thinking. Teachers at Thompson Elementary, Granger Elementary, Sendera Ranch Elementary, and Haslet Elementary worked together on the project, which aims to enhance education by providing new tools to develop and enrich student learning beyond the traditional classroom setting. Each campus will have twelve backpacks available for students to check out and take home for the purpose of engaging in STEM related project with their families. The resources provided in STEM backpacks cultivate reading, listening, problem solving, collaboration and writing skills, as well as give students a means to explore and share their learning with the school communities. With STEM Backpacks to Go, STEM creations can happen anywhere, anytime and with anyone.

We Heart Science: Lab Investigation Celebration – Northwest High School, $2,170.47

Sponsored by: Devon Energy

We Heart Science: Lab Investigation Celebration is an event designed to give students an exciting day of scientific exploration, hands-on investigation, and the opportunity to learn and share advanced science knowledge with multiple grade-level students. Northwest High School will host sixth grade students from across the district and participating students from each grade level will  lead them in explorations of biology, chemistry, physics, environmental science, technology and engineering. The goal of the grant is to generate interest and excitement for the study of upper level science among middle school students, and to provide high school students with an opportunity to serve as experts and strengthen their knowledge as they teach learned content.

Where's the Confusion? – Northwest High School, $1,299.96

Sponsored by: Pogue Construction

Where’s the Confusion? provides three large mobile whiteboards for freshman and sophomore biology students at Northwest High School with the goal of helping students focus on their personalized learning. The whiteboards will have many uses, including differentiated assignments, small peer groups for student-led reviews, class presentations where each group is able to complete one piece of a larger project, and stations to work through points of confusion when students need clarity on a lesson. Their vision for the grant is to create an environment that benefits all students at different levels of learning, promotes collaboration and critical thinking, allows students to work through productive struggle and areas of confusion, and supports AVID strategies across the campus. By adding these resources, students can collaborate with each other and work on different parts of a lesson of different types of lessons, which allows the teacher to reach and meet more students at their current level of knowledge.

SATPAC articulation therapy program – Cox Elementary (grant supports all speech pathologists across the district), $4,375

Sponsored by: NEF Employee Giving Campaign

Remediation of the /r/ and /s/ sounds in children's speech is one of the trickiest therapies for Speech Pathologists. Progress is typically slow and students are in therapy for extended periods of time. SATPAC articulation therapy program funds 25 licenses for SATPAC, which is a systematic approach to the problem that facilitates success in therapy in a shorter amount of time. The program uses nonsense words so the student does not revert to old habits when using real words in order to establish the target sound. Following those therapy sessions, it moves to contexts (phrases and sentences) that help generalize this ability to real speech. The grant allows every Speech Pathologist in the district to receive a license so that students in need on every NISD campus will benefit from the resources. SATPAC helps to correct articulation disorders, improves student communication skills, boosts confidence in public speaking, and increases the amount of time that students with speech disorders are in the general education classroom. The program also allows for individualized lists to be created and used in therapy or at home and gives therapists a way to keep accurate data on student progress.

Kore Wobble Stools – Cox Elementary, $642.46

Sponsored by: Jeff Dearing, New York Life Insurance

Kore Wobble Stools purchases ten active seating chairs for fourth grade students at Cox Elementary as a way to help students release their energy while completing work in the classroom. The chairs encourage continuous movement as they rock and spin on a domed base, providing a flexible seating option that promotes natural posture and increased secondary focus. The chairs give students a choice of how and where they learn best. In addition, the wobble stools are a great tool for students with ADHD and sensory processing disorders because it allows them to move while sitting (Active Sitting) and get their wiggles out during instruction. The extra support from these stools would help all of my students to reach their full potential and keep them engaged in their learning.

Don't Stop Beleafing in our Smarty Plants! – Thompson Elementary, $3,371.17

Sponsored by: Facebook

Psychologist Albert Bandura defined self-efficacy as the ability to exert control over one's own motivation, behavior and environment. One's sense of self-efficacy can play a major role in how one approaches goals, tasks and challenges. The goal of Don't Stop Beleafing in our Smarty Plants! is to establish and sustain a school garden at Thompson Elementary School so every student can enrich Social Emotional Learning; specifically self-efficacy. School gardens have many benefits, including social emotional awareness, improved mental and physical health, and responsible academic and environmental learners. The grant purchases eight raised cedar beds, soil, cement stepping stones, seeds, live plants, plants signs, water buckets, a class set of gardening gloves, various garden tools, storage containers, and garden rock. The Thompson teachers have already discussed their plans to maintain and enhance the garden each school year. With the campus budget, they plan to ensure its sustainability by proactively budgeting for three years to replace and trade plants due to seasonal weather changes and partnered with their PTA to The project also has support from community organizations and volunteers, including a resident expert who  sponsored the club for the past three years and will continue to be the campus leader.

The GROW LAB – Peterson Elementary, $4,846.54

Sponsored by: Facebook

Welcome to The GROW LAB – a Great Room of Wonder for students at Peterson Elementary School! In the GROW LAB, students will cultivate their natural sense of curiosity through hands-on, meaningful learning opportunities. The lab will “sprout” in the campus library and transform the space into a collaborative, multi-faceted learning hub. Students from every grade will be able to use the resources and activities provided by this grant to learn through inquiry, exploration and iteration. While the library’s focus will still be cultivating literacy skills and engaging students in reading, the purpose of the grant is to expand their learning to incorporate math, science, language and social studies. The new resources include a 3D printer, STEM kits and Little Bits coding packs, a magnetic marble run, a mobile LEGO magnetic wall, LEGO sets and more. With the new flexible space and resources, teachers and students will be able to work together to build knowledge, personalize learning to meet the needs of each student, and engage the whole campus on a path to academic excellence. 

The Outdoor Learning and Social Space – Special Programs Center, $4,491.55

Sponsored by: Huckabee

The Outdoor Learning and Social Space creates a space at the Special Programs Center (SPC) that allows students to enjoy learning opportunities and social activities in a natural setting that is comparable to other campuses across the district. The grant funds three 72-inch hexagonal picnic tables and two 96-inch benches to furnish the campus green spaces and provide students with an alternate view during the school day as opposed to a one-hallway perspective. The space will be used in three ways; for all campus staff to teach classes as weather permits, for counselors to use during the delivery of lessons that help students improve social and emotional skills, and as a privilege for students to use during lunch. SPC teachers believe this multi-use approach will maximize the benefits for their students, who are 100% at-risk and stand to benefit greatly from the additions. Outdoor learning taps into a research-proven strategy to enhance their learning process, and subsequently improve school culture byway of improved class engagement and less frequent redirects. Students should also see improvements in their social and communication skills through participation in enrichment activities. The goal of the grant is to provide students with opportunities to contribute to their class and school, while creating an environment where they can experience the satisfaction, sense of belonging, and enhanced motivation that comes from experiences in an outdoor setting.