View the Prize Patrol Photo Album Here
Since 2013, the Frenship Foundation has proudly awarded Frenship staff with teacher grants that fund supplies, technology, instructional materials, and innovative lessons that spark a passion for learning. Each spring, teachers can submit applications for their grant ideas. The following August/September, the grants are awarded based on several factors like how many students it will impact, if it can continue to impact students year after year, and how it can improve the educational outcomes for students.
“We love seeing all the innovative ideas our teachers are coming up with to give our students meaningful, hands-on, fun experiences in the classroom that will inspire a love of learning,” said Tiffany Taylor, Executive Director of the Frenship Foundation.
This month, the Foundation held their annual Prize Patrol celebration where student spirit groups like cheer, pom, mascots, and drumline parade down the campus hallways to surprise the teachers with their grants. Foundation board members, Frenship administrators, and teacher grant donors helped present 100 checks to nearly 90 teachers, with some teachers getting multiple grants for their submissions.
“It is one of our favorite events of the year. When you hear the drumline coming down the hallways and see the cheerleaders, pom, and mascots cheering you on, it is such an exciting experience,” said Taylor. “Our teachers start to yell, jump up and down, and sometimes they’re overcome with emotions and will cry. The kids are just as excited to see their teachers receive the grants, knowing something fun is coming to their classrooms.”
Prize Patrol is also a treat for the donors and community partners who support the Foundation. Donors who give $1,000 or more to teacher grants get to present the checks and see the direct impact they’re making on the teachers and students. The teachers, in turn, get to personally see and thank the businesses who are supporting education across Frenship.
“We are so excited. My students wouldn’t have nearly as many things without the Frenship Foundation. They have supported us so much over the years,” said a tearful Jaime Herndon, Bennett Elementary Early Childhood Special Education Teacher who just received a grant to purchase tricycles for her students. “My students often do not get to do things for their gross motor skills or get to ride or learn to ride tricycles, so this will help them with that.”
This year’s grants cover a wide variety of subjects and groups including special education, math, science, reading, music, PE, and early education. Some of the bigger grants included nearly $4,000 to buy books to help fill the library at Ridgewood Elementary that just opened this August, a $4,200 grant at Legacy to purchase instruments for the music class that will impact all students at the campus for many years, and nearly $6,000 for the Frenship High School aquatics teachers to purchase aquariums and animals for hands-on lessons.
To see the full photo album from Prize Patrol CLICK HERE. To learn more about the Frenship Foundation, CLICK HERE.