CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — Friday was a very special day for the Port Aransas Independent School District. They were awarded $227,000 in funds to enrich their education from The Port Aransas Education Foundation.
Tracy Cunningham has been a teacher for over four years and this is her first year as a computer science teacher at Port Aransas High School.
Cunningham said this donation will make a significant impact in her classroom.
“It was very exciting because it is always a game of I want all of these things for my classroom, and I want all of these things for my kids, but you never know if you are going to get it," Cunningham said.
Every year the foundation has a big fundraiser in the fall, where they raise money for teachers to apply to their classroom curriculum.
These funds then go through a grant process, where teachers and staff write applications for grants, and Fridaythey were awarded the grants.
Cunningham was one of 98 of the district’s teacher who applied for a grant.
There was a total of 85 grants awarded, each for different amounts.
"The fact that i was honored with such a large amount of money to get robotics and new computers, and editing computers and tables and desks that will really renovate my classroom was very very very exciting.” Cunningham said.
Cunningham, along with all other teachers in the school district said she applied for this grant in early April.
The mayor of Port Aransas and board members of the Port Aransas Education Foundation said these grants are special for their schools.
“We created the foundation in 2006 to help support the needs of the education of our students, to help them get the things that they are not getting through traditional funding," Moore said.
Moore was joined by other foundation members and volunteers as they went to one classroom after another to announce their winners.
"So that is what we do every year and we are super excited today to give probably the biggest amounts we have ever done in the history of the program,” Moore said.
The principal of Port Aransas High School David Swartwout said this is an opportunity for teachers to think a little outside the box.
“We pride ourselves on being an innovative place for learning," Swartwout said. "These education grants provide that space and opportunity to teachers to pursue things that they wouldn’t normally get in any school year.”
The grants were awarded based on need, creativity, and the number of students the grants may benefit.
The amount awarded depends on how much the foundation has available.
“It’s so amazing to have the support of the community behind you, and to have your principal and your admin behind you," Cunningham said. "(It) really help(s) you believe in you to do what you think you need to do to help the students, and to get them to learn and get them motivated and get them going what they want to do."
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