The Liberty ISD Education Foundation has awarded more than $115,000 in Innovative Teaching Grants for the 2026 school year, marking a record-breaking year with 48 teacher grant applications and four campus grant applications submitted across the district.

Following a competitive review process, the Foundation awarded 30 teacher grants and four campus grants benefiting students at San Jacinto Elementary, Liberty Elementary, Liberty Middle School, and Liberty High School. The funded projects support a wide range of programs including special education, literacy, STEM, fine arts, career and technical education, athletics, and student enrichment.

“This was a truly inspiring year for the LISD Education Foundation,” said Allie Smart, Executive Director. “With a record number of applications and more than $115,000 awarded, we are seeing firsthand the incredible creativity, passion, and dedication of our teachers. These grants impact students at every level, supporting special needs, literacy, STEM, fine arts, CTE, and more, and will touch every campus in our district.”

To continue supporting innovative classroom programs, the LISD Education Foundation’s 4th Annual Casino Night will take place Feb. 28. Tickets are on sale now at libertyeducationfoundation.net.

2026 Grant Recipients

San Jacinto Elementary School

Mandy Cormier, Deanne Alexander, Stacy Neal — AAC for Whole Class Modeling

Jessie Smith — Big Drums for Little Hands

Lauren Tristan — Foundational Literacy Manipulative Kits

Kayla Harman & Carissa Drake — Print to Learn: A 3D Literacy and Life Skills Lab

Campus Grant: Lindsay Matlock — Where Learning Grows

Liberty Elementary School

Stephany Pentecost — Bridging Communication Gaps Through Translation Devices

Marijo Hergemueller — TORO STAAR Pep Rally

Brenda Thompson & Sommer Beck — Book Taco

Aerial West — From Caterpillar to Comprehension

Laura D’Camp — Contrabass Bars to Keep the Beat

Marijo Hergemueller, Sarahi Correa, Pamela Bond — Bringing the Bluebonnet Curriculum to Life

Tonya Freeman — Students Just Want to Be Heard

Aerial West — Bringing the Universe to Third Grade

Vicky Russell — Math Manipulatives

Kirbie Nugent, Bonnie Portier, Becky Franke, Erica Howze, Ma Morfin — Fostering Fluent Mathematicians

Campus Grant: Joanne Knepper — From Cafeteria to Classroom

Liberty Middle School

Kristin Mearns — Supporting Inclusive Athletics Through Unified Sports Equipment

Reagan Mayo — Enhancing Student Performance Through Theatrical Makeup Resources

Elisha Lemelle — Calculate the Future

Sylvia Phillips — Future of Food: The Living Lab Indoor STEM Ecosystem

Justin Armstrong — Digital Chess Board, Pieces and Clock

Sylvia Phillips — Science Center Stage: High-Impact Physics & Chemistry

Sarah Clarke — Code in Their Hands: Bringing Micro:bit Robotics to Life

Kirsti McCarty — Crazy Circuits – Circuits 101

Ryan McKinney — Keys to Learning: Interactive Piano Technology

Campus Grant: Lisa Goodwin, Kayla Roy, Kade Goodwin — LMS Spirit Box – PBIS & CTE Entrepreneurship Project

Liberty High School

Richard Ewing — Creating a Professional Audio Recording Environment

Sarah Hughes — Switch It Up! Interactive Modeling Across the Curriculum

Gradee Davis — Aging & Sensory Simulation Lab for Patient-Centered Care

Julie Newman — Panther Paw News: Student Journalism in Action

Ross Meche — Virtual Reality Based Mural & Digital Arts Project

Lauren Key — Dance Curriculum and Videos

Lauren Key & Emily Edwards — Performance and Class Mirrors

Campus Grant: Karen Slack — From Concrete to Canopy: Reimagining Outdoor Learning Spaces

Photos from the presentations courtesy of Nick Dennis Photography:

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