{"id":492577,"date":"2026-02-27T00:15:10","date_gmt":"2026-02-27T00:15:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/492577\/"},"modified":"2026-02-27T00:15:10","modified_gmt":"2026-02-27T00:15:10","slug":"liberty-isd-education-foundation-awards-record-breaking-115k-in-innovative-teaching-grants","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/492577\/","title":{"rendered":"Liberty ISD Education Foundation awards record-breaking $115K in Innovative Teaching Grants"},"content":{"rendered":"

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The Liberty ISD Education Foundation has awarded\u00a0more than $115,000 in Innovative Teaching Grants\u00a0for the 2026 school year, marking a\u00a0record-breaking year\u00a0with\u00a048 teacher grant applications and four campus grant applications\u00a0submitted across the district.<\/p>\n

Following a competitive review process, the Foundation awarded\u00a030 teacher grants and four campus grants\u00a0benefiting 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.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis was a truly inspiring year for the LISD Education Foundation,\u201d said\u00a0Allie Smart, Executive Director. \u201cWith 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.\u201d<\/p>\n

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To continue supporting innovative classroom programs, the\u00a0LISD Education Foundation\u2019s 4th Annual Casino Night\u00a0will take place\u00a0Feb. 28. Tickets are on sale now at\u00a0libertyeducationfoundation.net<\/a>.<\/p>\n

2026 Grant Recipients<\/p>\n

San Jacinto Elementary School<\/p>\n

Mandy Cormier, Deanne Alexander, Stacy Neal \u2014\u00a0AAC for Whole Class Modeling<\/p>\n

Jessie Smith \u2014\u00a0Big Drums for Little Hands<\/p>\n

Lauren Tristan \u2014\u00a0Foundational Literacy Manipulative Kits<\/p>\n

Kayla Harman & Carissa Drake \u2014\u00a0Print to Learn: A 3D Literacy and Life Skills Lab<\/p>\n

Campus Grant: Lindsay Matlock \u2014\u00a0Where Learning Grows<\/p>\n

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Liberty Elementary School<\/p>\n

Stephany Pentecost \u2014\u00a0Bridging Communication Gaps Through Translation Devices<\/p>\n

Marijo Hergemueller \u2014\u00a0TORO STAAR Pep Rally<\/p>\n

Brenda Thompson & Sommer Beck \u2014\u00a0Book Taco<\/p>\n

Aerial West \u2014\u00a0From Caterpillar to Comprehension<\/p>\n

Laura D\u2019Camp \u2014\u00a0Contrabass Bars to Keep the Beat<\/p>\n

Marijo Hergemueller, Sarahi Correa, Pamela Bond \u2014\u00a0Bringing the Bluebonnet Curriculum to Life<\/p>\n

Tonya Freeman \u2014\u00a0Students Just Want to Be Heard<\/p>\n

Aerial West \u2014\u00a0Bringing the Universe to Third Grade<\/p>\n

Vicky Russell \u2014\u00a0Math Manipulatives<\/p>\n

Kirbie Nugent, Bonnie Portier, Becky Franke, Erica Howze, Ma Morfin \u2014\u00a0Fostering Fluent Mathematicians<\/p>\n

Campus Grant: Joanne Knepper \u2014\u00a0From Cafeteria to Classroom<\/p>\n

Liberty Middle School<\/p>\n

Kristin Mearns \u2014\u00a0Supporting Inclusive Athletics Through Unified Sports Equipment<\/p>\n

Reagan Mayo \u2014\u00a0Enhancing Student Performance Through Theatrical Makeup Resources<\/p>\n

Elisha Lemelle \u2014\u00a0Calculate the Future<\/p>\n

Sylvia Phillips \u2014\u00a0Future of Food: The Living Lab Indoor STEM Ecosystem<\/p>\n

Justin Armstrong \u2014\u00a0Digital Chess Board, Pieces and Clock<\/p>\n

Sylvia Phillips \u2014\u00a0Science Center Stage: High-Impact Physics & Chemistry<\/p>\n

Sarah Clarke \u2014\u00a0Code in Their Hands: Bringing Micro:bit Robotics to Life<\/p>\n

Kirsti McCarty \u2014\u00a0Crazy Circuits \u2013 Circuits 101<\/p>\n

Ryan McKinney \u2014\u00a0Keys to Learning: Interactive Piano Technology<\/p>\n

Campus Grant: Lisa Goodwin, Kayla Roy, Kade Goodwin \u2014\u00a0LMS Spirit Box \u2013 PBIS & CTE Entrepreneurship Project<\/p>\n

Liberty High School<\/p>\n

Richard Ewing \u2014\u00a0Creating a Professional Audio Recording Environment<\/p>\n

Sarah Hughes \u2014\u00a0Switch It Up! Interactive Modeling Across the Curriculum<\/p>\n

Gradee Davis \u2014\u00a0Aging & Sensory Simulation Lab for Patient-Centered Care<\/p>\n

Julie Newman \u2014\u00a0Panther Paw News: Student Journalism in Action<\/p>\n

Ross Meche \u2014\u00a0Virtual Reality Based Mural & Digital Arts Project<\/p>\n

Lauren Key \u2014\u00a0Dance Curriculum and Videos<\/p>\n

Lauren Key & Emily Edwards \u2014\u00a0Performance and Class Mirrors<\/p>\n

Campus Grant: Karen Slack \u2014\u00a0From Concrete to Canopy: Reimagining Outdoor Learning Spaces<\/p>\n

Photos from the presentations courtesy of Nick Dennis Photography:<\/p>\n

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