A+ Education Foundation awards $126,000 in grants to 91 area educators
AUSTIN, TX (July 15, 2020) — The A+ Education Foundation, a philanthropic arm of A+ Federal Credit Union (A+FCU), continues its commitment to education by awarding $126,000 in grants to 91 Central Texas educators. With this year’s grants, the A+ Education Foundation has awarded over $1 million in grants since the program began in 2005.
“This year has been a challenging one for educators,” Georgia Johnson, A+ Education Foundation President, said. “But they are resilient and we are excited to see what comes from these grants. It is our honor to give back to schools in this way, and we are so excited to have passed the $1 million mark for the program.”
Established in 2005, the A+ Education Foundation has awarded 1,078 educators with over $1,033,500 in grants to fund innovative, inspiring, and engaging programs for their schools.
This year’s winning submissions include:
- Technology to help teach dyslexic students
- Building a diverse classroom library
- Social and emotional learning and facilitation training for educators
- Helping young students learn simple programming with robots and other tools
- Creating a schoolyard habitat for butterflies and outdoor classroom for preschoolers
2020 Grant Recipients
| Recipient |
School |
District |
| Chuck Harris |
Austin HS |
Austin ISD |
| Bob McVerry |
Barbara Jordan ES |
Austin ISD |
| Theresa Chapa |
Becker ES |
Austin ISD |
| Marcela Sanz Blanco |
Becker ES |
Austin ISD |
| Ana Portillo |
Blazier ES |
Austin ISD |
| Carlen Floyd |
Bowie HS |
Austin ISD |
| Jennifer Atkinson |
Brentwood ES |
Austin ISD |
| Courtney Rock |
Clayton & Mills ES |
Austin ISD |
| Eric Roth |
Clayton ES |
Austin ISD |
| Lisa Wenske |
Clayton ES |
Austin ISD |
| Janet Rucka-White |
Dawson ES |
Austin ISD |
| Magan Grill |
Gullett ES |
Austin ISD |
| Maitri Shah |
Hill ES |
Austin ISD |
| Sarah Salazar |
Linder ES |
Austin ISD |
| Diana McMillan |
Mathews ES |
Austin ISD |
| Kenneth Rogers |
McCallum HS |
Austin ISD |
| Rita Cooper |
Murchison MS |
Austin ISD |
| Iliana Buzan |
Oak Hill ES |
Austin ISD |
| Alejandra Chavez |
Oak Hill ES |
Austin ISD |
| Maria Fleming |
Oak Hill ES |
Austin ISD |
| Jackie Grotrian-Chedsey |
Oak Hill ES |
Austin ISD |
| Maureen Hamburger Bishop |
Oak Hill ES |
Austin ISD |
| Katie Kanak |
Oak Hill ES |
Austin ISD |
| Lori Komassa |
Oak Hill ES |
Austin ISD |
| Shannon Messer |
Oak Hill ES |
Austin ISD |
| Lisa Moe |
Oak Hill ES |
Austin ISD |
| Alexandra Tarpley |
Oak Hill ES |
Austin ISD |
| Beth Thornton |
Oak Hill ES |
Austin ISD |
| Stacey Underwood |
Oak Hill ES |
Austin ISD |
| Elaine Stark |
Palm ES |
Austin ISD |
| Nadya Bailey-Pérez |
Perez ES |
Austin ISD |
| Maureen Freeman |
Travis Heights ES |
Austin ISD |
| Sonja Jimenez |
Uphaus Early Childhood Center |
Austin ISD |
| Noelia Otero Oquendo |
Wooten ES |
Austin ISD |
| Claire Cooper |
Zilker ES |
Austin ISD |
| Jennifer Marshall |
Zilker ES |
Austin ISD |
| Jan McLendon |
Zilker ES |
Austin ISD |
| Monique Parsons |
Zilker ES |
Austin ISD |
| Michelle White |
Zilker ES |
Austin ISD |
| Stacie Norman |
Cedar Creek MS |
Bastrop ISD |
| Deanna Bodine |
Emile ES |
Bastrop ISD |
| Jackie Uselton |
Westlak HS |
Eanes ISD |
| Navin Palicherla |
Florence MS |
Florence ISD |
| Amanda Partida |
McCoy ES |
Georgetown ISD |
| Amy Heil |
Wagner MS |
Georgetown ISD |
| Colleen Montez |
Williams ES |
Georgetown ISD |
| Delia Hernandez |
Green ES |
Hays CISD |
| Marisa Prunty |
Kyle ES |
Hays CISD |
| Martha Mendez-Trelles |
Uhland ES |
Hays CISD |
| Debbie Garthwaite |
Norman ES |
Hutto ISD |
| Alicia Cochran |
Veterans’ Hill ES |
Hutto ISD |
| Blake Gearhart |
Maude Moore Wood ES |
Killeen ISD |
| Dina D’Amore |
Reeces Creek ES |
Killeen ISD |
| Debbie Hagood |
Rough Hollow ES |
Lake Travis ISD |
| Tiffany Pelzel |
Serene Hills ES |
Lake Travis ISD |
| Veronica Cammon |
Camacho ES |
Leander ISD |
| Linda Hagen |
Cedar Park MS |
Leander ISD |
| Tracy Knippelmier |
LEO |
Leander ISD |
| Tana Kisselburg |
Plain ES |
Leander ISD |
| Jane Schenck |
Special Education |
Leander ISD |
| Gayle Chin |
Stiles MS |
Leander ISD |
| Sheryl Holmes Rivera |
Decker MS |
Manor ISD |
| Chelsea Young |
Decker MS |
Manor ISD |
| Elizabeth Williams |
Manor ES |
Manor ISD |
| Maria Cruz-Stone |
Oak Meadows ES |
Manor ISD |
| Madeleine Voltin |
Oak Meadows ES |
Manor ISD |
| Gayle Winfrey |
Shadowglen ES |
Manor ISD |
| Diane Sikkenga |
Barron ES |
Pflugerville ISD |
| Amber Ham |
Connally HS |
Pflugerville ISD |
| Lisa Bracken-Squires |
Parmer Lane ES |
Pflugerville ISD |
| Veronica Garcia |
Bluebonnet ES |
Round Rock ISD |
| Debbie Chavez |
Cedar Ridge HS |
Round Rock ISD |
| Meg Jameson |
Chisholm Trail MS |
Round Rock ISD |
| Kristie Campo |
Double File ES |
Round Rock ISD |
| Ginna Wimmer |
Fern Bluff ES |
Round Rock ISD |
| Jenny Weaver |
Great Oaks ES |
Round Rock ISD |
| Diane Hance |
Grisham MS |
Round Rock ISD |
| Linda Steidel |
Jollyville ES |
Round Rock ISD |
| Linda Kay |
Ridgeview MS |
Round Rock ISD |
| Alexandra Peoples |
Spicewood ES |
Round Rock ISD |
| Jayson Sherman |
Walsh MS |
Round Rock ISD |
| Marcus Haygood |
Crockett ES |
San Marcos CISD |
| Diana Garcia |
DeZavala ES |
San Marcos CISD |
| Joshua Keir |
Doris Miller MS |
San Marcos CISD |
| Jessica Botello |
Rodridguez ES |
San Marcos CISD |
| Tommie Jackson |
AJ Briesemeister MS |
Seguin ISD |
| Samuel Parrott |
AJ Briesemeister MS |
Seguin ISD |
| Delia Molina |
Ball Early Childhood Center |
Seguin ISD |
| Mary Ziolkowski |
Cathedral School Saint Mary |
|
| Joyce Allen |
KIPP Austin College Prep |
|
| Huckleberry Spear |
Magnolia Montessori For All |
Download press release here.
About A+ Federal Credit Union
A+ Federal Credit Union was founded in 1949 by 50 Austin, Texas teachers. Over seventy years later, A+FCU has over 168,000 members throughout the community, with over $1.9 billion in assets, over 460 employees, and 22 branches. A+FCU continues to have close relationships with local schools and provides free financial education curricula for educators, engaging financial education presentations for students, real-life money management simulations for youth, high school branch locations, and unique financial products designed for teachers. Learn more at aplusfcu.org.
About A+ Education Foundation
A+ Education Foundation was established and developed by A+ Federal Credit Union in 2005 to provide grants to full-time pre-K through 12th grade educators to assist in reaching their education goals. These grants help fund programs and training for educators in the communities served by A+FCU. To find out more information, including how to support Central Texas educators, visit aplusfcu.org/grants.
