A+ Education Foundation awards $85,000 in grants to 92 area educators
AUSTIN, TX (July 21, 2017) — The A+ Education Foundation, a philanthropic arm of A+ Federal Credit Union (A+FCU), continues its commitment to education by awarding over $85,000 in grants to 92 Central Texas educators.
Started in 2005, the A+ Education Foundation has awarded 822 educators with over $757,000 in grants to fund innovative, inspiring, and engaging programs in their schools.
“Since its inception, the A+ Education Foundation has provided grants to educators for programs that enhance their teaching and the students’ learning experiences,” said Kerry A.S. Parker, A+ Education Foundation President. “We continue to be impressed by the submissions and are honored to support educators who encourage student learning with hands-on, interactive programs.”
This year’s winning submissions include:
- Creating an innovation lab with robotics, technology, programming, and engineering for elementary school students
- Developing a Makerspace – a collaborative space for students to enrich learning with tools and equipment for school projects
- Implementing a coding program for first graders
- Building green spaces throughout the school to help students improve attention and working memory
- Providing 3-D Virtual Reality Devices for students to take virtual field trips
- Installing a Little Free Library on campus for students and community members to use
- Providing parent coaching to parents of children with autism
- Students refurbishing retired/donated computers to give to students who do not have access to computer at home
Kate Loftis Memorial Education Grant Winner
The 2017 recipient of the Kate Loftis Memorial Education Grant, awarded on behalf of Dennis and Cindy Loftis, is Lisa Wenske from Clayton Elementary School in Austin Independent School District (AISD) for her program titled Supporting First Grade Readers and Technology Users.
Kate Loftis, born January 31, 1900, was a life-long teacher who obtained her teaching certificate from what is now Texas State University. At age 20, Loftis began teaching in schools around Travis County until her retirement in 1945. She then began teaching veterans returning from World War II and continued teaching until her mid-90s, traveling from her care facility to a local elementary school to teach reading.
2017 Grant Recipients
| Recipient |
School |
District |
| Kathy Palomo |
Allan ES |
Austin ISD |
| Barbara Freeman |
Andrews ES |
Austin ISD |
| Pamela Calabrese |
Baranoff ES |
Austin ISD |
| Alan Stevens |
Boone ES |
Austin ISD |
| Suzanna Ammenheuser |
Casis ES |
Austin ISD |
| Lisa Wenske |
Clayton ES |
Austin ISD |
| Eric Roth |
Clayton ES |
Austin ISD |
| Kiel Kietlinski |
Crockett HS |
Austin ISD |
| Cindy St. John |
Fulmore MS |
Austin ISD |
| Stacey Smith |
Govalle ES |
Austin ISD |
| Maitri Shah |
Hill ES |
Austin ISD |
| Thelma Herrera |
Mathews ES |
Austin ISD |
| Claudia Neal |
Mathews ES |
Austin ISD |
| Diana McMillan |
Mathews ES |
Austin ISD |
| Stacey Underwood |
Oak Hill ES |
Austin ISD |
| Alexandra Tarpley |
Oak Hill ES |
Austin ISD |
| Yolanda Faulkner |
Oak Hill ES |
Austin ISD |
| Jackie Grotrian |
Oak Hill ES |
Austin ISD |
| Monica Garcia |
Oak Hill ES |
Austin ISD |
| Christine Barre |
Oak Hill ES |
Austin ISD |
| Kerry Osio |
Oak Hill ES |
Austin ISD |
| Tiffany De La Rosa |
Oak Hill ES |
Austin ISD |
| Maureen Hamburger-Bishop |
Oak Hill ES |
Austin ISD |
| Renae Hernandez |
Oak Hill ES |
Austin ISD |
| Lori Komassa |
Oak Hill ES |
Austin ISD |
| Alma Cabrera |
Oak Hill ES |
Austin ISD |
| Giovanna Rolls |
Oak Hill ES |
Austin ISD |
| Kathi Peterka |
Oak Hill ES |
Austin ISD |
| Rachel Pacheco |
Ortega ES |
Austin ISD |
| Alejandra Mireles |
Ortega ES |
Austin ISD |
| Maureen Freeman |
Travis Heights ES |
Austin ISD |
| Stacey Shapiro |
Zilker ES |
Austin ISD |
| Heather Huffman |
Bluebonnet ES |
Bastrop ISD |
| Deanna Bodine |
Emile ES |
Bastrop ISD |
| Celia Zavala |
Lost Pines ES |
Bastrop ISD |
| Sara Franco |
Mina ES |
Bastrop ISD |
| Abbey Smart |
Sycamore Springs ES |
Dripping Springs ISD |
| Susan Carter |
Pickett ES |
Georgetown ISD |
| Lynette Haas |
Frost ES |
Georgetown ISD |
| Heather Castro |
Mitchell ES |
Georgetown ISD |
| Carla Ransom |
Harmony Science Academy |
Harmony Public Schools |
| Debra Flynn |
Lehman HS |
Hays CISD |
| Staci Perkins |
Science Hall ES |
Hays CISD |
| Melissa Ivicic |
Tobias ES |
Hays CISD |
| Kelly Hong |
Cottonwood Creek ES |
Hutto ISD |
| Angela Hartman |
Hutto MS |
Hutto ISD |
| Sharon Case |
Ray ES |
Hutto ISD |
| Roxanna Soto |
Bagdad ES |
Leander ISD |
| Stephanie Honeycutt |
Block House Creek ES |
Leander ISD |
| Linda Hagen |
Cedar Park MS |
Leander ISD |
| Deeana Rosiles |
Rutledge ES |
Leander ISD |
| Rebecca Rainey |
Steiner Ranch ES |
Leander ISD |
| Jacquetta Thayer |
Glenn HS |
Leander ISD |
| Linda Zarsky |
Winkley ES |
Leander ISD |
| Dana Goerner |
Lexington HS |
Lexington ISD |
| Misty Hinckley |
Clear Fork ES |
Lockhart ISD |
| Valerie Barnes |
Oak Meadows ES |
Manor ISD |
| Ronald Cintron |
Oak Meadows ES |
Manor ISD |
| Jean Chambers |
Hendrickson HS |
Pflugerville ISD |
| David Mallon |
Hendrickson HS |
Pflugerville ISD |
| Marsha Munoz |
Highland Park ES |
Pflugerville ISD |
| Julianne Bamford |
Canyon Creek ES |
Round Rock ISD |
| Jessica Cheyney |
Double File Trail ES |
Round Rock ISD |
| Ginna Hill |
Fern Bluff ES |
Round Rock ISD |
| Pam Arnold |
Forest Creek ES |
Round Rock ISD |
| Amie Schultze |
Forest Creek ES |
Round Rock ISD |
| Sheila Garcia |
Forest Creek ES |
Round Rock ISD |
| Deena Wolff |
Great Oaks ES |
Round Rock ISD |
| Jenny Weaver |
Great Oaks ES |
Round Rock ISD |
| Diane Hance |
Grisham MS |
Round Rock ISD |
| Marilyn Petkovsek |
Grisham MS |
Round Rock ISD |
| Sheryl Rank |
Grisham MS |
Round Rock ISD |
| Kristie Campo |
Johnson ES |
Round Rock ISD |
| Tiffany Pelzel |
Johnson ES |
Round Rock ISD |
| Marci Shrull |
Laurel Mountain ES |
Round Rock ISD |
| Trish Prentice |
Laurel Mountain ES |
Round Rock ISD |
| Lisa Ferriola |
Laurel Mountain ES |
Round Rock ISD |
| Shannon Sieber |
Pearson Ranch MS |
Round Rock ISD |
| Emily Thurman |
Purple Sage ES |
Round Rock ISD |
| Ellen Lukasik |
Success HS |
Round Rock ISD |
| Priscilla Delgado |
Bowie ES |
San Marcos CISD |
| Carrie Hutchins |
Bowie ES & Goodnight MS |
San Marcos CISD |
| Diana Garcia |
De Zavala ES |
San Marcos CISD |
| Oli Ponce |
De Zavala ES |
San Marcos CISD |
| Tiffany Gentry |
Goodnight MS |
San Marcos CISD |
| Caitlin Ripley |
Goodnight MS |
San Marcos CISD |
| Kim Morgan-Benson |
Hernandez ES |
San Marcos CISD |
| Jennifer Walston |
Mendez ES |
San Marcos CISD |
| Yvonne Rodriguez |
Mendez ES |
San Marcos CISD |
| Russell Krummell |
San Marcos HS |
San Marcos CISD |
| Samuel Parrott |
AJ Briesemeister MS |
Seguin ISD |
| Michael Caudill |
Brown Primary School |
Smithville ISD |
Contact: Brandy Ward
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.
