The Grants for Great Ideas program has awarded over $1.33 million to innovative educators since 1999.
Rachel McReylonds – Frisco ISD

If teachers can dream it, they can do it — thanks to the Frisco Education Foundation.

Frisco ISD educators who want to make an impact on their campuses were surprised recently as FEF visited campuses to hand out Grants for Great Ideas, an annual celebration and check distribution. Every fall, educators pitch their idea and the money they need, then they wait until November to learn if they’ve won.

On grant day, there’s guaranteed to be happy tears, and more than a few screams of joy.

At Corbell Elementary, nearly $4,000 will go toward STEMscopes fluency stations. 

Students at Boals Elementary will see a garden expansion and refresh thanks to a $1,300 grant. 

And at Wakeland High, athletes will have access to cutting-edge heat therapy through a $2,300 grant.

Grants will pay for college tours for at-risk juniors and seniors District-wide; 3D pens for Fowler Middle School animation and computer science students; jazz band equipment at Stafford Middle School; and phonics books at Purefoy Elementary. 

That’s just a sample of the Grants for Great Ideas awarded this fall by the Frisco Education Foundation. Access a complete list of the winners.

This year, the foundation gave away over $92,000 for special program supplies, learning opportunities and classroom materials. That number represents 60 grants awarded across 34 FISD schools, with 60 educators and 29 co-applicants receiving funds. One District-wide grant was also awarded.

Grants are made possible thanks to Frisco ISD payroll contributions, CoServ, the Frisco Women’s League, the Stacy Simmons Memorial Teacher Grant Endowment and other community partners. Since 1999, 890 grants have been awarded, for a total of more than $1.33 million. 

“There’s nothing better than seeing teachers light up when they realize their big ideas are becoming reality,” said Ashley Sine, director of the Frisco Education Foundation and community relations. “These grants are a celebration of creativity and community spirit, a way for all of us to lift up educators and give students experiences that spark curiosity and joy in learning.”

The Frisco Education Foundation is a 510(c)(3) nonprofit. Its mission is to provide financial resources to maximize student potential in FISD through educational programs, student scholarships and grants for innovative educators.

To support foundation initiatives such as Grants for Great Ideas, donate to the Frisco Education Foundation.

Congratulations to all the recipients!

Elementary school grant recipients

  • Destiny Johnson – Allen Elementary
  • Elizabeth Uecker – Boals Elementary
  • Misty Lewin – Bright Academy
  • Beth Fletcher, Claudia Montiel and Monica Hernandez – Christie Elementary
  • Beth Fletcher – Christie Elementary
  • Amanda Glendening – Christie Elementary
  • Susanna Tarpley – Christie Elementary
  • Amy Hicks – Corbell Elementary
  • Kristine Seale, Michelle Chapa and Amy Hicks – Corbell Elementary
  • Claudia Fuenmayor – Fisher Elementary
  • Emma Kefford – Fisher Elementary
  • Victoria Ornelas – Fisher Elementary
  • Kim Caldwell – Gunstream Elementary
  • Shaheen Thakrar – Gunstream Elementary
  • Claudia Carey, Maria Tiffany, Brianna Jones and Susanna Bryant – Hosp Elementary
  • Jamie Chadwell (2 grants) – Hosp Elementary
  • Jessica Powers – Hosp Elementary
  • Savannah Miske and Kaci Riley – Minett Elementary
  • Bethany Jones – Nichols Elementary
  • Michele Hunt (2 grants) – Purefoy Elementary
  • Lindsey Gatchalian, Greta Taylor, Donna Stark, Kacie Cartier and Jill Stout – Robertson Elementary
  • Reena Spann – Robertson Elementary
  • Kimberly Near – Shawnee Trail Elementary
  • Quinn Simmons – Shawnee Trail Elementary
  • Kelly Straub, Kelly Straub and Amy Christian – Shawnee Trail Elementary
  • Amanda Alonso – Sonntag Elementary

Middle school grant recipients

  • Jana Moore – Clark Middle School
  • Lisa Longenecker – Cobb Middle School
  • Denise Bethard – Fowler Middle School
  • Erik Peterson, Justin Wu and Elizabeth Stewart – Fowler Middle School
  • Latisha Johnson – Hunt Middle School
  • Whitney Squyres – Lawler Middle School
  • Leslie Schepers and Lenee Edwards – Nelson Middle School
  • Denise Tarango and Kori Kinkel – Nelson Middle School
  • Maria Soto and Maira Allen – Pearson Middle School
  • Karen Villavicenic – Pioneer Heritage Middle School
  • Andrew Fowler – Stafford Middle School
  • Talia Wilson – Stafford Middle School
  • Raoping Trinh and Julie Enderle – Vandeventer Middle School

High school grant recipients

  • William Hanna – Centennial High School
  • Michael Hernandez – Centennial High School
  • Hope Warner – Centennial High School
  • Katey De La Cruz – Emerson High School
  • Kayleigh Hoyt – Emerson High School
  • Benjamin Loub – Emerson High School
  • Jennifer Nodes – Lebanon Trail High School
  • Deana Cowger – Liberty High School
  • Chelsea Hamilton – Liberty High School
  • Ashley Luhrs – Memorial High School
  • Amanda Putman, Christopher Works and Tiffany Bayless Castaneda – Reedy High School
  • Staci Rogers and Melissa Wright – Reedy High School
  • Rachel Langford – Wakeland High School
  • Kaitlyn Norwood, Brian Teed, Rylon Guidry and Kyle Ayoub – Wakeland High School

Districtwide and special programs grants

  • Julie Barker – Career and Technical Education Center
  • Lacy Hanlon – Early Childhood School
  • Kathy Knesek – Early Childhood School
  • Sonya Elliott – Student Opportunity Center
  • Heather Mayfield and Elma Montenegro – District-wide