With the arrival of new DECA blazers from L.E.A.F., students at our high schools have more confidence in their appearance during competitions.  DECA, which prepares emerging leaders and entrepreneurs in marketing, finance,  hospitality and management is an unbelievable experience for some of our students who have not been exposed to a professional lifestyle.  Students recently received several awards at  a District competition. 

Brod Bagert, award-winning author of 17 poetry books for children, recently performed at Williams Elementary.  He read several of his poems and visited with the students on why he became a poet. Educators should follow his Muse Project which is a collaboration between classroom teachers and himself to provide classroom teachers with poetry across the K-8 curriculum.  Send an email to museproject@brodbagert.com, with the word "yes" in the subject line.

Kindergarten students at Campbell Elementary are enjoying  iPads they received from L.E.A.F. Teachers requested the iPads for ESL students to become actively engaged with their peers and teachers.  ESL students have a tendency to sit on the sidelines and observe as other students participate.  Using ESL appropriate apps, students become engaged in listening, speaking and reading.   What a great way to help a student learn English! 

Hubenak Elementary is embracing and implementing a school-based wellness intervention that will help change the school environment by promoting healthy eating habits and a physically active lifestyle. Their nurse, Lorien Martinez, wrote and received a L.E.A.F. grant to fund the Organ Wise Guys curriculum. This program will teach the students why they need to make healthy choices. Hubenak Huskies are getting healthier!

Education, Go Get It!

Mynette Mayes, counselor at Hubenak Elementary, received a L.E.A.F. grant to raise the awareness among her elementary students about the importance of pursuing a higher education. Through her grant, students were exposed to the real-life experience on a college campus. Before fifth grade students visited the University of Houston, faculty members spoke about their Alma Mata during the morning announcements. Teachers also decorated their classroom door with information about their university including school colors, mascots, and what they are known for. This program also allowed students to begin conversations about obtaining a higher education. It was awesome to hear the students in the classroom discussing what university they wanted to attend, why and what they wanted to be when they grew up. Principal Diane Parks is proud to be a Boilermaker!

Been to the Rainforest?

Velasquez second graders spent a exciting day at Moody Gardens. They participated in an educational program where they saw animals from the different levels of the rainforest canopy up close and personal. A real roach, a snake, and a macaw were brought in for them to see and pet. Then they went through the pyramid and saw plants and animals from the rainforest. The day ended by watching a 3-D IMAX about tornados in the United States. What a fun and educational day!

GOTR

Twenty-three girls from Jane Long Elementary have had the chance to participate in Girls on the Run, a life-changing - learning program for girls ages eight to thirteen.  Goals of this program are to encourage positive emotional, social, mental, and physical development.  After 12 weeks, 24 lessons these girls met their goals 100% time over!  This program gave girls the words to use when they encounter struggles and a sense of self-worth.  They were taught that they are beautiful inside – that is what matters!  What a difference this program has made in the lives’ of the girls.

Remember the Alamo

Fourth grade students from Jane Long will always “Remember the Alamo” after a recent trip to San Antonio. Students were able to visit Missions National Historical Park and learned the history and purpose behind the missions, with a major emphasis on what a day in the life of a child was like living in a mission. They also experience the IMAX film “Alamo: The Price of Freedom”.  The film took them on a 45 minute journey back in time to witness the traditional historic based Battle of the Alamo.  After the film they toured the Alamo where Texas history truly came alive!

Tuning into Texas History

Award-winning Texas singer and songwriter Brian Burns performed “Once Upon A Time in Texas” to the students at Meyer Elementary. His performance featured songs and stories of Texas history. Through his performance, students attained a genuine interest and appreciation of the history, culture, music and folklore of our great Lone Star state!

Huggins Hounds visits Sea World

Huggins Elementary third grade students recently went to Sea World to experience the behind the scene tour learning how Sea World takes care of unique animals.  They also learned about marine and animal conservation and took a peek into their state of the art animal health laboratory with a zoologist.  They also had an opportunity to feed and touch stingrays and sharks.  Just think, in a few short years one of these students might be a marine biologist or zoologist working at Sea World!

Did you See the Big Bad Wolf?

Storybook Theatre performed Two Pigs and T.H.E. Wolf for students at Velasquez and Hubenak Elementary.  Sharon Baldwin and Angelia Seagroves wrote a L.E.A.F. grant for students to experience a live theatrical production.  The actors from New Braunfels also conducted a creative writing workshop for Hubenak fourth grader students.  What a wonderful experience for all! L.E.A.F.  is a choice for your Heart of Giving donation again this year.  Your gift will make more events like this possible for our students.

Smith gets Active!

Students at Smith Elementary used their Activexpressions to learn about the concept of volume. They found how area was used for rectangles, and used cubes to expand a flat polygon to a three dimensional rectangular prism. Students loved doing the activity and were excited to use technology to compare results. Thank you L.E.A.F. for the Activexpressions. 

Thomas is Cooking!

Thomas Elementary Life Skill teacher, Angel Davis, wanted a classroom kitchen for her students to learn valuable life lessons on how to become independent individuals and to have fun learning things in a different way.  So L.E.A.F. funded her request with a small convection oven, mixing bowls and other items needed in a kitchen.  What a fun day we had “breaking it in” by making cookies.  Of course, getting covered in flour was just part of the process!

 

 

Mad Scientist seen at Jackson

Weather patterns were the topic of discussion with Dr. Starburst during the after-school science club at Jackson Elementary.  L.E.A.F.’s funding of Mad Science will give weekly science lessons to fifth grade students.  Dr. Starburst teaches in a way that students don’t realize they are learning.  How fun is that?

McNeill Rocks!

 A Chevron Earth Science program, Know your Rocks, was presented by HMNS to McNeill fifth grade students. During the program, students learned about the different types of rocks, what they are used for and how they are formed. They also learned the difference between rocks and minerals. What a great way to encourage active participation by students in the learning of Earth Science! Funding for programs like this are made possible by L.E.A.F. fundraising events.  

 

 

Dickinson Robotics

 

Students at Dickinson Elementary are grasping science, technology, engineering and math concepts in a fun, engaging, and hands-on way since the arrival of Real World Robotics by LEGO. These Mindstorms and Green City robotics kits offer students new ways of learning traditional curriculum as well as helping them with critical thinking and team building skills. In today’s highly technical world, understanding and developing robotics will be more than a useful skill, it will be a necessary skill!

 

 

Smith Rhythm Club

 

 

The Smith Elementary Rhythm Club is beating a happy cadence thanks to their new steel drums, courtesy of a grant from the Lamar Educational Awards Foundation. The grant provides Smith music teacher Malory Waldo and her students an opportunity for students to make high quality music in a socially safe and positive environment.

Grant Express 

For the 12^th year, the Lamar Educational Awards Foundation (L.E.A.F.) delivered pre-holiday surprises that will eventually delight boys and girls around the district.

L.E.A.F. awarded a total of $203,660 November 16 to 105 grant winners. Since 2000, the foundation has given out $1,480,575 to teachers providing innovation in the classrooms.

“This is always my favorite day of the school year,” said L.E.A.F. Executive Director Janice Knight. “The teachers are always so grateful and once the kids realize what types of things their teachers can now buy, it really creates some excitement.” 

The Lamar Educational Awards Foundation is a non-profit community based organization dedicated to securing and distributing resources to Lamar CISD that will enhance educational program. 

Fluor presents $15,000 to L.E.A.F.

 

The Fluor Foundation has donated $15,000 to the Lamar Educational Awards Foundation to underwrite innovative math and science grants.

 

“We are always looking for talented engineers,” said Richard Meserole, General Manager, Houston office. “If we can help students with science and math during their elementary and secondary years, then hopefully we will see more students enrolling in college engineering programs.”

 

Fluor Corporation is one of the largest publicly-owned engineering, procurement, construction and maintenance services companies in the world.

 

“We are thrilled that Fluor is committed to supporting the students of Lamar CISD,” said Janice Knight, executive director for L.E.A.F.

 

L.E.A.F. supports creative ideas and classroom projects of Lamar CISD teachers that would otherwise go unfunded. L.E.A.F. also offers scholarships to graduating Lamar CISD seniors and to paraprofessionals who are working on their teaching certificate. In eleven years of existence, L.E.A.F. has invested over one million dollars into LCISD schools.

NRG Employees donate to L.E.A.F.  

 

 

Lamar CISD students will be able to take a trip to a brighter future, thanks to the NRG Employee Charitable Fund.

 

Thanks to a donation from NRG to the Lamar Educational Awards Foundation, fifth-grade students at some LCISD schools will be visiting university campuses in the Houston area, showing them that a college degree is closer than they think.

 

“This is an opportunity to expose them to education opportunities that exist after high school,” said L.E.A.F. executive director Janice Knight “Hopefully, by planting this seed of awareness, these students will grow to realize that they can accomplish anything they set their mind to.” 

 

“We are so appreciative of the employees at NRG for approving this donation to help our students see the need for higher education,” said L.E.A.F. board President Judi Vernon. 

       

L.E.A.F. was created to encourage teachers to develop creative instructional strategies in the classroom. District teachers are given the opportunity to make their creative ideas a reality, while positively impacting student learning. L.E.A.F. awarded over $190,762 during the 2010 funding period and has awarded more than $1.25 million in 11 years.