by Mary Alys Cherry
BP Texas City helps kick off the Clear Creek Education Foundation’s 2013 Annual Campaign by becoming its first campaign donor as BP Director of Community Relations Ruth Rendon, fourth from left, presents the company’s $25,000 donation. CCEF officials with her are, from left, Board Member Joe Barlow, Vice Chairman Gene Hollier and Executive Director Doug Frazior; plus, CCISD Superintendent Dr. Greg Smith and CCISD Trustee Ann Hammond.
The Clear Creek Education Foundation has had a busy summer in its never-ending quest to carry out Superintendent Greg Smith’s goal of offering Clear Creek ISD students a world class education.
It began the summer by distributing more than $100,000 to fund requests from CCISD teachers for innovative ideas to implement in their classrooms for the coming school year and then kicked off its annual campaign with a $25,000 donation from BP Texas City. “Our annual campaign is all about the Education Foundation forming partnerships with people who want to help improve student achievement in the Clear Creek Independent School District,” Foundation’s Executive Director Doug Frazior said. “More resources are needed to meet the increasing demands of educating our children,” he added.
This is the second year in a row that BP has been the “Lead Gift” donor for the annual campaign. The $25,000 check was the fourth and final payment on a pledge BP made in 2009. “Funds were used to equip Career Exploration Technology Labs in CCISD intermediate schools,” Frazior said. “The labs assist students in discovering careers in math, science, engineering and technology.”
Other programs funded by the annual campaign include grants for teachers who create innovative lessons, tuition and books for students attending Clear Horizons Early College High School and expense reimbursement for teachers who become National Board Certified Teachers.
Foundation board members, CCISD administrators and donors boarded a school bus for two consecutive days of Surprize Patrol and bursting into classrooms to present the grant recipients with news of their grant being funded.
CCEF received more than 130 grant applications and was able to fund 37. The 37 grants will impact more than 15,000 CCISD students in the coming years.
“The year 2012 marks the foundation’s 20th anniversary and this latest round of funded grants puts the total amount of grants funded for CCISD teachers over the $1 million mark,” Frazior said.
Five of the grants went to Clear Falls High teachers Mark Ruckstuhl, Rachael Shimek, Shara Appanaitis, Shannon Simonds and Lisa Wooley, and three went to Clear Springs High teachers Ivanell George, Karen Haddad and Elizabeth Scully.
Five schools had at least two winners – Ashley Barnes and Andrea Donovan at Mossman Elementary; Ashley Harris and Donna Brown, League City; Barbara Amstead and Tamiko Brown, Walter Hall; Maria Scardasis and Julia M. Brightwell at Goforth Elementary and Sarah Simoneaux and Matt T. Rauch at Space Center Intermediate.
Other elementary teachers receiving grants were Gaylen Betros Adams, Ferguson; Michelle Brookover, North Pointe; Brianna Centeno, Landolt; Brandee Cole, Ward; Leticia Delgado, Ed White; Danielle Fritsch, Bauerschlag; Rene McCoy and Vernoica Walker, Falcon Pass; Erin Tite, Bay; Daniel Myers, Weber; David Self, McWhirter; and Gail Smith, Hyde.
Secondary recipients included Mathew Bartley, Westbrook; Claire Clewett, Clear Horizons; Michelle Hammonds, Brookside; Tammie Hyde, Seabrook Intermediate; Donald Mize, Clear View; Marshall Ponce, Clear Creek High; Randy Rothchild, Clear Brook High; and Lindsey Skewis, Bayside Intermediate.
Donations from the public to the Education Foundation’s annual campaign can be made online through the websitewww.ClearCreekEducationFoundation.org.
