As Killeen ISD students count down the days left in the school year, a group of dedicated teachers are ready to keep the learning going.
The Killeen ISD Education Foundation grant patrol delivered on Thursday 16 grants for professional development opportunities to educators representing 10 campuses. The grants totaled $42,185.
Foundation Executive Director Leslie Gilmore, with other KISD staff and foundation board members, made the rounds, surprising teachers and supervisors with big checks, bells, balloons and confetti resembling tiny $100 bills.
At Hay Branch Elementary School, Principal Carolyn Dugger gathered kindergarten classes into the cafeteria for a different celebration when the grant patrol walked in, setting off loud cheers from young students waving poms.
That campus won three separate grants.
“It’s awesome that the district allows us to invest in ourselves and in our kids,” said counselor Jennifer Davis, a $2,148 grant recipient.
“When we grow in our knowledge, we can grow the kids’ knowledge too, not only academically, but socially emotionally as well. For us, it’s amazing because we can build each other up as well.”
Teachers and other educators apply for grants funded through community donors. A selection committee combs through the requests to choose recipients.
At the end of the fall semester, the foundation awards grants for classroom projects. Last December, the foundation gave away $103,000 in grants.
In March, at the Distinguished Alumni and Scholarship Award Ceremony, the foundation awarded almost $100,000 in scholarships to graduating seniors. The foundation ends its major events with the Starmakers Recognition Banquet on Thursday, May 15.
Grant patrol photo gallery: https://www.flickr.com/photos/killeenisd/albums/72177720325997369
KISD 2025 spring grant recipients:
Douse ES TCEA Workshop Angelica Joseph $349.
Douse ES Exploring Future Ready Librarianship Keyetta Mathis $498.
Cedar Valley ES Summer Dyslexia Institute Jensie Reyes $855.
Curriculum and Instruction Vanette Simmons $475.
Curriculum and Instruction Instructional Coaches Academy Kimberly McClish $7,675.
Curriculum and Instruction Teen Book Festival Educators Day Kiree Bons $2,614.
Hay Branch ES Paving Pathways Jennifer Davis $2,148.
Hay Branch ES Get Your Teach on McKenzie Genovese $2,866.
Hay Branch ES Embracing Teacher Adventures LaTammie Rawls $5,986.
Montague Village ES Gifted Conference Shana Robinson $9,519.
Peebles ES TCEA Librarian Conference Gerrica Bailey $150.
Cavazos ES It’s Game Time Jennifer Ivicic $1,942.
Skipcha ES Emily Pillow
Saegert ES ISTELive 2025 Lara Sursa $1,850.
Trimmier ES Educator Summit Conference Rocks Caitlin Dunnells $510.
Trimmier ES Texas Association for Bilingual Education Celix Frias $2,589.
