Tyler ISD Foundation Exceeds Fundraising Goal
connor steele, education, fundraising, hogg middle school, tyler independent school district foundation,
Considering the Tyler Independent School District Foundation exceeded its fundraising goal for 2008 by $185,000, it is easy to comprehend the level of support this community extends to its public schools and young people. The foundation’s I Love Tyler ISD campaign has raised $385,000 in the past year, allowing it to continue making a real difference for teachers and students within the Tyler public school system.
Throughout its 17-year history as a nonprofit corporation, the Tyler ISD Foundation has sought to provide teachers with resources to improve teaching and learning through private grants and donations.
The group raises its funds through various fundraising methods, such as the annual fund drive, Gil Hitt Memorial Golf Tournament, and private and corporate grant requests.
The mission to continuously improve and enrich the quality of public education is one of the best ways people can invest and know it will have a direct impact on the future of their communities, as well as the nation as a whole, explains Larry Goddard, executive director of the Tyler ISD Foundation.
“Ninety percent of youth are enrolled in public schools nationwide,” Goddard says. “This means that the success of our country’s future lies in those individuals enrolled in the public school system.”
Since Goddard came on board in April 2006, the foundation’s budget has increased from $100,000 to $600,000, which, Goddard points out, has little to do with his presence, but with the dedication of both the foundation as well as the Tyler community.
“Tyler has a big heart,” Goddard says. “It is great to see such support for public education; the impact it is having on the lives of these teachers and students is evident.”
Doctors, lawyers, parents, CEOs and retired school personnel fill the 30-member board of directors, with each promoting the foundation and its mission while personally soliciting donations.
Funds that are generated by the foundation go toward innovative teaching grants, advanced placement programs, staff development, facility improvements, and student and teacher recognition programs. Some special events include a district-wide back-to-school convocation, a teacher of the year banquet, an anniversary celebration that honors teachers and staff, and an academic recognition event that celebrates the academic achievement of both students and teachers.
Most recently, the foundation awarded grants totaling $80,000 to three programs. Advancement Via Individual Determination, a program that prepares students in grades six through eight for college, received a $35,000 grant. Emerging Technologies, a program which incorporates an electronic blackboard into science classroom learning, received $35,000. A third grant of $10,000 was given to Student Safety, a program that uses ID scanning to check the backgrounds of all school campus visitors.
“In order to have an exemplary school system, we need to make it our goal and stand behind it,” says Mike Thomas, president of the Tyler ISD Foundation. “Hands-on experience goes a long way, and the foundation provides teachers and students with opportunities to enhance their academic experiences.”
Story by Sarah Ward
Comments
Leave your own comment:
