The MVISD Education Foundation recently funded 10 grants totaling $11,388.12 on all three campuses for the 2025-26 school year. The Education Foundation awards grants annually to MVISD teachers to provide resources, inspire learning, and enhance opportunities for students.
Over the past five years, the Education Foundation has funded almost $63,000 in teacher grants to purchase supplies ranging from high-tech projects like a 3-D printer and robotics equipment to specialized books for dyslexia students and adaptable library furniture.
Elementary Principal Angie George said of her 2025 grant, “I wrote my grant entitled 'Access for All' for an adaptable swing for our first through fourth grade playground. I feel it is important for all students to be able to access the most popular part of the playground....the swings! We have some students for whom this is not possible with our regular swings. The swing was ordered and installed yesterday, and we already have one very happy little girl. She was all smiles when she found her surprise waiting for her yesterday.”
“I am very thankful to the foundation for awarding my grant to make this possible,” George said.
This year’s grant recipients:
• Stephanie Dickson “Farm Beats for Students” $865.00
• Regina Saucier “Cooking Equipment for Life Skills” $979.52
• Keri Barnes and Heather Clinton “Roots and Responsibility” $2,500.00
• Angie George “Access for All (Adaptive Swing)” $1,500.00
• Jeny Hatley and Harley Smith “Poster Maker Refill Kit” $1,011.80
• Leanna Brantley “Adaptive P.E. Equipment” $1,500.00
• Ronda Caraway “Bilingual Books” $1,506.80
• Heather Mitchell “Wixie Program” $475.00
• Crimson Rose “HERO Sensory Classroom” $500.00
• Devon Stroman “Headphones for 4th grade” $550.00
2025 Grant recipients Keri Barnes and Heather Clinton submitted the Roots and Responsibility Grant to fund the development of an outdoor garden at Mt. Vernon Middle School. Barnes explained, “The garden will feature a variety of crops, including tomatoes, peppers, squash, and cucumbers. Students will actively participate in its upkeep, gaining hands-on experience and valuable lessons in agriculture, sustainability, and teamwork throughout the process.”
The MVISD Education Foundation was created in 2019 to help teachers implement innovative programs not covered under the school’s regular budget. The first grants were funded in 2020 and totaled $3,040.89. The next round of grant applications will be accepted in Fall 2026 and will be available online to teachers.
For more information about this non-profit organization, please visit www.mvisdeducationfoundation.org.
