- PAEF surprised teachers all across PAISD with grant money
- Tradition has been going on since 2006
- Money is raised by and donated by PAEF and the community of Port Aransas
On Friday May 3, members of the Port Aransas Education Foundation (PAEF) paraded all across the different schools in Port Aransas Independent School District (PAISD) and surprised teachers with huge checks containing grant money.
The teachers have the opportunity to apply for these grants each year, to assist with classroom updates, special projects, field trips, and the overall bettering of the education of their PAISD students. PAEF's tradition to do a "prize patrol" and to go around surprising teachers with the checks has been going on since 2006, when the foundation was started.
"Yes, we’re giving them the money. But, they’re the true heroes. They are the ones doing the hard work day in and day out. So, definitely, thank you to Port Aransas ISD and thank you to the community," Port Aransas Education Foundation Executive Board Member Sarah Pate-Wilson said.
The teachers were extremely thankful for the grants and excited to put them to use, funding special projects for their students.
“This check, it will fund our field trips next year to the Nutcracker Ballet, to the Texas State Aquarium, and also it funds a school-wide math app for first through fifth grades. So, I am so thankful," Melissa Gillespie, a second grade math and science teacher at Olsen Elementary said.
PAEF gives a lot of credit to the community members of Port Aransas for making this possible every year.
“It’s up to us and the community to be able to bring dollars in for the teachers to be able to do things on a bigger level that they couldn’t do because of funding issues," Pate-Wilson said.
The teachers are also thankful for the tight-knit Port Aransas community.
“This community is great. They support us teachers wonderfully. I can’t be in a better district than this district," Port Aransas High School geometry teacher Diane Tucker said.
PAEF plans to continue this tradition and assist teachers as much as they can for many years to come.
"Thank you to Port Aransas. Thank you to the teachers and the staff here at Port A that do all the wonderful things for our kids," Pate-Wilson said.
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