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April 2, 2003, 9:33AM
Prize posse in Humble
District reveals winners May 9
By JOSHUA D. CLEVELAND
Houston Chronicle correspondent
The Humble ISD Education Foundation expects to award more than $100,000 in grants to local teachers and educational programs.
Recipients have not been announced, but foundation officials plan surprise visits to the winners on May 9 with a "Prize Posse" of community and school leaders who visit classrooms being honored.
Since its inception in 1999 to help provide support to the school district, the foundation has raised more than $400,000 in grant money for teachers in its first three years of operation.
The foundation creates opportunities for classroom enrichment that fall outside the scope of the district's normal operating budget.
In 2000, the nonprofit charity awarded $46,000 in grants to teachers, and increased the amount to $93,000 in 2001. Last year the foundation awarded more than $122,000 in grant money.
"Most of the funds we raise during the school year are disbursed in that same year through an Innovative Education Grants process," said Karen Perkins, who oversees the community development center in Humble. "We like it that no one ever knows who is going to be awarded a grant. It makes the process of giving out awards much more exciting."
Teachers and other educators write requests, which are read by the board members and ranked in a blind-scoring process.
Decisions for funding are made on the merits of the project, and the funds to date have been relatively evenly distributed to Humble, Atascocita and Kingwood schools.
An example of one of the projects funded by the foundation is Brenda Rider's "Image Making" project.
Rider is a fifth-grade teacher at Maplebrook Elementary School and through her project pupils create abstract designs and use the images to inspire story ideas for a book they write and publish for the school library.
The foundation awards grants to teachers for such creative projects that are considered enrichment activities.
"We use all sorts of fund-raising activities that help raise the money for our grants, " Perkins said. "These grants are important because they help support education programs that would not ordinarily exist without the foundations support."
Fund-raising efforts include special events such as the Honoring Friends Gala, the Humble ISD Rodeo and the Education Foundation Charity Golf Tournament.
Money also is raised through an employee drive, individual donations from community members and corporate gifts.
Surviving Disaster
Wild Dogs may have killed their animals, but the students of Lamar High School are pressing forward with this years Livestock show.
By: Joshua Cleveland
Village News of Bellaire News Correspondent
Wednesday, April 2, 2003, Lamar High Schools FFA hosted its annual Livestock show and Auction. Although many students count on the results of this show for scholarship money to use towards college, many of their dreams were dashed by this past Januarys attack of wild dogs.
In January of this year, a gang of wild dogs attacked Lamar High Schools farm, where many students are required to keep their animals for show.
Fifteen animals (livestock) at the farm were attacked. Eight of those were killed. States Chris Thompson, a 16 year old from Lamar High School. Later that day the same pack of wild dogs returned and attacked eleven more of our schools animals. Six of those were killed.
Laura Sanders, a student of the school, was one of those unfortunate people that lost her goat in the attacks.
His name was Billy, I got him as a donation from the FFA, (Future Farmers of America). I was grooming him to be my winner this year at the livestock show, Laura explains. My friend called me early that morning screaming that I had to come down to the farm, something awful had happened. And sure enough, my goat was dead.
This is Lauras first year as a member of the FFA, and although the wild dogs may have put a bump in her road to success, she put the incident behind her as much as she could, and through another generous donation, received a replacement goat.
An older couple from East Texas donated this goat for me, I named him George. After the wild attacks on our livestock, FFA received over $4,000 in donations and a couple of people even donated animals for the students. I was part of the group that received a goat. Laura said.
Laura has had to spend the last few months, as most students did, grooming a new animal in preparation of this weeks competition. Billy, her goat lost in the attack, was also set to participate in the Ft. Worth Livestock show.
I would have entered George, but he wasnt really ready for that. Laura adds.
Goats arent the only animals making noise at Lamar High Schools Livestock Show and Auction. Students from the school showed off their chickens, pigs, and rabbits in the competition as well.
The point of getting first or second place in the livestock show is that that determines where your animal is in the list for the Auction, Laura explains, The better you place, the more money your animal makes in the Auction.
Januarys tragedy may have been awful, but the students are bouncing back and many of them are already looking forward to next years show.
This is my first, as well as my last time to show an animal, says Laura. Though I have only had a short time to work with my new goat, it has been well worth the effort. This experience has taught me the responsibility and perseverance that I need as I face my next project: college!
Saving the Earth, One Neighborhood at a Time
Earth Day comes to Whole Foods
By: Joshua Cleveland
Village News of Bellaire Correspondent
The Bellaire Recycling Committee will host its 2nd annual Earth Day with Whole Foods Market on April 26th. Patricia Ritter, chairperson of the Bellaire Recycling committee has once again joined forces with Lisa Head, the Marketing Director of Whole Foods to bring an exciting day of education and fun to the Bellaire community.
According to Gayle Davies, Earth Day is an educational event for the whole family. This year 25 organizations will come together at Whole Foods to teach people how to be more environmentally aware.
Gayle Davies has been in charge of the Earth Day event for the past two years, and plans to continue her volunteer work to save the planet, and Bill Gee is also in his second year of volunteering his time to gain sponsors for the event.
Earth Day isnt just for the neighborhood, we are striving to educate the corporate world as well. Says Gayle Davies. So far weve gotten Whole Foods, Cicis Pizza, Home Depot, and Office Depot is commit to sponsor our program. Gayle explains that each sponsor must be willing to change the way it recycles, and although this list may seem short, Gayle says there is a long list of companies that wish to participate next year.
Although last years Earth Day was a bit smaller, and a little less organized, Gayle says theyve tweaked the problems and think this year will be a great success. Cicis Pizza and Whole Foods will once again be catering food for the crowd, and Sterling McCall Toyota will be showing off several Hybrid vehicles for Earth Day.
The Bellaire High School Honors Society is also planning to help out with childrens activities that have yet to be announced. However, we can say that the first 100 children to bring in a bag of recyclables will receive a goodie bag to take home.
The Bellaire Recycling Committee understands that we cant save the Earth in one day, but we just want to do our part and get involved. Says Gayle Davies.
In conjunction with Earth Day, the Bellaire Recycling Committee will also sponsor a citywide Garage Sale. Residents who wish to be apart of the garage sale can sign up at the Public Library. On Friday April 25th residents may pick up a list of everyone involved in the garage sale with a brief description of the items offered, also available at the Public Library.
The Earth Day celebration will be held in the parking lot of Whole Foods on Bellaire Blvd on April 26th along with the Bellaire citywide Garage Sale.
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