MVEF Teacher Grant
The Medina Valley Education Foundation is proud to support our teachers!
The Medina Valley Education Foundation is excited to announce that 2026–2027 Classroom Grants have been distributed!
Have an innovative idea to enhance learning in your classroom? Apply for funding to bring your vision to life and create meaningful opportunities for Medina Valley students.
Apply today and turn your great idea into reality!
🐾 Applications are open closed for the 2026–2027 school year.
Watch for Grant Application opening in August 2027!
2026 MVEF Grant Winners
2026 Grant Winners
Great things are happening in Medina Valley classrooms!
The Medina Valley Education Foundation is proud to announce our 2026–2027 grant recipients! Through the generosity of our donors, sponsors, and community supporters, educators across Medina Valley ISD are receiving funding to bring creative ideas, innovative resources, and meaningful learning experiences to life. We were able to award 29 grants for a total of $58,713.51!
From hands-on STEM activities and innovative technology to student leadership, fine arts, and social-emotional learning, these projects represent the dedication of educators who go above and beyond for their students.
Join us in celebrating this year's grant winners!
Building Bright Minds with Busy Hands
Angela Beck | Kindergarten
Castroville Elementary School
$578.67 Awarded
This project will transform everyday learning into engaging, hands-on experiences. Students will explore core subjects through interactive learning bins that encourage creativity, discovery, and active participation.
Gym Glow Up!
Shelbie Stein | Pre-K–5th Grade
Castroville Elementary School
$1,209.04 Awarded
Updating and expanding elementary PE equipment to create more engaging and inclusive opportunities for students to develop physical skills, stay active, and participate in a variety of activities.
Band Intonation Initiative
Joshua Conner | Grades 9–12
Creek View High School
$1,677.00 Awarded
Providing 60 individual tuners and pickups to help student musicians improve tuning accuracy, self-assessment, and overall ensemble performance. This resource is expected to benefit band students for years to come.
Cross Curricular STEM Project: Life Cycle and Animal Needs
Kelly Hightower-Brown, Meredith Jones, Natalie Phamle, Zugey Marrufo, Aracelli Luciano & Nancy Castanon | Kindergarten
La Coste Elementary School
$1,246.18 Awarded
Giving students immersive opportunities to observe butterfly and chicken life cycles while exploring plant and animal needs through scientific investigations, reading, writing, and data collection.
Busy Hands & Bright Minds
Karen Day | Pre-K
Ladera Elementary School
$4,953.59 Awarded
Creating hands-on exploration opportunities through sensory tables and materials that support sensory discovery, STEAM learning, and cross-curricular experiences for young learners.
Increase the Science Rigor
Lauren Thompson | Grades 7–8
Loma Alta Middle School
$607.92 Awarded
Bringing problem-based learning to science through a forensic investigation into a fictional fish kill. Students will use scientific testing and evidence to investigate possible causes, strengthen critical thinking, and see science in action.
Support on the Go: Building Independence Across School Environments
Kasandra Zertuche, Angela Jimenez, Adelina Corralez, D'sha Wyatt & Melissa Ward | Pre-K–5th
Luckey Ranch Elementary School
$4,999.96 Awarded
Creating portable student-support kits with visual, communication, sensory, behavioral, and academic resources. These tools will help students access consistent support, build independence, and stay engaged across different school environments.
Luckey Ranch Crochet Club
Celeste Westbay | Grades 4–5
Luckey Ranch Elementary School
$211.77 Awarded
Providing crochet supplies so students can learn a new creative skill, practice patience and perseverance, and create projects they can be proud of.
Interactive Drawing Tablets for Chromebooks
Rachel Esquibel | Grades 11–12
Medina Valley High School
$569.70 Awarded
Incorporating interactive drawing tablets into classroom instruction to help teachers model concepts, display student work, provide immediate feedback, and create more collaborative, student-centered learning experiences.
Pulse, Pressure, and Purpose: Preparing Students for Careers in Care
Billie Tolbert | Grades 9–12
Medina Valley High School
$4,080.00 Awarded
Equipping Health Science and Law Enforcement classrooms with clinical assessment tools, Stop the Bleed equipment, and simulation materials. Students will gain hands-on experience with patient assessment, first aid, and emergency response skills.
The Self-Regulation Toolbox: Tools to Find Your Calm
Brianna Kircher | Pre-K–5th
Castroville Elementary School
$1,575.00 Awarded
Providing classrooms with hands-on tools to help students recognize and regulate their emotions. Through counselor-led lessons and teacher training, students will develop strategies to manage emotions and stay engaged in learning.
Inclusive and Innovative Learning Environment for All Learners
Kristin Woodworth | 4th Grade
Castroville Elementary School
$1,608.75 Awarded
Creating a flexible, student-centered classroom with alternative seating and a calming corner. These resources will support engagement, collaboration, self-regulation, and the diverse needs of all learners.
The Power of Play: Equipping Students for Active, Healthy Lives
Rebecca Morrow, Ashley Jonas, Tiffany Chiles & Elyssa Utz | K–5th Grade
La Coste Elementary School
$5,048.00 Awarded
Modernizing elementary PE equipment to create an inclusive environment where students can move, practice skills, cooperate, and develop healthy, lifelong activity habits.
Bee-Bots: Buzzing Through the Curriculum
Gina Whitaker | Pre-K–5th Grade
Ladera Elementary School
$1,587.00 Awarded
Introducing Bee-Bot robotics to develop sequencing, computational thinking, creativity, and problem-solving. Students will connect coding activities with literacy, math, science, and social studies.
The Cubs Podcast – Roaring Readers
Samantha Sanchez | 4th Grade
Ladera Elementary School
$685.00 Awarded
Transforming traditional book reports into student-created podcasts. Students will read, analyze, write scripts, and record book reviews while strengthening literacy, communication, and speaking skills.
From Learners to Teachers: Student Podcasting in Applied ELAR
Cassandra Robinson | 8th Grade
Loma Alta Middle School
$834.30 Awarded
Giving students the opportunity to create podcast episodes that explain reading and writing concepts in their own words. Students will research, write, record, and edit episodes while building literacy skills and confidence.
Science in Action: From Experience to Evidence
Amanda Rivera, Celeste Westbay & Jeanette Breaux | 5th Grade
Luckey Ranch Elementary School
$4,987.04 Awarded
Connecting hands-on science investigations with reading, data analysis, and evidence-based explanations. Students will build, test, observe, and investigate scientific concepts before using evidence to explain what they have learned.
Integration of Sensor Technology for AP Physics
Alexandra Murphy | Gr 11–12
Medina Valley High School
$1,933.05 Awarded
Providing PASCO sensors that allow AP Physics students to investigate rotary motion, friction, force, and kinematics through hands-on experiments and real-world scientific measurement.
M.A.P.S. – Making Academic Problem-Solving Seen
Kathleen Pickering | Gr 9 & 12
Medina Valley High School
$650.45 Awarded
Creating an interactive classroom where students map, collaborate, compete, and defend their thinking. Reusable maps, globes, collaborative tools, and academic buzzers will make learning more engaging while encouraging critical thinking and immediate feedback.
Student Council: Leading With Heart
Synthia Pritchard & Terrie Rodriguez | Pre-K–5th
Castroville Elementary School
$1,575.00 Awarded
Providing classrooms with hands-on tools to help students recognize and regulate their emotions. Through counselor-led lessons and teacher training, students will develop strategies to manage emotions and stay engaged in learning.
Dual-Season Concert Bass Drum Acquisition for Front Ensemble & Concert Band
Josue Solalinde | Grades 9–12
Creek View High School
$2,279.95 Awarded
Adding a professional concert bass drum to support both marching band and concert band performances. This investment will enhance student musicianship and performance quality across both seasons.
Rolling Into Reading: Screenless Robotics for Literacy
Allyson Johnson | K–5th Grade
La Coste Elementary School
$1,950.00 Awarded
Bringing screenless Sphero indi robots into literacy instruction. Students will use color-coded coding mats and literacy activities to explore phonics, sight words, vocabulary, problem-solving, and early STEM concepts.
Language Enhancing Classroom Initiative
Brandi Pace | Pre-K–5th Grade
Ladera Elementary School
$668.30 Awarded
Providing hands-on materials and thematic lessons to strengthen communication, language development, peer interactions, and classroom participation for students receiving speech therapy services.
Puzzle-Powered Problem Solving: Interactive Math Success
Angelica DeWitt | 5th Gr
Ladera Elementary School
$897.93 Awarded
Introducing an interactive, screen-free math learning system that allows students to solve problems, check their answers, receive immediate feedback, and build independence through hands-on practice.
Keep the Beat: Building a Drumline for the Future
Kailey Parker, Jessica Maple & William Regalis | Grades 7–8
Loma Alta Middle School
$5,000.00 Awarded
Replacing aging drumline equipment with quality instruments to develop student musicianship and establish a standing middle school drumline with expanded performance opportunities at school and community events.
Building Strong Foundations: Social-Emotional Learning in Pre-K
Yazel Skinner | Pre-K
Luckey Ranch Elementary School
$593.00 Awarded
Bringing the Second Step curriculum to Pre-K students to help them recognize and manage emotions, build positive relationships, and develop important skills for classroom success and kindergarten readiness.
Next Steps Academy Cafe Start-Up
Kristin Snethen & John Jaquez | Next Steps Academy
Medina Valley High School
$1,898.73 Awarded
Expanding the Next Steps Academy Café into an authentic vocational training environment. Students will gain valuable real-world experience preparing food and beverages, taking orders, handling money, managing inventory, and developing workplace skills that promote independence and future employment opportunities.
Math in Motion: Mobile Instruction for Active Learning
Antonia Collett & Mathematics Department | Grades 9–12
Medina Valley High School
$4,979.50 Awarded
Bringing mobile tablet technology into mathematics instruction so teachers can model equations, annotate graphs, review student work, and provide immediate feedback while moving throughout the classroom.
M.U.R.A.L. – Making Unique Student Art Last: Fostering Campus Pride and Community Connection
Mr. Flores, Ms. Reyes & Mrs. Lemons | Grades 6–8
Medina Valley Middle School
$405.21 Awarded
Giving Art Club students the opportunity to design and create a lasting campus mural celebrating creativity, school spirit, and community pride. Students will develop original concepts, vote on the final design, and work together to bring their vision to life.
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