Help Make Tomorrow Better at DISD

Early last year, the Charles T. Doyle Convention Center in Texas City was roaring with women in flapper-style dresses and men in dapper attire as they attended the 1920s-themed Dickinson ISD Education Foundation Gala, raising tens of thousands of dollars for teaching grants, scholarships and recognition programs that promote success for students and staff.

This year, the convention center will be dark, but the fundraising goes on during the Better Tomorrow Fundraising Campaign happening April 26-May 7. During that time, people can learn more about the foundation, make a donation and take part in a silent auction on the campaign’s website. Expect to bid on fabulous gifts as organizers have been busy curating a wide array of auction items.

During the past year, the foundation awarded more than $139,160 in innovative teaching grants and $67,000 in student scholarships to graduating seniors. More than $40,000 in teaching grants went to schools serving Texas City:

Dickinson High School

• The theater department raised $10,000 for Apple iPad Pro tablets and pencils so students can design sets, costumes, publicity and scenic elements for UIL Theatrical Design competitions.
• The Engineering and Robotics departments received $13,500 to support six robotics teams with team registrations and virtual competitions and to start a JV robotics team for ninth graders.
• The welding department received $5,000 to purchase certifications and training materials.
• The school received $3,500 for a celebration honoring its top 20 graduates and a special teacher. Parents and administrators are invited.
• The biology department received $1,000 to purchase human body torso models so students can identify important organs and visualize how human systems interact.

McAdams Junior High

• The foundation gifted the junior high $5,000 for 89 Lightbox Interactive Digital Book Titles to help content come to life and encourage reading.
• The Theater program will use $800 for an iPad equipped with a sound technician program that allows full control of music and sound effect sequences in real time.

Lobit Middle School

• The school received $1,000 to purchase chapter books at varying reading levels to help students advance their literacy levels.

Lobit Elementary School

• The elementary will use $10,000 to purchase guided grade-level kits for math and STEM, with the goal of making reading and math a more enjoyable experience.
• The school has received $1,000 for a counseling library filled with a wide variety of books that complement character-building lessons taught at the school.
• The foundation gave the school $1,000 for a library of decodable chapter books to help students with dyslexia use the decoding strategies they have been taught and apply them to text.

Want to support this important cause? Make a donation here and make sure to check in April 26-May 7 to participate in the silent auction.