Tyler ISD Foundation 1990-2020 Celebrating 30 years of Impact

The Tyler ISD Foundation is celebrating thirty years of supporting educational excellence within Tyler ISD. The education foundation recently hosted a 30th Anniversary Celebration reception at Willow Brook Country Club to mark the occasion.

Tyler ISD Foundation Board President Alesha Buckner welcomed guests before Tyler ISD Superintendent Dr. Marty Crawford gave remarks thanking the Foundation for its continued support in helping the District achieve its vision of creating successful student outcomes.

"The Tyler ISD Foundation is a key partner in supporting teachers’ innovative and cutting-edge initiatives in the classroom,” Crawford said. “We are thankful for the community’s generosity through the Tyler ISD Foundation that enables Tyler students to have unique and engaging educational experiences."

Since its creation in 1990, the Tyler ISD Foundation has gifted more than $3.3 million to Tyler ISD through innovative teaching grants, student and parent programs, academic and teaching recognition events, and scholarships. In the 2019-2020 school year, the Foundation gifted the District $173,063 through teacher and campus grants, programs, and scholarships.

"We are thrilled to have the opportunity to celebrate thirty years of inspiring learning, enriching teaching, and enhancing opportunities for Tyler ISD students," Tyler ISD Foundation Director Betsy Jones said. "It is because of the generosity of the Tyler community that we have so much to celebrate."

Additionally, the Foundation took the opportunity to spotlight three of its 2021 Grants for Great Ideas projects, showcasing the positive impact each project will have on Tyler ISD students.

In the first spotlight, teachers Shayla Kemp and Bethany Chancellor discussed their Cross Town Connections project to connect students at Jones and Rice elementary schools as pen pals. The students will read the same novels and discuss various academic components of the book with their pen pals.

The second grant featured was the Caldwell Arts Academy Shooting Stars Sound Studio. The production and recording studio will enable students to write, create, and produce music in a professionally designed setting. As a part of the curriculum, students will also learn the business side of music; covering topics like copyrights and the importance of protecting their original work.

To highlight the evening's third grant, Tyler ISD Assistant Superintendent of Curriculum and Instruction Dr. Christy Hanson told guests about plans for the District's new Literacy Bus. The Literacy Bus is an interactive bus that will provide high-quality literacy resources to encourage family reading throughout the Tyler ISD community year-round. Hanson said the goal is to expand access to literacy development initiatives for low-income students by providing fun and engaging literacy activities to increase academic performance in Reading and Language Arts.

Altogether more than 9,400 students and 21 Tyler ISD campuses will benefit from the 29 grants totaling almost $90,000 the Foundation awarded in 2021.