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JUNIOR LEAGUE OF DALLAS AWARDED 51 DALLAS ISD TEACHERS AND EDUCATORS FUNDING THROUGH ANNUAL GRANTS FOR INNOVATIVE TEACHING CEREMONY 

DALLAS – September 16, 2022 – The Junior League of Dallas (JLD) and presenting sponsor Texas Instruments (TI) awarded 51 Dallas Independent School District (Dallas ISD) educators with grants of up to $2,500 each through the annual Grants for Innovative Teaching (GFIT) program. In its history, this JLD Signature Project has impacted nearly 15,000 students and awarded more than $2 million to Dallas ISD educators. It is designed to encourage excellence in education by funding special projects addressing reading and literacy enrichment; diversity; special education; science, technology, engineering and math (STEM); or arts and culture enrichment across one or more grade levels. This year, nearly $111,000 was distributed to fund deserving educators’ winning projects during a ceremony held September 15, 2022, at Junior League of Dallas Headquarters and streamed online. 

“The Grants for Innovative Teaching Committee is in awe of the level of innovation, uniqueness and inclusivity that each of the educators so passionately brought to the table. It is an honor to share that due to the innovative projects that are designed by these educators, at least 8,200 Dallas ISD students will be directly impacted this school year,” said Kiki Gao, 2022–2023 Grants For Innovative Teaching Chair. “The funding of these grants are made possible through generous donations from our sponsors: Texas Instruments, The Agnes Cluthe Oliver Foundation, the Hillcrest Foundation, and Bank of America as a co-trustee. Without their generosity, this program would not exist.”

Some of the grants selected include: Kids Helping Kids, Heart of Hawthorne (Phase 2), and Structure and Functions of the Master Regulators of Pancreas Development. The projects awarded GFIT grants will provide students with diverse experiences and highlight the innovation of the Dallas ISD educators.

Kids Helping Kids was established 10 years ago by an educator and his students who were constructing wooden rocking horses and made a few extra. One of the students suggested they give the extra wooden rocking horses to sick children. With the Junior League grant, they are able to carry on this tradition. The special needs students in the Construction Trades Cluster at Multiple Careers Magnet will be constructing wooden rocking horses to be donated to sick children staying at the Ronald McDonald House while they are undergoing medical treatment during the Christmas Holidays. The students will be using tools and the skills they have learned to construct this project. With the help of this grant, the special needs students are able to bring happiness to sick children and also raise their own self-esteem and self-worth.

The Heart of Hawthorne (Phase 2) aims to support academic achievement, social, and emotional wellbeing, and the development of healthy lifestyle choices. A campus garden will be instrumental in reducing stress among students, while making a positive impact on self-esteem and overall development. Cross-curricular connections through the integration of all content areas (science, math, social studies, and reading) will increase academic success and achievement. Active participation in the campus garden will include health and nutrition awareness, as data suggests that students who grow vegetables are more likely to eat them. This second phase of the Hawthorne garden allows them to expand their program further after seeing great success at their campus after Phase 1, which included starting a garden from scratch with soil and seeds. 

Structure and Functions of the Master Regulators of Pancreas Development provides a meaningful research experience to talented and motivated high school students and teachers to lay the foundation of a new tradition and use this training program to obtain crystals for x-ray crystallographic analysis of a novel heterotrimeric transcription factor complex, PTF1, a key regulator of embryonic pancreas development. The students will study the structure and function of the proteins, be divided into groups, and then each group will clone cDNAs for the proteins and test conditions. The groups will create a presentation of their research and present as members of the school SMART TEAM at the annual American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology convention in Seattle, Washington. They will also compete for the Regeneron Scholarship (for seniors). The ultimate goal is to help students acquire full-ride scholarships to college.

“We know that teachers are our best asset to prepare students for future success, and are proud to support teacher recognition programs such as the Junior League of Dallas’ Grants for Innovative Teaching awards,” said Andy Smith, director of giving and volunteering for Texas Instruments. “This is our 12th year to sponsor the awards, and we are excited about this year’s outstanding recipients and their commitment to education and excellence in the classroom.”

ABOUT JUNIOR LEAGUE OF DALLAS

The Junior League of Dallas cultivates leaders who collectively address the critical needs of the community. Founded in 1922, JLD is one of the largest Junior Leagues in the world, as well as the largest and oldest training organization for women in Dallas. Active members range in age from 22 to 49 with approximately 85% percent of women employed outside of the home. The JLD provides leadership opportunities to nearly 4,500 women each year through more than 26,000 cumulative hours of experiential and formal training. Uniquely member-run, JLD provides over 130,000 hours in volunteer service and approximately $1 million in funding to area nonprofits each year. For more information, please visit www.jldallas.org or Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and Twitter.

ABOUT DALLAS ISD:

The Dallas Independent School District is continually preparing its more than 153,000 students for college or a career. The district offers a competitive mix of innovative programs, choice programs and instructional initiatives that support the increased academic achievement and the social and emotional development of its students. To learn more, visit www.dallasisd.org.

GFIT GRANT AWARD WINNERS 2022-2023