At five years old, Erin Hisey knew exactly what she wanted to be when she grew up. Every day after Bridlewood Elementary let out, she would make her own way to the local riding facility around the corner from school and wander up and down the aisles admiring the horses. Management couldn’t keep her away, […]

Meet Garrett Karbs: Texas Longhorn Universities across the country switched to virtual classes only, causing many students in the fall of 2020 to forego moving into their college dorm rooms in order to save money. However, because of the Christa McAuliffe Elementary Scholarship through LEF, Marcus High School alumni Garrett Karbs was able to have […]

Meet Reggie Evans – Academic and Athletic Leader In 2015, Reginald (Reggie) Evans wrote in an application essay “to be a Hebron Hawk means that you are a disciplined, determined, self-motivated young man part of a brotherhood designed to be victorious.” Six years later, he continues to be the embodiment of that which he once […]

Araceli Castillo – Finding Her Way at College When Araceli Castillo first started college as a freshmen at Texas State University, she was just trying to find out more about who she was, what she was passionate about, and where she would fit in. She excelled in academics and student organizations but struggled to find […]

For public education to work, it requires a community of educators, businesses, and people who work together to support students. The role of an education foundation is to bring that community together so that students like Anastasia Tucker are provided with every possible opportunity to succeed. Anastasia Tucker has always loved working with her hands […]

Life Skills Student-Owned and Operated Business Finds Great Success Students, teachers, and community members throughout The Colony can be seen wearing the latest fashionable t-shirt designs and rocking custom-made accessories thanks to successful new local business, Radiant Treasures. A student-run business based out of The Colony High School, Radiant Treasures is a classroom program where […]

Meet MHS Alumna and LEF Scholarship Recipient: Brigit Reese Brigit Reese, a 2020 graduate of Marcus High School and recipient of the Heritage Flying Hawks Senior Scholarship, has made it her goal in college to develop into a profound speaker, strong writer and an engaged community member. Even though she has only been a student […]

“LEF provided me with the courage to face college.” Sporting a large smile and joyful demeanor, Aynslee Barber partnered with her classmate in the spring of 2020  to express their gratitude via video message for being awarded the 2020 Wilhite AVID Scholarships. Almost a year later, she is still sporting that cheerful smile as she […]

Starting College in a Pandemic: How LEF Helped Me Get Started In a year that has already drastically changed so many deeply anticipated moments, the high school Class of 2020 also faced the challenge of starting college in a pandemic. For recent Lewisville ISD graduates navigating those uncharted waters, the financial stress of paying for […]

Oluwasemilore Ojerinde, who goes by the name Semi, first heard of the Lewisville ISD Education Foundation when she was a freshmen at LHS Killough and dreamt of one day becoming a LEF Scholarship recipient. She left no stone unturned as she dived into student activities on a mission to better herself and the community around […]

LISD Librarian Meets the Needs of ESL Readers with LEF Teacher Grant There are many elements about the 2020 school experience that are different but LISD has worked hard to make sure the quality of learning for students remains the same, if not better than previous years. One such example of these developments is seen […]

Jillian Reese is a 2019 graduate of Marcus High School and currently enjoying her freshman year at Southwestern University in Georgetown, Texas. Despite being just a freshman, she has already taken a practice MCAT to prepare for her pre-med track she is on as she will likely major in either chemistry or biochemistry. This is […]

Downing Middle Orchestra Teacher Named Grammy Semifinalist Recording artists aren’t the only people who can win a Grammy. Downing Middle School orchestra teacher Bethany Hardwick is in the running now as she was named one of just 25 semifinalists nationwide for the Grammy in the Schools Music Educator Award. “I’m so honored to be on […]

Waste Not, Want Not at McAuliffe Elementary Michelle Rice Teaches through Zero Waste Program   Students at McAuliffe Elementary School in Highland Village are learning how to recycle in a comprehensive way thanks to teacher Michelle Rice. The Lewisville ISD Education Foundation (LEF) awarded Rice a grant, funded by the City of Highland Village, for […]

Alisha Odoms of Peters Colony Elementary saw a presentation on books and musical sound at a Texas Music Educators Association conference and immediately thought: “Oh, this is a great idea! But I just don’t have the instruments to do it.” She figured out a way to get the instruments she needed, and it was through […]

“One of my students came up and said ‘algorithm’ and I almost fell over,” said Kerry Woods, a multiage K-1 teacher at Stewart’s Creek Elementary in The Colony. Algorithms. Sequencing. Debug. These words are no longer reserved for high-schoolers or college students. Now, kindergartners and first graders at Stewart’s Creek are coding. Ms. Woods teamed […]

Anyone familiar with Lewisville ISD is familiar with the outstanding work and legacy of former Lewisville High School Principal Doug Killough. He made a lasting impact in his 15 years as the principal of Lewisville High School before becoming Assistant Superintendent of Student Services. After serving 42 years in education, he continued to enrich the […]

Your support allowed LEF to fund Marcus High School Physics Teacher Karen Harper’s Grant, “Light It Up, Up, Up!” And light it up they did, thanks to you! The generosity of LEF supporters allowed the Physics students to utilize a more STEM based approach to learning electricity, electromagnets and the workings of a motor. Harper […]

It started as a plan to bring real life scenarios to the Academic Vocational Life Skills classroom at Lakeview Middle School. By the time the end-of-year evaluation was written, Jennifer Shaw was in tears. Shaw is the AVLS teacher at Lakeview. “It was my goal to begin teaching the children skills now that they will […]

The mascot at Vickery Elementary is the Voyager, so from the start it is clear these students are meant to go places. Consider that the school is named for Marjory Vickery, the first female to serve on LISD’s Board of Trustees, and it becomes clear that “Full STEAM Ahead” is more than the title of […]

Almost two years ago your generous support of the students and teachers of Lewisville ISD through your giving to LEF allowed us to award a grant to Briarhill Middle School for their Bulldog Bytes program. After working with the equipment and producing videos for class projects, community events and competitions, students in the program, led […]

Lauren Taylor, 2015 graduate of Lewisville ISD’s Lewisville High School, was awarded the Meredith M. Gregory Memorial Scholarship through LEF’s scholarship program last spring. “I no doubt feel honored to have been chosen to receive an academic gift so valuable in the college world as a check,” Taylor said. “It means education, and to me, education means […]

Catalina Donnelly-Vasquez, 2015 graduate of Lewisville ISD’s Marcus High School, was awarded the Woojae Leana Kim Memorial Scholarship through LEF’s scholarship program last spring. “It made me feel very privileged and honored,” Catalina said. “Because the award was in honor of a very close friend.” Catalina now attends Kansas State University. “This first semester was […]

Madison Gaber, 2015 graduate of Lewisville ISD’s Marcus High School, was awarded the Highland Village Women’s Club Scholarship through LEF’s scholarship program last spring. “When I think of getting the scholarship,” Gaber said. “I feel so grateful to have had such a compassionate school district that truly cared enough about each individual to offer this […]

Sarah Stone, 2015 graduate of Lewisville ISD’s Marcus High School, was awarded the Marcus Swim and Dive Team Booster Club Kyle Tilley Memorial Scholarship through LEF’s scholarship program last spring. “When I remember getting this scholarship, I feel grateful and proud,” Stone said. “I feel grateful because NYU’s tuition, like many schools, is incredibly expensive […]

Faith Bell, 2015 graduate of Lewisville ISD’s Flower Mound High School, was awarded the Jo Haney Special Education Scholarship through LEF’s scholarship program last spring. “When I think about getting this scholarship I feel very proud,” Bell said. “I think about the day when my mom found out I received it and how happy it […]

Paulina Bracker, 2015 graduate of Lewisville ISD’s Marcus High School, was awarded the Christa McAuliffe Elementary Scholarship through LEF’s scholarship program last spring. “When I think about how I was hand selected for a scholarship from LEF, I think about all of the times I worked above and beyond to fulfill my responsibilities as a […]

Manijeh Rustomji, 2015 graduate of Lewisville ISD’s Lewisville High School, was awarded the Lewisville Noon Rotary and Rick Neill Memorial Scholarships through LEF’s scholarship program last spring. “Whenever I look back and remember the time I was awarded two great scholarships from LEF, I feel overjoyed,” Rustomji said. “It was a great honor receiving these […]

Whitney Anderson, 2015 graduate of Lewisville ISD’s Hebron High School, was awarded the Kristen Webb Memorial Scholarship through LEF’s scholarship program last spring. “Receiving the Kristen Webb Memorial Scholarship was truly an honor,” Anderson said. “Not only was I thrilled to be receiving a scholarship to help me attend Texas Tech University, I was also […]

Lauren Sheffield, 2015 graduate of Lewisville ISD’s Hebron High School, was awarded the Hebron High School PTSA Scholarship through LEF’s scholarship program last spring. “Getting the scholarship from LEF/LISD makes me feel grateful and successful,” Sheffield said. “I am grateful that I was given the ability to grow up in a school district that provided […]

Araceli Castillo, 2015 graduate of Lewisville ISD’s Lewisville High School, was awarded the Doug Killough Honorary Scholarship through LEF’s scholarship program last spring. “In a way I felt special… Special because out of the pool of applicants that applied for this scholarship I was selected,” Castillo said. “I felt like my hard work was seen […]

Reggie Evans, 2015 graduate of Lewisville ISD’s Hebron High School, was awarded the Hebron High School Football Booster Club Scholarship through LEF’s scholarship program last spring. “I feel honored and grateful to receive this scholarship because I know it’s limited and a lot of great and talented guys are trying and hoping to get it,” […]

Rachel Hampl, 2015 graduate of Lewisville ISD’s Marcus School, was awarded the Melanie Sanford Gillan Young Athenians Fund Scholarship through LEF’s scholarship program last spring. “The scholarship was a blessing.  I am very grateful to LEF and LISD,” Hampl said. “Not just for receiving the Melanie Sanford Gillan Scholarship but also for the amazing education […]

Hannah Conrad, 2015 graduate of Lewisville ISD’s The Colony High School, was awarded the TCHS PTSA Scholarship through LEF’s scholarship program last spring. “Getting the scholarship from LEF made me feel like LISD truly cared about helping me obtain the education I wanted,” Conrad said. “It feels great to know that there are people who […]

Kennedy Kessler, 2015 graduate of Lewisville ISD’s Marcus High School was awarded the BeLinda Nikkel Heritage Elementary Hawk Scholarship through LEF’s scholarship program last spring. “I was really excited to receive the scholarship,” Kessler said. “It definitely helped me pay for this semester of school, and I am thankful I was chosen to receive a […]

Carlie Spaulding, 2015 graduate of Lewisville ISD’s Flower Mound High School was awarded the FMHS Rosettes Drill Team Scholarship through LEF’s scholarship program last spring. “I feel incredibly lucky and blessed when I think about getting the LEF scholarship,” Spaulding said. “It reminds me to put hard work into what I do no matter what, […]

Josue Perez Campos, 2015 graduate of Lewisville ISD’s Lewisville High School was awarded the Tom Cooper and Alan MacMorran Scholarship through LEF’s scholarship program last spring. “Having the opportunity to receive a LEF scholarship makes me feel relieved to not have to worry that much about all the materials and supplies I have to buy […]

Erin Hisey, 2015 graduate of Lewisville ISD’s Marcus High School, was awarded the Chester Boyd Honorary Scholarship through LEF’s scholarship program last spring. “When I think about the scholarship I received last year, I remember all of the fun times I had on the horse judging trips throughout high school,” Hisey said. Hisey now attends […]

Madeline Proznik, 2015 graduate of Lewisville ISD’s Hebron High School, was awarded the HHS PTSA Scholarship through LEF’s scholarship program last spring. “When looking back on receiving an LEF scholarship, it is a flashback to high school and a reminder that hard work does pay off in the end, which is a huge encouragement when […]

It was Henry Ford who was first quoted as saying, “Whether you think you can, or think you can’t, you’re right.” But it was educators at College Street Elementary who chose to teach their students the merit of that truth by infusing their campus curriculum with leadership training from FranklinCovey’s The Leader In Me program, […]

Farmers Harvest, the student newspaper of Lewisville High School, is a top-notch publication. The journalism team at LHS provides great instruction, and it isn’t uncommon for student journalists to win awards for their work on the paper. But with the rapidly improving technological landscape of the 21st century, it can be hard for a student […]

Music students at Ethridge Elementary had a great opportunity – and a problem. Their music department was well-equipped with 12 Orff glockenspiels, small xylophone instruments that help students learn rhythm and tempo as well as other music concepts. But they had no place to put them – these incredible instruments were constantly being moved from […]

Thanks to your generosity and support of LEF, students at Polser Elementary enjoyed an exciting and unique opportunity in their art class last year – and will continue to enjoy it for years to come! Polser Art Teacher Amy Siegrist was awarded funds last fall for her “Team Up With Tile” grant proposal. “In art […]

“The True Value of My Education” My life is blessed and I know it. As I reflect on my first semester at The University of Texas at Austin, I am grateful for the experiences and education I received at Flower Mound High School that prepared me to be the college student I am today. My […]

Hearing from Marcus Alumni and LEF Scholarship recipient Sarah (Smith) Lueking reminds us that often it is less about the amount given and received and more about the investment. For Sarah, the scholarship she received from LEF was small in comparison to the overall cost of her education. However, it was a direct investment in […]

Thomas Hammerle Memorial Scholarship Endowment: Taken Too Soon . . . But Remembered Forever… How can you capture the essence of a little boy? Words are simply ineffective. Tom was filled with joy and never hesitated to share it freely. Like most seven-year-old boys, his life revolved around family, friends, play dates, sports, and fun. […]

My Journey with the Lewisville ISD Education Foundation… What started with a need developed into much deeper and lasting relationship. My journey with LEF began in 1996 when I was a 4th grade teacher at Donald Elementary and desperately wanted a place to grow plants native to Texas. That year, I was awarded my first […]

Nominate a Special Educator Today! The Cain Sczepanski Foundation in Special Education was created by Bill, Carolyn and Cara Sczepanski in memorial to their son and brother, Cain. Cain lived for 24 years with Down syndrome and heart defects. He died on March 7, 2011, of a heart attack. Cain spent 18 years under the […]

That instruction seems straightforward, but what if the engine isn’t in a vehicle? And what if the recipients of the instruction are Automotive Technology students in Brad Warren’s class at Lewisville ISD’s Career Center East? That makes the instruction a bit more daunting. That’s the scenario students were faced with this year, as the Auto […]

Noel Andia teaches 10th grade English at Lewisville High School’s Harmon campus and was awarded a grant from LEF last summer. With that award she was able to purchase a class set of Bluetooth QWERTY keyboards with additional editing keys, which allow for full formatting capability to make the student iPads issued by LISD more […]

Growing up, many kids play with Legos. Many of today’s adults recall Legos as one of their favorite childhood toys. But times have changed, and kids today have a whole new plan for Legos. Vickery students enjoy enhancing their science and engineering skills at the Lego robotics club made possible thanks to a partnership with […]

Thanks to the Christine Nicole Smith Memorial Grant and LISD Employee Giving, Melissa Cary’s third-grade students at Bridlewood Elementary enjoy a flexible learning environment in which their brains are more fully engaged in every task. “Early in my career I worked with a teacher whose students didn’t sit in chairs,” Cary said. “They used yoga […]

The school library is iconic to the memory of one’s school days. Many people remember it fondly as the place they could find a book to transport them to another place or time, a place to find a book in whose pages students could get lost for hours… Today though, the library is a little […]

“I’m not sure yet what I want to be when I grow up,” Hebron High School Senior and Dale Jackson Career Center Hospitality Student Skylar Nedd said. “But this certainly opens doors and gives me experience and hands-on knowledge to start making decisions about a college major and a career.” “This” that she mentions is […]

Last year LEF funded a grant written by Lewisville High School Orchestra Director Kevin Sluder. “Playing a string instrument can be very expensive, and that is just for the basic instrument/bow setup,” Sluder explained. “Making training and tuning items available greatly impacts student success on an instrument such as the cello.” LEF funded tuners, pickups, […]

“My nana bought me new garden gloves to use at the garden today,” she said as she led the way to the Lakeland Elementary section of the Lewisville Community Garden. She is Gia Clement, a first-grade student at Lakeland Elementary. Like most of the students, she was really excited about digging in the dirt and […]

Hedrick Middle School (HMS) students in Julia McCloud’s English Language Arts (ELA) classes are experiencing learning differently than ever before thanks to collaboration between McCloud, HMS Principal Barbara Hamric and LEF. “There was so much talk about changing learning spaces and rethinking our approach to teaching,” McCloud said. “I wondered, ‘what if?’ After really thinking […]

For the second consecutive year, students in The Colony High School’s AVID (Advancement via Individual Determination) program reap the benefits of E-Prep test preparation software thanks to Lewisville ISD Education Foundation (LEF) grants sponsored by Aramark and CoServ Electric. “AVID is a very important program on our campus,” TCHS principal James Hill said. “It specifically […]

2 (2nd grade teachers) x 2 elementary schools + 40 eager learners = collaborative learning of the highest (and most engaging!) order. Hebron Valley Elementary second-grade teacher Tina Montegudo had an idea. And as she frequently does when she has an idea, she shared it with her friend and Highland Village Elementary second-grade teacher Shana […]

When Wellington Elementary School teacher Gina Alday had the opportunity to transition from teaching fourth grade to working in the Specials Rotation as the Science Discovery teacher, she was ecstatic. But on the heels of the excitement came a moment of panic. “How will I ever get all the supplies I need to teach science […]