The Georgetown ISD Education Foundation is a nonprofit that helps the district secure financial support to maximize learning opportunities within GISD, and they received a boost in funding Tuesday afternoon in the form of a $100,000 check from a business with Georgetown ties. The third annual State of the District fundraising event saw GISD and GISD Education Foundation officials giving updates on the district’s progress and plans for 2018. Money from ticket sales went toward the education foundation, which supports the district in serving 11,500 students. In a special presentation, Huckabee Architects CEO Chris Huckabee announced a huge donation to the Georgetown ISD Education Foundation—$100,000 in honor of Jerry Hammerlun, his former partner at the firm, Georgetown City Council person and active member of the education foundation. Hammerlun died in June. In 2017, the foundation awarded $25,000 worth of grants to educators to use to enhance classroom instruction through their Teacher Innovation Grants program. “This is a foundational belief for us: public education allows any child to secure their own future, regardless of what zip code in which they are raised, regardless of who their parents are, regardless of where they’re from,” GISD Superintendent Fred Brent said. “You come to a public school, you will have a chance to pursue your passions and chase your dreams. This is a critical belief for this district.”