The Plano ISD Education Foundation team hit the streets today for the annual Grants for Educators event to surprise and personally award grants to more than 100 teachers at 34 PISD schools.

Foundation members, community volunteers and sponsors made up the grant patrol team, and were provided with vehicles courtesy of Park Place Lexus to spread out across Plano and award the winning teachers in person. Bearing pom-poms and noise makers, the grant patrol surprised teachers in their classrooms congratulating them for their commitment to students and awarding them with the announcement that their grant was selected and will be funded by the foundation.

Grants included $901 to first grade teacher Candy Kern at Hunt Elementary for her "Read Recycled Readers" program, which recycles varieties of used books to provide over 900 individual classroom books. And, first-time grant winner Paula Edwards, coach and physical education teacher at Hickey Elementary, received a grant for her application for $1,070 for "moving minutes." The program creates a collection of brain energizers and activities that can be used throughout the day or as needed for indoor recess to keep students brains invigorated and in a learning state.

The individual grants range from $200 up to $1,500 per teacher for a variety of programs, such as museum field trips for special needs children, musical instruments for orchestra students and many more. This year, the foundation awarded $120,000 in total grant funds, $20,000 over last year's total.