The Lewisville ISD Education Foundation is getting ready for an exciting year of events and initiatives aimed at empowering students and providing public schools with a strong support system.

LEF was started by community members in 1990 and has since awarded over $6 million to Lewisville ISD. To fundraise for its two main programs—teacher grants and student scholarships—LEF is planning to host several community events during the 2024-25 school year.

Mark your calendar

The annual Golf Classic will take place on Monday, October 21, at The Lakes at Castle Hills. This event, now in its 16th year, continues to attract participants and sponsors, with funds raised going directly to supporting teacher grants and student scholarships.

“When we put together an event like the Golf Classic, I love seeing the diversity we have in our constituent base and our volunteers,” Board President Mary Jacoby said. “People from all walks of life, from all businesses, from all backgrounds, come to support one thing: LEF. It's not just a donor gift or a fundraising event. It's really about an investment in the current students and teachers and also the future, and making sure that public education here in LISD is sustainable and continues to flourish.”

Another highlight of the LEF calendar is the Evening for Education Gala, scheduled for Saturday, February 22, at the Hall of Lights in Carrollton. Evening for Education has been one of LEF’s biggest fundraising events for over ten years.

Last year’s event included a teacher grant showcase where community members were able to see the direct impact of their donations.

Year-round initiatives

LEF’s Employee Giving Campaign is a year-round initiative that invites LISD employees to contribute directly to LEF, with every dollar staying within the district. On average, 1,700 employees participate annually, raising approximately $130,000.

Building on the success of the Employee Giving Campaign, LEF is launching its first Capital Giving Campaign this year. This initiative aims to engage the broader community, including parents and area residents, in supporting LISD.

“We are challenging the community, the parents and the area residents, to be as invested as the employees are in the school district,” Annual Giving and Marketing Director Adriana Craig said. “We are hoping that we can show them how much teachers believe in the community and education, so much so that they're willing to give a part of their paycheck for it.”

The impact

With the money raised from these events and giving campaigns, LEF is able to award teacher grants and student scholarships.

Teacher grant awards provide essential funding for innovative classroom projects, Craig said. LEF was able to award 60 grants awarded last year, totaling $100,000.

“We like to call it the best day of the year,” Craig said. “Seeing the excitement and sometimes the emotional reactions from teachers when they receive their grants is incredibly rewarding. Many of these teachers are so dedicated to their projects that they would pay out of their own pockets to bring them to life.”

Find out more

With a 34-year history of supporting LISD, LEF remains a vital part of the district’s success. For more information on how to support LEF and participate in their upcoming events, visit the organization’s website.

The above story was produced by Community Impact's Storytelling team with information solely provided by the local business as part of their "sponsored content" purchase through our advertising team.