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The Conroe ISD Education Foundation awarded 66 $1,000 scholarships to district educators this year.[/caption]
The Conroe ISD Education Foundation has been providing scholarships to both students and educators in the district since 2001. The foundation is funded by donations with a mission to enrich the teaching field. Maris Blair, executive director of the foundation, said the organization has focused on this mission by shifting attention to more administrative and educator scholarships. This year it has seen an increase in both fundraising and scholarship recipients.
“We focused more on educator scholarships this year and almost doubled the amount we gave out,” Blair said. “This is for people who aren’t just in a classroom. It can be for degreed [information technology] people in the district or any degreed administrative personnel who are trying to get an advanced degree like a master’s or a doctorate.”
In 2015, the foundation awarded 66 $1,000 educator scholarships while 15 student scholarships—ranging from $500 to $1,200—were distributed.
Blair said the amount of the educator scholarship has increased to $1,000 from $500 in 2014. To qualify for a scholarship from the CISD Education Foundation, district students must plan to enter the education field.
Since 2007 scholarship recipients are invited to an annual breakfast during which the scholarships are awarded.
“The breakfast is our primary event, and it grows every year and this year was record-breaking,” Blair said.
She said this year’s breakfast raised more than $190,000 and included about 580 people.
Foundation board member Paula McDonald said the scholarships create an easier path for students and administrators to enter the education workforce.
“I am a former teacher and, of course, anything to help student education and teachers education is so important,” McDonald said. “Being a teacher is one of the most important jobs in Texas.”
McDonald said graduating CISD seniors can apply for scholarships at their school counselor’s office. CISD educators and administrators can apply for scholarships online and are notified through email of any current scholarship applications. Since the organization started, more than $300,000 in scholarships have been pledged to CISD students, and more than 100 continuing education scholarships have been awarded to CISD educators.
