We are proud to shine a spotlight on Rice & Gardner Consultants, a dedicated community partner of the Lamar Educational Awards Foundation (LEAF) and Lamar CISD. As a longtime partner of Lamar CISD, Rice & Gardner Consultants has been a steadfast supporter of the Lamar Educational Awards Foundation (LEAF) and our mission to provide meaningful opportunities for Lamar CISD students and educators. Since the inception of Golf Fore Greatness, Rice & Gardner has proudly served as th

Talk about having a green thumb! Art students at Polly Ryon middle school planted, cared for, and harvested Birdhouse Gourds which they then creatively transformed into functional birdhouses. As a result of carefully following certain agricultural practices, these students were able to creatively express themselves through their own unique art pieces while still contributing positively to the environment around them! "Students don't often get their hands dirty and grow things

This LEAF-funded project proves that learning can be fun, and musical! At Austin Elementary, K-5 students in the music curriculum were able to engage in a hands-on, interactive music experience that helped them develop some wonderful skills. This was all thanks to the resources given to Mark Holley through the LEAF-funded grant, Rhythm Rocks! The Sound of Success With LEAF-funded non-pitched percussion instruments, such as hand bells, guiros, drums, woodblocks, and a snail dr

As one can tell with the impact of all of these grants, creating innovative learning experiences is one of the best ways students can learn and actually retain information. At Williams Elementary, Jaime Barnett was well aware of this fact and used the LEAF-funded grant, Fly Me To the Moon FabLab, to give kindergarten students a STEM learning experience that was out of this world. Literally! "All of our students, regardless of ability, race, or academic level, were able to par

As the title claims, this project was able to turn these Terrell Elementary students' learning spaces into worlds of wonder. Thanks to Mindy Pieritz's LEAF-funded grant, Igniting Young Minds With the Spark of Wonder, she was able to turn her classrooms into fun, themed spaces where stories came to life for the kindergarteners. Interactive Learning For kindergarten students, learning can be hard due to developing minds, attention spans, and an overall brand new learning abilit

At Lamar Junior High, Jennifer Wagner was able to foster a strong sense of community and compassion amongst her students that will carry on to future generations of students, thanks to her LEAF-funded grant, The Joy Squad. Purpose and Impact The Joy Squad is a creative and innovative outreach club that was designed to engage students in a meaningful way through the art of crochet! Students received the resources to learn basic crochet stitches which allowed them to handcraft

Art students are Don Carter Elementary were able to full participate in a meaningful creative experience with access to high-quality art materials, thanks to Shannon Jiang's LEAF-funded grant, Creative Exploration Through Art Centers! Creative Success Thanks to the LEAF-funded grant, students were able to freely express themselves through creative works of art! They got access to a variety of centers, such as a Bracelet/Beading Center, Play-Doh/Clay Modeling Centers, STEM Bin

With the arrival of the new CTE building, the CTE programs will be expanded even further! This includes the wonderful Culinary Arts Program, through which many students have been able to explore their love for food production, management, and so much more! Melissa Harrington, through her LEAF-funded grant Hands-On Pasta Innovation for Culinary Arts Students, was able to expand hands-on culinary instruction within the Culinary Arts program for her students. Cooking Made Engagi

At Ray Elementary School, Stephanie Lopez, along with several other educators including Mirian Lozano, wanted to full immerse their students into the engaging world of reading, by giving them the full experience of being able to select their own books and leaving with the satisfied feeling of being able to read something they truly enjoy. And they were able to do exactly this, thanks to the LEAF-funded grant From Shelf to Self: Building Readers for Life. "Imagine the exciteme

Thank You Brazos Valley Schools Credit Union! We are proud to shine a spotlight on Brazos Valley Schools Credit Union, a dedicated community partner of the Lamar Educational Awards Foundation (LEAF) and Lamar CISD. For three years, Brazos Valley Schools Credit Union has served as a Presenting Sponsor of New Staff Stampede, helping us welcome and support new educators as they begin their journey in Lamar CISD. Their continued investment in education reflects a strong commitmen

With the world developing so quickly, the children of our society's future need to be able to develop just as quick, so they can succeed! And this is what all teachers, especially Ida Jurkowski from Terrell Elementary School, want for their students! With her LEAF-funded grant, Think Big, Design Bigger: Imaginative Innovation, Mrs. Jurkowski was able to help her students do exactly this! Innovation in Action Thanks to the LEAF-funded grant, Mrs. Jurkowski was able to give alm

COVID-19 had an undeniable impact on the children born during the height of the pandemic by causing them to miss out on important early-childhood experiences. Mrs. Lafferty was able to help these exact children through her LEAF-funded grant, Swipe to Explore: Real-Life Learning for Screen-Time Kids. Impact Story Thanks to the LEAF-funded grant, Mrs. Lafferty was able to help 110 kindergarten students from Don Carter Elementary schools participate in enriching, hands-on learn

At Adolphus Elementary School, Coach Tosch was able to put her plan and her students into motion. 1,000 PK-5th graders in Coach Tosch's physical education program got the opportunity to experience the beginnings of a lifelong health journey, thanks to the High Fives & Healthy Lives grant! They received many grant-funded supplies, including push-up testers, heavily utilized by the 3rd-5th graders, and Nutri Play food beanbags, used by the PK-2d graders. As a result, the studen

At Tomas High School, 9th-11th grade students in Ms. Harrington's Culinary Arts Program are exploring the wide world of sustainable food production, sparking creativity, innovation, and responsibility for the future of the food industry. Thanks to Growing Innovation with Tower Gardens grant, these future culinary professionals are caring for fresh produce and harvesting it to produce original recipes, implementing strong farm-to-table instruction. This isn’t your typical cla

At the Lamar Educational Awards Foundation (LEAF), our mission is strengthened by passionate leaders who believe deeply in public education and the power of community. This month, we are proud to spotlight Marla Jurek, a dedicated LEAF Board Member whose heart for service and commitment to student success make a lasting impact. Marla serves as the Business Development Representative at Brazos Valley Schools Credit Union Her ability to connect people and ideas has made a meani

The Lamar Educational Awards Foundation is proud to spotlight Amy Galvan , a dedicated leader and passionate advocate for students and educators, as our Board Member of the Month. Amy serves as the Client and Community Relations Manager for Stantec Architecture and brings a strong background in marketing, relationship building, and creative thinking to her role on the LEAF Board. Her ability to connect people and ideas has made a meaningful impact on the Foundation’s work an

At Lamar CISD, preparing students for the future means creating experiences that connect classroom learning to real-world opportunity. Recently, Durotech, winner of our Men Who Cook Auction package and their guests gathered for an exclusive CTE Preview Tour Experience, offering a behind-the-scenes look at the district’s new Career and Technical Education Center, set to open in Fall 2026 in Rosenberg. Hosted by the Bond Office, Lamar CISD Career and Technical Education Departm

The Lamar Educational Awards Foundation, in partnership with PBK Architects and Hunton Group , proudly hosted the first annual Clays for Classrooms fundraiser and it was nothing short of exceptional. From start to finish, the day reflected the strength of community, the spirit of collaboration, and a shared commitment to supporting students and educators across Lamar CISD. A Strong Start with Meaningful Impact Held at American Shooting Centers, this inaugural event brought

The Lamar Educational Awards Foundation is proud to spotlight Dr. Cimberli Darrough , an educational and community impact leader whose passion for equity and opportunity drives her service on the board. Dr. Darrough believes every child deserves access to opportunities that help them reach their full potential, regardless of background or circumstance. For her, public schools are the heart of a thriving community. By supporting them, she is helping strengthen families, neighb

The heart of the Lamar Educational Awards Foundation lives in the people who quietly show up, give selflessly, and lead with purpose. This year, LEAF is proud to recognize Beverly Richard as our Board Member of the Year . Beverly has devoted countless hours to advancing LEAF’s mission not only through financial support, but through an extraordinary investment of time, energy, and heart. From reading grants, scoring scholarships, and helping distribute classroom stipends, to