Public Education
Monitor school board activities and conduct candidate interviews during school board elections. Recommend and provide political endorsement and/ or financial support of the candidates who uphold our mission to the MetroTex Board of Directors. Award charitable grants from the MetroTex Charitable Trust to area schools who develop projects that benefit students and help build communities. This committee meets on-call. The Public Education Committee will distribute requests to all public schools in the MetroTex immediate service area. During Spring 2011 the committee reviewed and made its selection of schools based on the returned applications. This grant program was implemented to open the door for student organizations to take the initiative to plan and create positive programs to help themselves and fellow students.
ONLINE METROTEX CHARITABLE TRUST PUBLIC EDUCATION GRANT APPLICATION
In 2011 four schools were selected to each receive $3,000 for their initiatives:
Aikin Elementary School in Richardson ISD.
Last year, as an experimental project, cherry tomatoes were planted in a small area of their atrium. This quickly became a focal point for the entire school. The Aikin Garden Club would like to use the MetroTex Grant to design and building a larger discovery garden, which will give students an hands-on opportunity to connect the science curriculum to real life by learning how to grow food for themselves and others.
Judge Frank Berry Middle School was awarded a grant to help promote extra-curricular reading. The MetroTex grant will be used to purchase additional books for the school library (in regular print, large print and in Spanish) and to help underwrite the cost of the incentive celebration.
Robert T. Hill Middle School was awarded a grant to teach students how to make an ordinary drawing from paper, make it a silk screen and then turn it into a marketable product. While overseen by the Art Department, art concept will be utilized for all Departments/School Clubs & Organizations. For example, Social Studies can create uniforms for Civil War reenactments, the Band will be able to create shirts for competitions and spirit groups will be able to design bandanas. The MetroTex Grant would enable the school to purchase the required machinery for this project.
W.T. Francisco Elementary School is located in Birdville ISD.
This school currently has an enclosed courtyard/outdoor classroom space where their students can explore the pond life, read, eat lunch, take photos, work on an art project or just enjoy the beauty of the outdoor life. This space has been existence for twelve years and is beginning to need repair. The MetroTex Grant would enable the school to maintain and expand the area for their growing student population.
Click here to see a special thank you video from the students at W.T. Francisco. The project is complete and has proven to be a great resource for all of the sutdents!
For more information, contact the Government Affairs Department at govtaffairs@dfwre.com. You may also view the full calendar of meeting dates here.
