ROCKWALL EDUCATION FOUNDATION AWARDS EASON FAMILY FINE ARTS GRANT

The Rockwall ISD Education Foundation is pleased to announce the recipients of the inaugural Fran & Haywood Eason Fine Arts Grant. The grant was awarded to the art teachers at each of the middle schools in Rockwall ISD: Shelby Byrd and Kristi Mouse from Maurine Cain Middle School, Emily Harris and Stephanie Lawhorn from Herman Utley Middle School and Barrett Clark and Maria Shah from J.W. Williams Middle School.Their project, titled Ceramic Fever, Very Contagious is a semester-long, hands-on learning experience that introduces students to a new way of creating artwork that will give them the ability to experiment, problem solve and create unique, functional works of art using a pottery wheel. In addition to honing their creative skills, this project requires art students to understand the laws of physics and apply the concepts of centrifugal force, inertia and mass distribution.

The Eason Family Fine Arts Grant is available to all Rockwall ISD fine arts educators and is awarded once a year.

About the Eason family…Haywood & Fran Eason were long-time supporters of the arts in both Dallas and Rockwall. Haywood helped to design the first hydraulic stage in Dallas when he built and co-owned the Country Dinner Playhouse in the early to mid-1970’s and later started a custom home business. Fran Eason graduated from Texas State College for Women (now TWU) with a Fine Arts degree. Her sense of design was apparent as she worked with Haywood in his custom home business. Fran also worked in the advertising industry in Dallas with such early ad pioneers as Liener Temerlin, many of whom they kept in contact with over the years.

As members of the Rockwall community since 1968, they were both involved in organizations that promoted the health, well-being, and education of our area families by being members and early organizers and board members of Helping Hands, Rockwall Women’s League, Rotary & the Chamber of Commerce. Haywood was also a long-time member of the Dallas HAB and national director of the National Association of Builders.

Following the death of her parents in 2008 and 2010, Becky Eason Burkett and her husband, Ernie, decided to provide an endowed Fine Arts grant through the Rockwall ISD Education Foundation. Becky chose Fine Arts as the focus to honor her parents’ love and support of music, theater, and art.  They were also Becky’s biggest fans during her own pursuit of two music degrees and a short career in the music business in Memphis, TN and Dallas, TX. 

The Rockwall ISD Education Foundation, Inc. was created in 2003 to enhance learning in the district through fostering creative, innovative approaches for the benefit of all RISD students. The Foundation operates independently of the school district, relying upon private grants and community partnerships to provide support for learning experiences that wouldn’t otherwise be available to the students in Rockwall ISD.

Pictured in photo

Front row: Maria Shah (WMS), Becky Eason Burkett

Second row: Kristi Mouse (CMS), Shelby Byrd (CMS), Emily Harris (UMS), Stephanie Lawhorn (UMS)

Not pictured: Barrett Clark (WMS)

It’s time to bowl! Gather your friends and get ready for the 2^nd Annual REF Bowling Classic benefitting the students and teachers in Rockwall ISD on April 20^th from 6:00pm-10:00pm at Shenaniganz Z Lounge. Join us for an evening of fun, fellowship and philanthropy as teams compete for the highly coveted “Grand Champion” trophy. Bowlers and guests will enjoy an entertaining tournament, food, silent auction and awards ceremony. Team registration is open and online at http://bit.ly/REFBowlingReg2018 Sponsorship packages are available and silent auction items are being accepted.

This one-of-a-kind event will help sustain existing programs such as the Innovative Teaching Grants as well as provide support for creating new opportunities that will directly impact RISD students. The RISD Education Foundation (REF) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation that operates separately from the school district and solely depends on private grants, corporate partnerships and community support.

RISD EDUCATION FOUNDATION PRESENTS NEW TEACHERS WITH GRANTS

At the beginning of each school year, the Rockwall ISD Education Foundation, Inc. presents each new teacher—new to Rockwall ISD and new to the teaching profession—with a grant of $200.  This year, the Foundation awarded a total of $5,600 to assist this “B.E.S.T.” (Beginning Educators, Successful Teachers) group in defraying the expenses associated with setting up a classroom.  The Education Foundation’s Board of Directors welcomed the 28 new members to the RISD family of educators during the B.E.S.T. training conducted at the RISD Administration Building.  

New teacher grants were presented to Sandra Bautista, Kierstyn Baxter, Alexis Bigham, Jennifer Broze, Callie Catchpole, James Cram, Jennifer Dry, Avery Due, Diana Goellner, Jacey Hodan, Meriem Kabani, Chris Kelley, Katherine Kenney, Stacey Kimmel, Erica Maresh, Caitlin Marquis, Jacob Meyer, Vilma Nieto, Harriet Selle, Brittany Spann, Daryl Stevenson, Julie Valverde, Virginia Waddell, Lauren Webb, Adrien Williams, Don Williams, Lori Williamson and Sharon Withrow.

The RISD Education Foundation, Inc. was chartered in 2003 and is a non-profit 501(c)(3) corporation.  The mission of the Foundation is to generate and distribute funds for the benefit of classroom learning and initiate program areas not otherwise funded by the District.  For more information, visit www.rockwallisd.com/community/education-foundation/.

At the beginning of each school year, the Rockwall ISD Education Foundation, Inc. presents each new teacher—new to Rockwall ISD and new to the teaching profession—with a grant of $200. This year the Foundation awarded a total of $2,600 to assist this “B.E.S.T.” (Beginning Educators, Successful Teachers) group in defraying the expenses associated with setting up a classroom. The 2014-2015 B.E.S.T. recipients are Susan Allen, Brittney Canaday, Laine Garrett, Jordan Johnson, Lauren Jonczak, Michelle Jordan, Sydney Krimm, Lisa Laudermilk, Karl Lundin, Katie Morrow, Lauren Patterson, Laura Shine and Emilie Thomas. Ashlei Neill, Executive Director of the Education Foundation, welcomed the 13 new members to the RISD family of educators during the B.E.S.T. training conducted at the RISD Administration Building. 

The RISD Education Foundation, Inc. was chartered in 2003 and is a non-profit 501(c)(3) corporation. The mission of the Foundation is to generate and distribute funds for the benefit of classroom learning and initiate program areas not otherwise funded by the District.  For more information, visit www.rockwallisd.com/education-foundation or call 469.698.7094.