It was just another day of drum lines and cheerleaders disrupting classes around Nacogdoches ISD on Wednesday. And all for an excellent cause.
NISD Education Foundation awarded 15 innovative grants Wednesday to NISD classrooms, totaling more than $30,000.
“This is why we’re here,” said Erin Windham, executive director of the foundation. “We want money in these classrooms and campuses, funding creative and imaginative programs that directly impact NISD students.
“These ideas are unable to be funded by normal school district operating budgets, but NEF can invest the money to try out these new approaches that may ultimately be included in future district spending.”
The foundation is in the second year of a capital campaign established by the Elliott Foundation. Bill Elliott, founder and owner of Elliott Electrical Inc., pledged a year ago up to $500,000 in matching funds to NEF. When the group reached that goal in the first year, Elliott committed to a second campaign.
“The mission of NEF is to enhance educational opportunities for all NISD students,” Windham said. “Mr. Elliott’s commitment to public education and his generosity for all things Nacogdoches magnifies our efforts to accomplish these things. It has truly altered the arc of success for the Foundation.”
Projects and programs funded this month by NEF include:
Little Explorers, Big Milestones – Elena LeCompte, Fredonia Early Childhood Center
Our project aims to enhance the learning and self-regulation outcomes of our Early Childhood Special Education learners by integrating purposeful movement breaks and providing weighted blankets as sensory-regulation supports. Movement breaks – short, structured physical activity sessions – help children release excess energy, increase blood flow and oxygenation to the brain, and improve attention and task engagement.
Sand Table and Sand Tray Materials for Counseling Special Education Students – Angela Henson, Nacogdoches High School
The materials will allow counselors to use sand tray therapy, a hands-on, sensory approach that helps children and teens express emotions and develop coping skills through creative play. Many students struggle to communicate feelings or manage stress through words alone. Sand tray therapy provides a nonverbal way to process experiences, practice problem-solving, and build social skills in a safe environment. Research also shows it can reduce anxiety, improve emotional regulation, and strengthen peer relationships.
Tunneling into Hospitality – Kelsey Gibson, Nacogdoches High School
Culinary II students will tour and train in the banquet kitchens (accessible via underground tunnels) at the Gaylord Texan Resort and Convention Center in Grapevine. Students will stay overnight at the hotel (at a discounted rate) and receive real life experience of closely examining each aspect of preparation, food management, all the way up to meeting the CEO.
Little Hands, Big Letters: Building Early Writing Skills Through Play – Aubrey Harris, Fredonia Early Childhood Center
This project will create a Hands-On Literacy Lab that strengthens early writing, alphabet knowledge, and phonological awareness through playful, multisensory learning. The lab will include alphabet wall tiles, laminated tracing sheets, sensory letter manipulatives, and letter-matching games (like alphabet ice cream cones, puzzles, and magnetic builders) that help students visually and physically connect uppercase and lowercase letters while practicing letter sounds.
Building Bridges Beyond the Classroom: An Innovative Outdoor Learning Experience – Emily Drewery, Tamyla Taylor and Pearl Lee, Thomas J. Rusk Elementary
Building Bridges Beyond the Classroom: An Innovative Outdoor Learning Experience will provide fifth grade students with a transformative overnight opportunity to connect classroom learning with the natural world. Students will engage in math, science and reading through hands-on, cross-curricular exploration.
Magnetic Letter Folders – Brooke Kaczynski, Brooks-Quinn-Jones Elementary
Students will use these boards multiple times during the week in whole group instruction to match letters with the common sounds that represent. Students can be provided single letter sounds and asked to identify the letter that creates those sounds.
Sparking Student Understanding – Lindy Arbuckle, Nacogdoches High School
The project augments the physics curriculum by acquiring a Van de Graaff Generator and a Tesla Coil, providing students with hands-on opportunities to explore electrostatics and electromagnetism. Through demonstrations and experiments, students will investigate charge accumulation, voltage potential, electric fields, and electromagnetic induction – concepts often difficult to grasp through theory alone.
The Van de Graaff Generator will illustrate static electricity, charge transfer, and potential difference, while the Tesla Coil will demonstrate alternating current, resonance, and wireless energy transfer. Together, these tools make abstract physics concepts tangible, fostering a more engaging and interactive learning environment.
And by making invisible forces visible, it promotes inquiry-based learning, deepens understanding of electricity and magnetism, and inspires interest in STEM by highlighting the real-world relevance and excitement of physics.
Ecosystems in Action: A Field Experience at Galveston State Park – Haner Rosales, Monica Robles and Mario Torres, McMichael Middle School
Secondary newcomer students will take a hands-on learning trip to Galveston Island State Park to explore the coastal environment and deepen their understanding of ecosystems. A park interpreter will guide students through activities such as observing plants and animals, exploring tidal areas, and fishing, allowing students to learn directly from an expert and participate in activities they may have never experienced before.
Nacogdoches Education Foundation Grant Proposal – Atalie Blount, Stephanie Castro, Stephenie Harrison and Savannah Short, Fredonia Early Childhood Center
Early literacy and hands-on learning help set the stage for school success. Many Pre-K students are building important reading and math skills but don’t always have access to books or learning materials at home. This project provides engaging resources students can use with their families to read, explore, and connect what they’re learning in class to the world around them in their own home.
Activities of Daily Living/Sensory Needs – Melissa Spies, Nacogdoches High School
Equipping a Life Skills classroom with dedicated Activities of Daily Living and sensory spaces provides an innovative approach to preparing students for real-world independence. The rooms offer hands-on experiences that go beyond traditional academics, allowing students to practice essential skills in a safe, supportive environment.
Safari in the City: Newcomer Students Take on the Dallas Zoo – Pedro Tovar, Thomas J. Rusk Elementary
Students in grades 3-5 at Thomas J. Rusk will go on a field trip to the Dallas Zoo. Students will explore animal habitats, diets, and adaptations through guided tours, interactive exhibits, and a scavenger hunt, recording observations, using new vocabulary, and participating in team activities to strengthen science knowledge, language skills, and social-emotional growth.
Adaptive Playground Equipment – Dawn Johnson, Jessica Knappick and Kim Lopez, Brooks-Quinn-Jones Elementary
The project provides students a safe and inclusive space to build both movement and communication skills. New playground equipment will help students work on coordination, balance, and teamwork while also encouraging language through shared play. The equipment will also give teachers and support staff more ways to create structured activities that focus on safety and positive peer interaction.
Little Movers, Big Growth: Building Gross and Fine Motor Skills Through Active Play – Shelley Alley, Fredonia Early Childhood Center
The youngest learners — including prekindergarten and early childhood special education students — need purposeful opportunities to build their gross and fine motor skills. These early physical experiences are essential for lifelong growth, supporting not just physical health but also academic learning and social confidence. Adding age-appropriate materials to gym and outdoor spaces better support motor skill growth, sensory exploration, and cooperative play. The project directly aligns with NISD’s wellness goals and campus readiness initiatives, ensuring every child has the strong physical foundation they need for success in school and beyond.
Enhancing Sensory Support in a Special Education Environment – Aunesti Osby, Fredonia Early Childhood Center
In the three-year-old special education classroom, many students are just beginning to learn how to communicate wants and needs. The implementation of sensory tools and resources will support development and help calm their bodies and minds, ultimately bridging the communication gap.
Passport to Japan – Heather Theiss, Linda McKnight and Amye Steiner, McMichael Middle School
The objective is to provide a transformative exchange program to Japan for students, aiming to enhance their global competence and cultural awareness. By participating in this program, expected measurable outcomes include:
Cultural Understanding: 90 percent of participants will report an increased understanding of Japanese culture as evidenced by pre- and post-trip surveys.
Global Competence Skills: At least 75 percent of students will demonstrate improved collaboration and communication skills, assessed through reflections during the program.
Empathy Development: Participants will show a 25 percent increase in empathy scores, measured through reflection journals before and after the trip.
Leadership in Recruitment: Students who participated in the trip will return to lead recruitment efforts for the following year’s program, with at least 80 percent actively involved in presentations and outreach to encourage participation among their peers.