Science teachers Deana Cowger and Kenric Davies were surprised Tuesday morning when they were each awarded a grant by the Frisco Education Foundation to enhance students’ education around the district.  

“I am always very appreciative of the recognition,” Davies said. “The day to day life of a teacher can become hard with all of the little things that need to be done and finding time to think of new and creative ways of teaching can sometimes be pushed aside.  Receiving grants like this keeps me wanting to try newer and better things.”

For junior Sarah Sayyid, seeing her astronomy teacher receive this grant was moving and meaningful. 

“I felt really happy for him and had a grin on my face the entire time we applauded,” Sayyid said. “He’s a great teacher with a level of patience I could never achieve even if I tried. He deserves it for the amount of effort he puts into teaching his students.” 

Grants for Great Ideas is a program offered to Frisco ISD educators that invites them to propose an innovative idea or project to improve the learning environment of the students in the district, campus, and classroom. After considering each application, a committee then selects winning applicants and provides funds to implement and create their ideas into reality. 

“So, for our Biology and even Anatomy and Physiology classes, I thought that digital microscopes would be better, because some of our microscopes are older, so it’s harder to see stuff,” Cowger said. “The digital microscopes do not have better magnification, but because they are digital, students can hook them up to a device and take videos and photos with them, so that way they have a digital version of whatever they are seeing.”  

With the grant money, Cowger will be able to purchase more digital microscopes, which will allow students to gain insight and experience for their future.      

“Part of the core [values] of Frisco ISD is [supporting] future ready learning, so if we are going to have our kids ready for the future, then I want students at Liberty to have access to that equipment and not when they leave to a two or four year college,” Cowger said. “[So], I asked for quite a significant amount of dollars, but that’s because I believe [the money] will get 7 or 8 more microscopes.” 

Through programs such as the FEF Grant for Great Ideas, teachers and students can receive many beneficial opportunities. 

“I think the FEF Grant is a great award and a really nice opportunity for teachers to give life to an idea they are working towards,” Sayyid said. “It provides them with funds to create something unique and original for themselves and everyone of FISD to take part of and experience.”