A capacity crowd flowed through exhibits in the corridor outside the Community Rooms at Legacy Stadium’s Field House on January 30, as local community and business leaders saw firsthand the work of the Katy ISD Education Foundation in action.

The annual “investor breakfast” is held to connect extraordinary teachers with generous donors. The event spotlights the Foundation’s “Inspiring Imagination” teacher grants, which are awarded through an application process where teachers’ ideas are reviewed and funded by the foundation’s board and committee members. The Foundation works in partnership with Katy ISD for the purchase of program materials, to harness the district’s purchasing power and to ensure program compliance with district and curriculum standards.

“These grants allow our teachers to say ‘yes’ to ideas,” said Karen Lewis, executive director of community partnerships at Katy ISD.

Showcasing current projects funded by grants from the foundation were:

· Adams Junior High: “Ladies in the Lab - Empowering Young Girls to Pursue a Career in STEM”

· Bethke Elementary: “Get Your Move On! Get Your Play On!”

· Campbell Elementary: “Princesses and Superheroes with Power Tools: Building Confidence, One Tool at a Time”

· Cinco Ranch High School: “Beyond the Microscope: Advanced Visualization through Digital Microscopy Enhancing Learning Through Anatomy and Physiology Tools”

· Freeman High School: “Jazzin’ It Up”

· Hutsell Elementary: “We Are the World: Enriching Knowledge of Cultures One Instrument, Prop, and Story at a Time”

· Jenks Elementary: “Action-Based Learning: Engaging Minds and Bodies in Elementary Education; Learn to MOVE, MOVE to Learn!”

· Jordan High School: “Water Quality Improvement through the Implementation of Floating Wetlands”

· Katy High School: “Tiger Prairie Project”

· Mayde Creek High School: “Weathering the Storm of Learning...Weather Stations: A Tool for Interactive Learning”

· Miller Career & Technology Center: “Out for Blood - Elevating Phlebotomy Training and Access”

· Randolph Elementary: “Germs! Germs! Germs!”

· Rylander Elementary: “Serenity Station”

· Tays Junior High: “Empowering Future Leaders”

· West Memorial Junior High: “Small ‘Bytes,’ Big Impact 2.0”

· Wilson Elementary: “Innovate Tomorrow: Empowering Elementary Minds with Technology”


The Foundation funded $88,000 in grants during its first year in 2012 – an amount that has skyrocketed to over half a million dollars in 2025, growing from serving 17 campuses in 2012 to involving 53 schools

in the past school year. The number of students impacted has increased from 12,000 in 2012 to over 72,000 in 2025.

More than 55 percent of the Foundation’s funding comes from their signature events including “Fireflies & Food Trucks,” “GROOVE,” “Dine Out to Donate” and “Limelight Challenge.” The remainder comes from “investors” including corporations like BP and local hospitals, charitable foundations and individual donors.

Despite strong community support, there were still a number of worthy grants that went unfunded last year, said Janet Theiss, the foundation’s development director. As the program continues to grow in popularity, the number of participating teachers continues to rise, resulting in an increase in “grant ask” of $150,000 from 2024 to 2025, she said. Theiss said that the organization’s goal is to grow donations in the investor category from the current level of 45 percent to a target of 50 percent and to be able to fund all approved grants.

To learn more about the Katy ISD Education Foundation and its work, go to www.katyisdeducationfoundation.org.