Mini-grants a boost to SAISD educators

A pair of SAISD teachers got a boost last week thanks to a surprise presentation of two SAISD Foundation mini-grants.

The $500 grants will help Burbank High School chemistry teacher Brian Quiones fund a 3-D printing project and Tafolla Middle School band director Alejandro Salazar get new marching percussion instruments.

Judy Geelhoed, director of the San Antonio Independent School District Foundation, said that the organization, which has been awarding innovation grants since 2007, started the mini-grant program in 2014. The smaller awards will help the foundation reach more recipients, and unlike the larger grants, are distributed in the middle of the school year.

The mini-grants are smaller amounts of money, but you can really do incredible things with smaller grants, Geelhoed explained, noting that the two awarded this week are part of almost 160the foundation plans to award by the end of the year.

Quiones, presented with the award in the middle of a lecture, was cheered by his students.

Im really excited to hear about this, Quiones said. My robotics team is going to be designing a 3D printer, and were in the process of working with the guys from 10Bit Works (a local engineering firm), so my students are going to have access to that type of environment and technology.

SAISD Foundation board member Janie Gonzalez said she appreciated Quiones role in influencing his students to pursue careers in science and technology.

What we need to do is change the face of what an engineer looks like, Gonzalez noted. (They) can be female, Hispanic ... and why not on the South Side? Why cant we (work with) that technology?

Salazar said his band program would use the grant to get a new bass drum, a new snare drum, harnesses and drumsticks.

The equipment we had was getting a little old, Salazar said Its always nice to be able to get new equipment.

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Mini-grants a boost to SAISD educators