Every year, PISD awards grants to teachers who plan to implement cutting edge ideas into their lessons to take learning to the next level.

During the end-of-year ceremony, Superintendent Donald McIntyre and Assistant Superintendent Casey Gunnels announced this year’s recipients and presented the teachers with their symbolic giant checks to celebrate their award.

Princeton ISD awarded $58,328 for 17 innovative tools, which will be ready to go when students arrive in classrooms for the 2025-2026 school year.

Winning proposals run the gamut of teaching tools, everything from book vending machines, language translators and robot part makers to anatomy skeletons, hands-on comprehension game centers and decodable books for dyslexia.

Recipients ​with Mr. McIntyre and their big checks ​to fund their innovative initiative include:

Joanna Robertson​ - Shark robotic component creator for PSHS program

Sheryl Nicholson​ - book vending machine to increase literacy at Mayfield

Victoria Jackson​ - book vending machine for schoolwide reading at Smith 

Cynthia Record and Shana Swindle​ - SMART Boards for dyslexia therapy at Godwin

Virginia Hicks​ - Orff percussion instrument upgrade for music classes at Harper

Michaela Brannon and Mewish Nayar​ - translating devices for ESL students at Lovelady

Christa Martinez​ - adaptive communication devices for Pre-K students at Canup

Baylee Janak​ - IXL curriculum platform for 1st-grade students at Harper

Kameron McClure​ - addition of Orff percussion instruments for music students at Green

Alexa Buck​ - rolling ladder for PSHS auditorium to access essential elevated areas

Erin Edwards​ - SMART Board for interactive math at Clark

Tanya McCormack​ - gel electrophoresis kits for DNA analysis at PSHS

Geneva Lofton​ - Bee-Bots Robotics bundle and activity mats for kindergarten STEM at Mayfield

Deshawn Garner​ - human anatomy skeletal system with two full skeletons and X-rays at PSHS

Jodie Walker​ - hands-on manipulatives for guided math initiative for 3rd-graders at Mayfield

Riley Hooks​ - hands-on reading comprehension games center for 4th-graders at James

Kathryn Zavala​ - decodable and leveled books for dyslexia therapy at James