Grant Winner from 1991 Shares Thoughts on LEF's Impact

In 1991, LEF awarded the first teacher grant to 19 deserving teachers, providing $11,000 in classroom support to campuses across LISD. One of those first grant recipients was Linda Holman, who received $1,000 to implement her project, Integrating Language Support. While Mrs. Holman now serves as Principal at Liberty Elementary in Flower Mound, in 1991, she was a first grade teacher at College Street Elementary in Lewisville.  

We asked Mrs. Holman to look back 20 years and share with us what winning the LEF grant meant to her and how it impacted her teaching career. Below is what she had to say:

This was an amazing opportunity for an eager first grade teacher.  Never before did we have the ability to acquire funds outside school budgets, and College Street couldn’t afford at the time to get the special reading books that we wanted.  After receiving the grant to implement Integrating Lauguage Support, I purchased leveled reading books for the entire first grade. And with a special 2-for-1 offer from the company, I was able to share the books with 2 different campuses! Students loved the individualized activities in the books, and the grant impacted numerous students and teachers. Encouraged by success, I was awarded two additional grants at other LISD campuses!  The pride in being able to help students and staff this way was phenomenal, and I went on to help other teachers write for grants, as well.  Now as an administrator, I try to impress on teachers the advantages of this fabulous opportunity.

Although no longer in the classroom, Mrs. Holman spreads her passion for LEF by encouraging her staff to not only apply for classroom grants but also offer financial support. Evidence of that, her campus received teacher grants in four of the last five grants cycles, and 96% of the campus contributed to the 2009 Employee Giving Campaign!

To learn how you can help support a teacher through the Teacher Grant program, please contact our offices at 469-948-2022.