HISD Superintendent Richard Carranza’s call to rebuild and reimagine the future of HISD’s classrooms arrived just in time at this year’s State of the Schools, where Board President Rhonda Skillern-Jones and Carranza announced the recipients of the HISD Foundation’s Innovation Grant.

Using funds raised from last year’s State of the School’s ceremony, the Foundation awarded 18 campuses nearly $150,000 as part of the district’s new Innovation Grant program that was created to provide funds for teachers and schools to purchase equipment, supplies, and other items to enhance teaching and learning in the classroom.

Only three schools still needed to be notified at this year’s State of the Schools. Skillern-Jones made a surprise announcement to both Berry and McReynolds elementaries: Berry received a $3,100 grant, and McReynolds received a $7,000 grant. Superintendent Carranza announced Sharpstown High School as the recipient of $20,000 — the highest award for a campus.

Berry will use the grant for supplies and equipment to create a hands-on, interactive “Makerspace” for kindergarten students to explore and invent within science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). McReynolds received their award for a STEM- and literacy- focused program called “Robots and Literature: Rolling in the Genres.”

Sharpstown High School, which won the largest amount of money for its digital storytelling project will use the grant to purchase supplies, equipment, and all the materials that will help students improve their literacy and communications skills.

Funds from the Innovation Grant must be spent in the 2017-2018 school year and grant award recipients will be required to submit an Impact Report by June 1, 2018. To learn more about HISD Foundation opportunities, visit Houstonisdfoundation.org