(Seguin) — For several Seguin ISD educators, a recent morning turned into “a banner day” after the Seguin Education Foundation Prize Patrol arrived at their classroom doors with more than $119,000 in grant awards.
The Seguin Education Foundation (SEF) Prize Patrol this fall made its annual surprise grant deliveries, awarding 30 innovative classroom grants.
Executive Director Jill Nash says this year’s total reflects the “continued generosity and commitment of donors who believe in giving teachers the tools they need to enhance learning.”
“These grants bring amazing programs to life from STEM to technology to arts and literacy. Our teachers have incredible ideas, and these grants make them happen for our students,” said Nash.
Nash says the Prize Patrol traveled campus to campus on a district bus, accompanied by the Seguin High School band, cheer squad, and journalism students who documented the morning’s excitement. At each stop, Nash says students lined the hallways for a parade-style walkthrough – cheering on those teachers whose ideas will be funded.
Among this year’s recipients was Destri (des-tree) Shaw, a sixth grade reading teacher at A.J. Briesemeister Middle School. Shaw says she is excited about her $1,625 grant that will bring a Titanic museum experience to life for her students this January.
“We are coming up on a reading unit all about Titanic and I want the kids to make artifacts and set up their own little museum for parents and the community to look at and the grant will pay for the materials for them to make that as I can’t expect all 200 of them to go to Hobby Lobby and buy all their materials so it will help them create their artifacts and set up the museum for parents to come see,” said Shaw.
Shaw says she is thankful for the education foundation and appreciates the commitment to making sure teachers have what they need to ensure the success of all students.
“I appreciate that I work at a district where they are willing to give us opportunities to think outside the box — to give the kids more opportunities that they might not see in a different school. Thank you to everyone who donates to the SEF Foundation in Seguin,” said Shaw.
Nash noted that days like these highlight the hard work of the foundation, which continues to grow its support for Seguin ISD teachers and campuses.
“I want to give a huge thank you to our donors and to our community. WE are investing directly in our kids’ success. That is what it is all about. The Seguin Education Foundation has just over 35 board members made up of community members all over Seguin and we could not thank them enough for their hard work and everything that they pour into the foundation,” said Nash.
As SEF closes out another successful grant cycle, Nash says the foundation is already preparing for its largest fundraiser of the year — the annual Mardi Gras Gala, scheduled for February 2026.
Tickets and sponsorship information are now available on both the Seguin Education Foundation’s website and Facebook page.
