Education foundation to award grants Friday

You’re invited to see a record $60,000 in grant money from Port Aransas Education Foundation (PAEF) fundraisers, plus money from such donors as the Port Aransas Rotary Club and CenturyTel, get handed out tomorrow, Friday, April 9, at 2:15 p.m. in the Brundrett Middle School gymnasium.

The money will go toward things that can be used to improve public school education in Port Aransas. Total grant funds this year are expected to top last year’s $58,000.

To date, the foundation has awarded a total of $135,000 in grants.

Grant recipients are chosen by the PAEF board, which reviews all the applications submitted, PAEF president Janice Roberts said.

Last year, the grants ranged from $300 to H.G. Olsen Elementary School teacher Ginny Shaw to attend a workshop on teaching reading to $10,000 to district technology coordinator Leif Johnson. Most of the $10,000 grant to Johnson was to be used for laptop computers.

Roberts said this year’s recipients won’t be announced until the ceremony in the gym on Friday.