Partners in Education win state awards

March 12, 2010 — Three CFISD Partners in Education (PIE) business and volunteer award winners won Gold Awards at the Texas Association of Partners in Education (TAPE) Awards Banquet on Jan. 26 in Austin.

Holbrook Elementary School volunteer Demitria Wright won an Individual Partnership Award in the Partnership Advocate category. Wright, a biologist for CH2MHill Engineering, has served as a mentor an hour each week for four years while also recruiting other Holbrook mentors from her company.

Lowery Elementary School partner Abhay Mars won an Individual Partnership Award in the Role Model category. Mars has advised the Lowery Chess Club for many years, assisting students with critical thinking and problem solving skills while helping them learn how to work with one another.

Watkins Middle School business partner Mustang Engineering won a Business Partnership Award in the Career Education category. Through the “Mustang’s Founders’ Legacy Program,” Mustang Engineering has contributed $40,000 over the last three years to Watkins to support math and science curricula. As a result, Watkins students have shown strong growth in test scores.

“The contributions of these state award-winning volunteers and business partner are immeasurable,” said CFISD Partners in Education director Pam Scott. “Our students and staff truly benefit from the service of these outstanding people who have very big hearts and a first-class organization committed to supporting their educational goals.”

CFISD will recognize the three state award winners during the April 8 Board meeting, while both the district and state award winners will be recognized during the April 29 VIPS General Meeting, held during National Volunteer Month.