Fort Bend ISD has been recognized for its partnerships, recently earning four awards in the Texas Association of Partners in Education Awards.
The TAPE Awards recognized exemplary educational partners and partnering programs across the state.
The district submitted nominations for 6 of 17 categories and earned four awards – three crystal, awarded to best of category winners, and one gold, awarded to the second highest scoring nominees.
Nominees were selected for awards based on the description of the individual volunteer’s or program’s service, the impact the partnership or program has had on student achievement, quantitative statistics of students’ progress due to the volunteer’s assistance or program’s impact and endorsements.
The 2009 TAPE award winners for FBISD included:
Crystal Award Winners
- Middle School Career Exploration Program (TAPE Partnership Program Innovation Award) – A “best practice” program, the FBISD Middle School Career Exploration Program provides eighth-grade students an opportunity to explore career opportunities and imagine life beyond middle and high school. The program involves students completing the online COIN (Career & Occupation Information Network) Assessment, securing speakers representing professions that align with students’ interests, a Countdown to Your Future presentation to encourage students to take rigorous courses in high school, presentations regarding FBISD academies, offerings from the Technical Education Center and information about various student clubs and organizations.
- ARTreach (TAPE Community Partnership Art Award) – A nonprofit organization, ARTreach provides mentoring and art educational support to underserved school communities. ARTreach partnered with two FBISD schools (Mission Bend and Mission West Elementaries) to bring the world of art to students who may otherwise not have had the opportunity to enjoy the experience due to limited PTA funds and low parent volunteer involvement. The organization is dedicated to providing students with engaging cultural arts and fine arts assemblies to help them learn to express themselves in a positive manner.
- Rice University Owls Football Team (TAPE Community Partnership Health Award) – The Rice Owls joined Arizona Fleming Elementary School staff in promoting the school’s 3-A-Day of Dairy Nutrition Education Grant program. The Rice Owls visited Arizona Fleming each month to help encourage students to remain dedicated to a healthy lifestyle. The team led students in nutrition lessons, took part in physical fitness challenges (focusing on strength, endurance, flexibility, coordination, balance and teamwork), and served as positive role models and mentors to help students commit to healthy eating and an active lifestyle.
Gold Award Winner
- C-STEM Teacher and Student Support Services (TAPE Community Partnership STEM Award) – C-STEM offers hands-on activities that empower students by igniting in them an interest and excitement in the areas of math and science. The program also supports classroom instruction, as well as after-school and Saturday enrichment programs that help close the achievement gaps in the areas of science, technology and mathematics. Currently, the program partners with five Fort Bend ISD schools, including Marshall High School, Missouri City Middle School, and Glover, Lantern Lane and Ridgegate Elementary Schools.
TAPE will honor award winners and their partners at the 30th Annual Education Partnerships Conference’s awards banquet tomorrow in Austin.
