2011 Student Scholarship Recipients
Each scholarship recipient will receive $500 to use towards their college education. All
recipients are majoring in education and are related to a member of TRTA. The 2011
TRTF student scholarship recipients are:
Savannah Jones is a senior at Shallowater High School and will graduate as salutatorian of her
class. She volunteers with various organizations, such as the Ronald McDonald House and
Salvation Army. She also mentors fifth grade girls and is active in volleyball, cheerleading and
track. Savannah believes “children are our society’s most important assets,” and she plans to
become a deaf education teacher. She is related to Easton Wall, a member of the San Angelo
RTA.
Carlee Black is a senior at Era High School who has been accepted to Stephen F. Austin
University for the fall. As a brilliant math student, Carlee plans to major in secondary education
and eventually pursue a master’s in Psychology. She is also a superb athlete, excelling in sports
such as basketball, cross country and tennis. She is a relative of Barbara Pellet of Forestburg,
Texas, an at-large member of TRTA.
Madilyn Shults plans to major in Agriculture Education when she begins her higher education at
Clarendon College in the fall. Currently a senior at Pampa High School, Madilyn enjoys
participating in Future Farmers of America. She has been in the FFA for over 12 years, winning
numerous awards and currently serves as Chapter President. She is a member of the varsity
softball team and the National Honor Society. Floyd and Janice Sackett of the Pampa RTA are
Madilyn’s relatives.
Lauren McManus aspires to work with children with autism. By becoming a teacher and
behavioral analyst, Lauren plans to create the type of environment autistic children “can learn
and grow in.” She is a freshman at the University of Texas at Arlington who volunteers with the
Duncanville Church of Christ and the local YMCA. Lauren is a relative of Barbara J. Lopez, an atlarge member of TRTA from Waxahachie.
Jonathon Williamson is a freshman at Baylor University majoring in music education. He is a
member of the Baylor University Music Educators Association, the Fine Arts Living and Leaning
Community, and the Golden Wave Band, among other activities. Jonathon is an accomplished
trumpet player whose foremost goal as a future educator is to “enhance students’ education by
sharing (his) love for the arts.” Mr. Williamson is related to Sherry and Charles Bradberry of San
Augustine, both at-large members of TRTA.
Brianna Bonnette, a freshman at Sam Houston State University, is a member of concert choir,
Freshman Leaders, and is a Bearkat Camp Counselor. She plans to become a choral music
educator, teaching students to become “responsible and passionate leaders of tomorrow.”
Brianna is a relative of Billy Hall, a resident of Tyler and member of the Smith County RTSPA.
Kristina Owen is a teacher at Brownwood ISD who aspires to become a school principal. She
began pursuing her master’s degree at Howard Payne University in 2009. Ms. Owen’s love for
teaching and her students’ love of her are easily noted in the awards she has received as
Brownwood ISD Teacher of the Year and Region XV Teacher of the Year. Ms. Owen is related to
Elizabeth Ellis of Bangs, a member of Brown County RTA.
Shanna Scarborough attends Tarleton State University and is a prominent member of Refuge, a
campus ministry that prepares meals for students every Tuesday evening. Shanna also gives
tours of the college campus and volunteers with the football team. Ms. Scarborough hopes to
become a counselor at a 1A or 2A campus because she loves “listening to and encouraging
students” and wants to help them “find a path to higher education.” Shanna is related to Jack
and Barbara Jordan of Taylor, both at-large members of TRTA.
Jennifer Cox came to the revelation that she should become a teacher later in life, and currently
attends the University of Houston. While she attends school, she also works as an instructional
aide at New Caney ISD and a teaching assistant at Sylvan Learning Center. Her volunteer
activities include United Methodist Action Reach Out Mission by Youth, where she has helped
build and repair homes of the elderly. Jennifer is related to Bonnie Longnion of Kingwood, a
member of Humble Area RTA.
Bailey Long began learning sign language when she became friends with a deaf student in the
second grade. Now, she translates hymns at her local church and tutors the hearing impaired.
It is no surprise that Bailey plans to major in elementary education with a specialization in
Audiology when she begins college at Texas Tech in the fall. She is related to Barbara and
James Williams, members of the Collingsworth County RTA.
2010 Classroom Assistance Grant Recipients
Each classroom assistance grant recipient will receive $500 to use towards a unique
project or learning platform that enhances students’ learning. The grant recipients are:
Jim Heston teaches videography for G.W. Carver Magnet Middle School for Science and
Technology in Waco. The partners with Baylor University and is a NASA Explorer School. Mr.
Heston will purchase two Kodak HD video cameras and SD cards with funds from TRTF. His
project will allow students to produce and edit videos and movies and practice being news
anchors and reporters.
Shannon Miller teaches a veterinary medicine course at R.L. Turner High School in Carrollton.
The funds she receives from TRTF will purchase lab supplies such as surgical kits, and bandaging
and suturing materials. This course enables her students to become state certified as
veterinary assistants. They will also compete at the Sam Houston State competition for
veterinary medical assistants in May.
Katherine Cantu-Sickle will create an after-school science club for 2nd through 5th grade
students at Beacon Hill Elementary in San Antonio. The 5th grade students will teach younger
students while Katherine facilitates. After-school projects include caring for planting beds, a
weather station, and digging for fossils. The funds from TRTF will purchase a variety of life,
earth and physical science kits.
Lori Mensing teaches third grade math and science courses at Delaney Elementary in
Kennedale. In order to enhance TEKS scores for her students, Lori will implement indoor and
outdoor projects. She will purchase items such as rain gauges, wind vanes, safety goggles and
scales.
Barbara Harris created a yearlong, engaging project called Knights of the Times Table, which
enables her 3rd through 5th grade students to memorize multiplication facts. When 100%
successful, her students are dubbed “knights” and are recognized at a ceremony at the end of
the school year. The funds from TRTF will supply small incentives, as well as ceremony and
study items for the club at Irving Elementary in Cleburne.
Jerry Richey is a first year welding, architecture and construction teacher at Waelder ISD. He
heads a new program at the high school and will purchase much needed teaching tools such as
a model home framing kit and electrical circuit mock-ups, as well as instructional videos.
Megan Kunkel, a science lab teacher at Anthon Elementary in Uvalde, hosts an egg drop project
for her fourth grade students every year. Next year, her students will drop their eggs from
planes made of materials purchased with her TRTF grant. Materials include cardboard boxes,
bubble wrap and tape. The goal is for students to prevent eggs from breaking by making
creative devices from basic materials.
Justin Harper teaches criminal justice classes at Jack E. Singley Academy in Irving. The grant
funds he receives will purchase lapel cameras, which are worn by students during simulated
felony stops and building searches. Mr. Harper’s courses enable his students to have real-world
advantages in law enforcement occupations when they graduate from high school.
Sandra Ramirez and Dancie Fulmer work for Patton Springs ISD at its small pre-K through 12th
grade 1A school. They plan to build a community/school greenhouse where students from all
grade levels can learn about plant life cycles and gardening. Students can also be members of a
“gardening club,” and will grow flowers, vegetables and fruits.
Susan Dodd will purchase magnetic dry-erase lap boards and paperclips to institute a chemistry
project for her Riverdale High School students. The paper clips are used to simulate bonding of
molecules in appropriate quantities to balance equations. This will improve comprehension of
complicated chemical concepts for these students from Bogata.