AMARILLO—The Xcel Energy Foundation is providing $167,700 in grant funding to 31 Texas nonprofits—including Canadian ISD—working to boost education and economic sustainability.

The education grants are aimed at boosting educational systems and programs that focus on science, technology, engineering, and mathematics, referred to as STEM. Groups receiving funding have developed programs that provide hands-on learning opportunities that demonstrate the linkage between math and science, real-world applications, and future careers. Education grant recipients also focus on increasing the number of students entering and completing postsecondary education in STEM disciplines and pursuing STEM careers.

Among the recipients was Canadian Independent School District, which received a $3,100 grant that allowed Lawana Pulliam to attend training in projectbased learning last month in Austin. Pulliam said she attended the classes “on a wing and a prayer,” prior to receiving confirmation of the Xcel grant.

In preparation for incorporating that training into the curriculum here, Pulliam sought out volunteer teachers in language arts and social studies, who would be willing to provide pilot classrooms on their campuses. She recruited Heather Saenz and Michelle Thompson at Baker Elementary, Jenny Brown at Canadian Middle School, and Whitney Jones at Canadian High School.

Pulliam said the program will offer specific training and templates that can help teachers become successful in creating an environment where kids are enveloped in a project, and develop cognitive-thinking skills to present both a problem and a solution.

“This was born from that work in school transformation,” she said. “Our goal is to create graduates who walk out into the world and become collaborative, creative problem-solvers.”

Xcel Energy President David Hudson said, “Our company’s success is directly impacted by how successful our communities are in educating our young people, creating jobs, improving quality of life, and making sure no one is left behind in our progress. These grants are aimed at supporting the nonprofits that do so much to build up our community.”

Economic-sustainability funding supports programs that promote workforce development, workforce readiness, specific job-skills training, job placement, and job creation. Additionally, the Xcel Energy Foundation is funding programs that provide case management and support services to low-income populations, assisting them in attaining and retaining employment that leads to economic self-sufficiency.

“We are served by nonprofits that are very adept at addressing the needs of our communities, and they’ve made some amazing progress in recent years,” Hudson said. “By supporting their work with our grants, we are investing in the well-being of the communities where we also live and work.”

Education Grant Recipients

Amarillo College Foundation, Cal Farley’s Boys Ranch, Don Harrington Discovery Center, FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology), Lemonade Day, Los Barrios de Amarillo, Texas Alliance for Minorities in Engineering, TexPan Robotics, and West Texas A&M University Foundation, Women in Science Endeavors, all of Amarillo; and Canadian Independent School District, Junior Achievement of the High Plains, Shallowater Education Foundation, South Plains College Foundation, Sudan Education Foundation, The Well STEM Education Center (Pampa), and Wayland Baptist University (Plainview).

Economic-Sustainability Grant Recipients

ADVO Companies, Another Chance House, Buckner Children and Family Services, Downtown Women’s Center, Eveline’s Sunshine Cottage, Family Support Services of Amarillo, Golden Spread Council Boy Scouts of America, Martha’s Home, Opportunity School, the Maverick Boys and Girls Club of Amarillo, the PARC, Tyler Street Resource Center, all of Amarillo; and Texas 4-H Foundation.