SFDR-CISD Education Foundation Receives $10,000 Grant from AEP Foundation

SFDRCISD Education Foundation Members accept a $10,000 grant from Jimmy Earnest on behalf of The AEP Foundation at July 15th's School Board Meeting. Photo Courtesy of SFDR-CISD Social Media

The SFDRCISD Board of Trustees and Superintendent Dr. Carlos H. Rios were presented with a $10,000 Grant check from the AEP Foundation at the start of Monday, July 15, 2024’s School Board Meeting. 

With a quick introduction by the SFDRCISD Education Foundation President, Eddie Amezcua, Jimmy Earnest, External Affairs Manager for AEP Texas, began by emphasizing AEP Texas’ commitment to bettering the communities it serves through their foundation. “The AEP Foundation allows us to support education and support communities with programs like food and shelter, culture in our communities, entertainment, arts, and music.” 

He went on to praise the district for their dedication to student success and educational innovation within and beyond the classroom. “The San Felipe Del Rio Consolidated ISD has caught our attention and we wanted to present y’all with a $10,000 check for your education foundation to further enhance the lives and education of the students that you serve in the community,” Mr. Earnest stated at the podium. 

After brief applause and thanks from the board and those in attendance, Mr. Earnest went on to say, “I appreciate all the hard work that your teachers, the administration, everybody does for the children and the community as a whole, and I hope that as part of this community, we can continue to support not only your school district, but the other districts in the surrounding areas, to further education for the children and to support any other needs the community may have,” he concluded. 

SFDRCISD President, Raymond P. Meza thanked him and stated that he wished Mr. Earnest could be present during the convocation when the teachers present their ideas for upcoming projects, to which Mr. Earnest responded, “I’d be happy to be here next time that comes around to see all the ideas and everything that comes through.”

Mr. Earnest went on to state that he “hopes the district can utilize these funds and come up with some new programs and something that will spark the imagination of the children and get them into learning and growing.” 

Members of the Education Foundation joined Mr. Jimmy Earnest, the Superintendent, and the Board of Trustees on stage to accept the check and take some photos. 

Dr. Rios followed the presentation by informing those in attendance that the district had 98 applications submitted for innovative grants and though the district may not be able to fund all 98, he hopes that the $10,000 grant will go a ways towards helping to fund other grants. 

The district appreciates the creativity of its teachers and administrators & looks forward to putting this generous grant towards the funding of creative and impactful projects as well as the overall enrichment of the educational experiences of students across the district.