Fort Bend Education Foundation

The Fort Bend Education Foundation welcomes summer intern Mysha Qureshi to the team! She is a graduate of Kempner High School (c/o 2024) and a current student at the University of Texas at Austin, with a double major in Health & Society and Government. She will assist the staff with various assignments, while learning the ins and outs of the Education Foundation!

Sending a great big shoutout to one of our 2026 Top In-Kind Donors, Big Frog Custom T-Shirts & More in Sugar Land, for their steady commitment over the years! They donated this year’s golf tournament t-shirts for our many volunteers and have donated custom shirts for our gala auction each year, adding a special touch that supporters love. We are truly grateful for their ongoing generosity, partnership and support!

This summer is a good time to reserve your spot for FBEF’s Back to School Scramble! Co-chaired by Nick Bhakta and Ryan McCauley, the golf tournament is Monday, Sept. 14, beginning at 7:00 A.M. at TPC Houston golf course (4400 Palm Royale Blvd. in Sugar Land, 77479). Participants will enjoy breakfast, a full round of golf, on-course contests and games, a BBQ buffet awards luncheon, and much more! Tickets and sponsorships are available for this popular fundraiser! Get full details at https://secure.qgiv.com/event/2026scramble.

Check out our Community Discount Program at https://bit.ly/fbefcommunitydiscounts for special savings on various products and services provided by FBEF business partners.

In case you missed it, our End-of-Year 2026 newsletter is available for viewing. Check out the highlights, including check presentations to FBISD and Shared Dreams to support teachers, schools and families; outstanding teacher celebrations, top FBEF donors and volunteers, Grants In Action, and more! Go to https://conta.cc/3RsYTMI to view the newsletter.

We are proud to recognize Nick McPherson as our 2026 FBISD Star of the Year! A Fort Bend ISD Information Systems Web Analyst, Nick has devoted countless hours to ensure that our new grant application system runs smoothly. Implementing the system was a major undertaking and Nick remained patient and willing to approach every obstacle with professionalism and good humor. We appreciate his expertise and commitment – and are forever indebted to him!

With a $4,667 FBEF school site grant, Bush High School teachers Kristen Dimond (Biology) and Simone Evans (English) have helped Garden Club members create and maintain a school garden! They purchased gardening tools and material (such as carts, soil, spray hoses, crates, pavers and garden wall bricks) to build raised garden beds of various sizes. Working in the garden gives students hands-on learning opportunities in science, nutrition and environmental studies. Gardening has also promoted teamwork, environmental responsibility, physical activity and leadership among the Bush students.

Today we pause to honor and remember the brave men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice in service to our country. We are forever grateful for their courage, honor and bravery. 🇺🇸🕊️

Mark your calendar for Monday, Sept. 14, 2026 and join us at 7:00 A.M. at TPC Houston (formerly Sweetwater Country Club) as we tee off for education! The Fort Bend Education Foundation is hosting its 27th Annual Back to School Scramble, co-chaired by Nick Bhakta and Ryan McCauley. The fundraiser supports innovative classroom grants and resources for every school in Fort Bend ISD. More details are coming soon!

Testing without distractions is the way to go! Just ask Palmer Elementary first grade teachers, whose students enjoy a quiet MAP Testing experience thanks to a $1,430 FBEF grant! Teacher Yvonne Castillo applied for the grant to support the reading skills and oral reading fluency among students as they are “Navigating With MAPS.” Given the funds, she purchased multiple sets of 10 heavy-duty, mobile-ready headphones with boom microphones and tangle-free fabric cords. The tools allow students to carefully listen to proctor instructions, respond and read without receiving distracting noise while taking the reading assessment.