By Carolyn Cole/Staff Writer
published Dec. 27, 2007

Mustang Valley teacher Jana Gall’s jaw dropped and tears welled in her eyes as two Mustang Public Schools Foundation volunteers presented her with a grant to buy microscopes for her class.

“How nice boys and girls ... wow, what a nice surprise,” she said.

Gall received the largest teacher idea grant this year warded by the foundation at $1,472. This year 16 teachers received 18 grants, totaling $14,992.

MPSF President Steve Wilson and Past President Mason Sommer delivered the early Christmas presents to teachers Friday morning, receiving hugs from educators and cheers from children. While Wilson said the pair loves to play Santa, the hard work came earlier in the week as the eight-member grant committee sifted through 45 requests from teachers totaling $60,000.

“If we had more money we would have awarded them all,” he said.

Deciding which projects to fund was tough, Sommer said, and the deliberations were made without consideration of school and teachers’ identity. When the requests were gathered, Sommer said he numbered each typed project description and cover sheet. Then he removed the cover sheet, including the teacher’s name and school site before turning applications over to the committee.