WISDEF Announces Innovators of the Year

WHITEHOUSE — The Whitehouse ISD Education Foundation (WISDEF) has announced its Innovators of the Year. As part of the $100,000 awarded by WISDEF this school year, these recipients will each receive additional money to use in the classrooms to further enhance the educational experience for Whitehouse students, according to a news release. Wendy Turner, a Media Technology Specialist at Stanton Smith Elementary School, received a grant for “zSpace in Our Makerspace.” Mrs. Turner has transformed a portion of Stanton Smith’s Learning Resource Center into a Makerspace. zSpace changed the Makerspace into a virtual reality science lab.

Charity Etchelecu, an Agriculture Science teacher and FFA advisor for Whitehouse High School, was awarded a grant for “What’s All the Buzz About?” – a Beepod system that teaches students how to be sustainable beekeepers. Sarah Dillingham, Leigh Anne Barber, Kandi Tamez, and Kristen Williamson, counselors at different schools in the district, teamed up on “Counseling Outside the Box.” This grant was used to purchase therapeutic sand trays for all WISD counselors to help students make sense of life events and changes, according to the release. The Innovators of the Year will be honored at the Celebration of Innovation on Saturday, February 22, at the UT Tyler Ornelas Activity Center.