The Friendswood Independent School District Education Foundation (FEF) awarded two 2025–2026 Legacy Grants on Thursday, December 18, recognizing innovative, large-scale projects that expand authentic learning opportunities for students at Friendswood High School (FHS).
Legacy Grants, funded by FEF, support transformative projects of $7,500 or more that create long-term, sustainable impact across campuses. This year’s awarded grants reflect a strong commitment to career readiness, workforce alignment, and hands-on learning experiences in both fine arts and STEM education.
One Legacy Grant, Truss Us With Your Kids, provides a professional-grade truss system for the FHS’ Theatre program. The equipment allows students enrolled in Theatre Production, Technical Theatre, and Fine Arts courses to gain hands-on experience with industry-standard lighting, rigging, and structural assembly. The truss system supports more than 150 theatre students annually and extends its impact to an additional 500 students across choir, band, and dance programs through enhanced performances and campus events. By training students with professional equipment used in live entertainment industries, the project built career-ready skills while strengthening collaboration, leadership, and problem-solving abilities.
The second awarded Legacy Grant, Driving Innovation: VEX V5 Robotics Expansion, expands robotics and engineering opportunities within the FHS Mustang STEM Lab. Through the purchase of VEX V5 Robotics kits, students can engage in project-based learning that emphasizes problem-solving, programming, teamwork, and engineering design. The grant impacts approximately 350 students and provides equitable access to robotics competitions at the local, regional, and national levels. Community partnerships with industry and aerospace professionals further enhance real-world learning experiences while preparing students for college, career, and military pathways in high-demand STEM fields.
“This being my first year it has been great seeing how the community supports FISD and it’s students. I am looking forward to the implementation of the VEX Robotics platform in my robotics classes after Christmas break.” said FISD Engineering/Robotics Instructor Mark Crenshaw
Legacy Grants, which exceed the size and scope of FEF’s traditional Adopt-A-Grant program, are funded each semester through FEF’s Endowment Fund. This fund is made possible by generous contributions from Century Club members and other donors committed to enriching education in Friendswood ISD.
In addition to celebrating these Legacy Grant recipients, FEF wants to remind the community that their 2025–2026 Adopt-A-Grant Campaign is open through March where you can support more innovative and hands-on learning. Community members, families, and local partners are encouraged to support these classroom grants in any amount. Contributions, both large and small, continued to help fund creative learning experiences across FISD campuses and ensure students have access to tools, resources, and opportunities that meet the diverse learning needs of every student.
To learn more about the Friendswood ISD Education Foundation, Legacy Grants, or to support the Adopt-A-Grant Campaign, community members are invited to visit fef.myfisd.com or contact EducationFoundation@fisdk12.net to explore opportunities to make an impact.
Legacy Grant SurPrize Patrol Sponsored By: The Handy Family and The Maetzold Family
