Last week marked the beginning of the Sealy Education Foundation (SEF), a non-profit organization whose mission is to enhance the instructional program for students in Sealy ISD.

One of the main goals of SEF is to offer community members a vehicle to support programs and interests that are close to their own hearts.

“I call them fix-it careers,” said Bill Hobson, a board member and one of the first to step forward with a large contribution to the foundation. “We need people to call when something breaks, plumbers and electricians, and it costs money to train students in those careers. That’s where my focus is in working with this foundation.”

“Scholarships are great, and they are needed, but the Sealy Education Foundation is all about investing money that will stay here in Sealy ISD,” said Sheryl Moore, retired superintendent and a member of the SEF board. “If we want our students to come out of school prepared to earn a living, and actually stay in the Sealy community, then we need to equip them for that, and the regular level of state funding just doesn’t stretch that far.”

The SEF is looking at novel ways to encourage all Tigers, past and present, to get involved in the foundation. “We have ways to track groups so we can have a little friendly competition among the various graduating classes, by year or by decade,” said Lisa Svoboda, a 1995 Sealy graduate and the current Chief Financial Officer of Sealy ISD. “It was so much fun a couple of years ago when we celebrated the 100th anniversary of Sealy ISD and we had the parade of decades at the football game. That’s the spirit we are looking for as we kick off this foundation. It’s an opportunity to pay it forward.”

The Sealy Education Foundation will support enriching learning opportunities at every level, not just at the high school. Although a separate entity from Sealy ISD, SEF exists to support the goals set by the superintendent and school board. Teachers and administrators will be able to request funds for specific projects or programs by way of an application process.

To make a donation or remember the foundation in a will or estate, pick up an informational brochure at Citizens State Bank, Sealy ISD, or visit www.sealyisd. com and clicking the Sealy Education Foundation tab.