First Year Teacher Grants
Supporting Arts Education Access
The Texas Cultural Trust recognizes the critical importance of providing quality arts education to every child. The First Year Teacher Grant is designed to support highly qualified arts teachers in providing quality arts education access to Title 1, rural, low arts access communities.
The First Year Teacher Grant will award grantees a one-time grant in the amount of $1,500. This grant is intended to help alleviate costs associated with completing the first year as a teacher. These grants can fund professional development, classroom enrichment, school supplies, field trips, and additional resources to enhance the quality of arts education.
The 2022-2023 grant application window will be open between July 1 – August 15, 2022.
Eligibility Requirements
Applicants must be entering their first year as a public school teacher; under contract with a rural, Title 1 campus; and TEA certified as an arts educator. Priority is given to teachers serving rural, low arts access areas.
Past Grantees
2021-2022 Grantees
$15,000 in First Year Teacher Grants were awarded for the 2021-2022 term. The recipients of the award are:
- McKenna King, Bastrop ISD
- Rhiannon Laxalt, Denton ISD
- Juan Leyva, Del Valle ISD
- Maura Navarrete Bojalil, Southwest ISD
- Andrea Rodriguez, Southwest ISD
- Sophia Salazar, Sharyland ISD
- Maria Sanchez, Bastrop ISD
- Victoria Tristan, Slaton ISD
- Johanna Villarreal, Edinburg ISD
- Kate Wilson, Corpus Christi ISD
2020-2021 Grantees
$21,000 in First Year Teacher Grants were awarded for the 2020-2021 term. The recipients of the award are:
- Andrea Aguirre, El Paso ISD
- Jessica Brown, Waco ISD
- Heather Brown, Bastrop ISD
- Marcus Cardenas, Irving ISD
- Rebecca East, Austin ISD
- Alessandria Garza, Manor ISD
- Valeria Gulino, Lake Dallas ISD
- Ana Leal, San Antonio ISD
- Marsalis Mahome, Bastrop ISD
- Diamante Martinez, Del Valle ISD
- Rachel Militzer, Hurst-Euless-Bedford ISD
- Stephanie Rangel, Manor ISD
- Trina Simon, Manor ISD
- Sara Trogdon, Marble Falls ISD