District benefits from 10th Annual Salute to the Stars Gala

November 1, 2007— Cypress-Fairbanks ISD and the Cypress-Fairbanks Educational Foundation (CFEF) hosted the 10th Annual Salute to the Stars Gala on Thursday, Oct. 25 at the Berry Center, in honor of the district’s outstanding Spotlight Teachers for 2007.

The Salute to the Stars gala also serves as the primary fund-raising event for the Cypress-Fairbanks Educational Foundation’s Instructional Excellence Grant program. Over the last decade, the foundation has awarded more than $687,000 in grants to teachers for innovative programs that were implemented in CFISD schools. The foundation has also awarded more than $2.7 million in scholarships to more than 750 CFISD graduates since 1970.

The CFEF presented a check to CFISD for the money raised from the 2006 Salute to the Stars event in the amount of $111,385.

The Cy-Fair Federal Credit Union (CFFCU) served as underwriter for the Salute to the Stars once again. The CFFCU has supported the gala for several years and this is the fourth consecutive year it served as an underwriter for the event. President Debbie Blackshear and the CFFCU were acknowledged for continued partnership and support of the Salute to the Stars Gala.

The event featured a silent auction, a live auction and a drawing for a $1,000 cash prize donated by the Caldwell Companies—won by Frazier Elementary School Spotlight Teacher Gretchen A. Claus.

All of the Spotlight Teachers were introduced and received a $100 gift card and an oak tree seedling to plant in their own yard, both donated by Bridgeland.

“It’s very exciting to see community and businesses and educators all sitting at tables together meeting each other and sharing their experiences about what they do,” said Pam Scott, director of Partners In Education. “To have our community celebrating the work our teachers do is very special. The teachers are so honored and they’re very clear about it. It’s a wonderful evening bringing everyone together to honor excellence in education.”

Each table at the gala was sponsored by a local business. The following businesses served as table sponsors:

· Adam & Ping, P.C.; Allegiance Bank Texas; Amegy Bank; Friend of Cy-Fair; Association of Texas Professiona Educators; AXA Equitable; Bank of America, Barhorst Insurance Group; Bay Architects – Bill and Jadi Johnson; Bracewell & Giuliani LLP; Bridgeland; Brooks & Sparks, Inc. and West Belt Surveying, Inc.; Bury + Partners; Capital One; Consolidated Architecture and Planning Services (CAPS); Carl’s BBQ; CenterPoint Energy; Chicago Title Cypress; Credit Union Acceptance Company; Cy-Fair College; Cy-Fair Federal Credit Union; Cy-Fair Rotary; Cypress Fairbanks Medical Center/Tenet Healthcare Foundation; DBR Engineering Consultants; Fairfield; First Community Credit Union; First Harbor Group; First Metropolitan Church; Fox & Bubela, Inc.; Haginas & Chapman; Houston Coca-Cola Bottling Company; Independence Bank; INsite Architecture; James & Janna Doyle/Kevin & Jennifer Gerold/Greg & Onie Lall; John & Susie Moore; JPMorgan Chase & Co.; Legacy Learning Center; Linebarger Goggan Blair & Sampson; Lippke Cartwright Roberts, Inc.; Mustang Cat; NewFirst National Bank; Noble Energy, Inc.; Oceaneering International; Paul & Julie Herman; PBK Architects; Pride & Recognition by Balfour; Prime Systems/Directron.com; Pumps It, Inc.; Retired Educators; Rock Creek – A Caldwell Companies Community; Ryland Homes; Satterfield & Pontikes; Schulte Building Systems; Securitas Security Services USA, Inc.; SHW Group LLP; Southwest Securities; Spring Creek Barbeque; Station & Ayers Insurance Planning Services, LLC; Sterling Bank; Stone Gate Owners Association; Tandus Inc.; TexasOne Community Credit Union; The Redstone Companies; Towne Lake – A Caldwell Companies Community; University of Houston-Downtown; Versi-Tec Electric, Inc.; Vinson & Elkins LLP; VLK Architects; Wells Fargo Bank; Wells Fargo Business Banking; Willowbrook Methodist Hospital; and Yancey-Hausman.

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(Photos attached)

Salute Stars 1: Superintendent Dr. David Anthony, center, and Salute to the Stars Gala Co-Chairs Linda Humphries and Lauri Baker hold up a check from the Cypress-Fairbanks Educational Foundation for the funds raised from the 2006 salute.

Salute Stars 2: Cy-Fair Federal Credit Union President Debbie Blackshear was honored with a gift of appreciation for continued partnership and support of the Salute to the Stars Gala.