MATHEWS FRIENDS FOR EXCELLENCE

Building Our Future

Mathews Friends for Excellence (MFE) was established in 2005 as an endowment fund committee by educators, parents, and alumni. The money MFE raises is primarily designated to provide support for new initiatives and activities that do not get funded by AISD. MFE funding helps create an experience at Mathews that is world-class.

One special task that MFE is currently supporting at Mathews includes the Maker Movement. The mission of the Maker Movement is to help every student, starting with Pre-K, develop confidence, creativity, and an interest in hands-on problem solving and in science, technology, engineering, arts, and math (STEAM). MFE's support specifically provides training opportunities to develop educator's skills to integrate Making into their current classroom settings and prepare them to train and teach others.

Other MFE projects include support for dyslexia curriculum, robotics kits, playground renewal funding, and alumni scholarships. We welcome any and all current or former students, staff, parents, and community members to join us in supporting excellence at Mathews. Please contact MFE Chairsperson Amy Kinkade at ( akinkade@utexas.edu ) or committee member Sarah Belknap ( sjb909@austin.rr.com ) if you would like to join MFE's monthly meetings during the school year to plan for an enhanced future for Mathews.

PRESERVING OUR PAST

MFE firmly believes that in order to chart our course into the future, we must know where have been. Therefore, in addition to the aforementioned projects, MFE also maintains an alumni and staff database, collects oral histories, and holds Mathews alumni events. A special focus on the MFE Hall of Honor traditionally honors the people who have compellingly contributed to the Mathews story. If you would like to nominate someone you feel has been instrumental in furthering our school's devotion to excellence, please drop a note in the MFE box in the Office or contact one of the current board members with your suggestion.

MFE SCHOLARSHIPS FOR MATHEWS ALUMNI

Deadline: April 5, 2024

The Mathews Elementary School Friends for Excellence Scholarship has been established to recognize former students who have excelled in their academic endeavors, supported their family or community through various service projects, participated in extracurricular activities, and proven that they possess the drive to further their education.

The scholarship will be awarded based on a combination of academic performance; participation in extracurricular, family, or community activities; completeness of essays; and letters of recommendation. A subcommittee of the Mathews Friends for Excellence will evaluate the applicants and select a recipient.

The requirements for the scholarship are as follows:

• Applicant attends and will graduate from an Austin ISD high school.

• Applicant attended Mathews Elementary for at least one year.

• Applicant has a cumulative GPA of 2.5 or better at the time of the application.

• Applicant has demonstrated involvement in one or more of the following:

  • Extracurricular activities

  • Support of family or community service-based organizations

  • Church activities

• Applicant intends to continue their studies beyond high school, including, but not limited to:

  • University or community/junior college

  • Vocational school

• Applicant submits a complete application package by the scholarship deadline. Incomplete application packages will not be considered.

In order to be considered as a candidate, please complete  this application form  and submit all required documents, electronically time-stamped, no later than April 5, 2024 to:  https://forms.gle/sRDfjTHWngv9X3br8

Scholarship recipients will be honored at a 6th grade assembly in May. The recipients will be asked to say a few words to the students and read their essays. The essays for all applicants become the property of Mathews Elementary and may be used for future publications.
 

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