The Plano ISD Education Foundation hosted the 21st annual Supporting Kids in Plano (SKI) gala and fundraiser on Jan. 28 to benefit the students and staff of PISD schools.

    “All the money raised stays right here in Plano ISD to help support the students and teachers of our district,”  Kristin Alexander, the executive director of the education foundation, said.

    The money raised supports programs such as Plano Family Literacy School, AVID, Robotics, STEAM, and the fifth grade camp experience. It also supports the Grants to Educators program, which funds and shares new strategies to strengthen educators’ teaching methods.

    “Grants to Educators is a yearly event, in which money is handed out all over the district to teachers who have applied and are awarded grants,” Lesley Guinn, the chair of SKI Plano, said. “In 2016, $125,000 was awarded to teachers at over 40 schools in PISD.”

    The event was not only beneficial for PISD, but also an entertaining night that featured dinner, a live band, dancing, big board, a silent auction and raffle prizes.

     “SKI Plano provided a fun event for the families, community leaders and sponsoring organizations to network in support of the Education Foundation’s initiatives,” Bryan Yee, PSHS teacher of the 2016-2017 school year and emcee for the event, said. “It gives the district an opportunity to thank these individuals for their contributions.”

    Preparation for the event began months ago, with the Education Foundation forming a committee of over 30 members from the community planning the night.

    “There are different committees, such as silent auction, raffle, decorations, and marketing, that manage different tasks and are busy at different times over that period,” said Guinn.  

    SKI Plano connects the community with the school district, and the help of community volunteers is essential to the success of the night.

    “This was the first time that I will attended SKI Plano,” Yee said. “It was nice to personally meet so many people who support PISD and make significant contributions to our district whom I may otherwise not have had the opportunity to meet.”

    However, all this planning could not have been done without donations from sponsors, such as Gay, McCall, Isaacks & Roberts, Perkins+Will, Ebby Halliday, Neiman Marcus, Central Market/H-E-B, Propac, Huawei, The Medical Center of Plano, The Shops at Willow Bend, Betty & James Muns Foundation, Advocare and many other local businesses.  

    “From sponsors to teachers to parents and friends, we are all there for one common goal, to make PISD the best it can be,” Guinn said.
    Beyond the financial impact of this event, Ski Plano highlights and works to improve the programs that the Plano ISD Education Foundation manages.  

    “The more the community knows about the amazing programs at Plano ISD, the more they will support those programs through things like donations, program support, internships and networking opportunities,” Alexander said.