Playground Equipment Funds Awarded
to Several Waller ISD Schools
Recess is one of the most favorite
class periods for elementary school
students. Waller ISD teacher, Londa
Sessions, has contributed to the
playground fun by seeking out grant
funds to pay for Waller ISD schools
playground equipment.
Londa became involved in Waller ISD
schools as a PTO mom at Roberts Road
Elementary. Londa served as the
Playground Chair and quickly learned
about the need for playground
equipment and how to apply for grant
funds to purchase the playground
equipment. She contacted the Lower
Colorado River Authority to find out
more about the Community Development
Partnership Grant Program they
offered to their electric service
customers.
While Londa served as Playground
Chair for Roberts Road Elementary,
she discovered that the school did
not qualify for the grant since they
were not a customer of the electric
company. However, Londa kept the
Community Development Partnership
Grant Program information handy for
future reference.
As her daughter entered into the 4th
grade at H.T. Jones Elementary
School, Londa noticed a need for
school playground equipment at the
school. Londa pulled out her notes
from the Community Development
Partnership Grant Program, once
again, and contacted the electric
service provider, San Bernard
Electric Company (SBEC). Londa soon
developed a relationship with Carol
Courville, with San Bernard Electric
Company Local Government Economic
Community Development, who then
guided her through the grant
application writing process. Londa
applied for a playground equipment
grant for H.T. Jones Elementary and
was awarded $23,274 in the spring of
2000.
In 2002, Londa continued to apply
for grant funds through the San
Bernard Electric Company grant
application process, this time for
Fields Store Elementary School. She
knew a new elementary school was
going to open and that there will be
a need for new playground
equipment. Londa’s attempt was
successful once again. San Bernard
Electric Company awarded Fields
Store Elementary $20,163 to purchase
their new playground equipment.
Londa kept the ball rolling and
continued to seek out playground
equipment grant funds for other
Waller ISD schools. She turned to
SPARK School Park Program, a
non-profit organization developed in
1983 that is operated out of the
City of Houston Mayor's office. The
SPARK School Park Program mission is
to increase park space and to
develop public school grounds into
neighborhood parks. Londa applied
for SPARK grants for Waller Jr. High
and for Wayne C. Schultz Middle
School in October, 2005. A SPARK
grant was awarded to Wayne C.
Schultz Middle School in the amount
of $10,000 which was used towards
basketball courts and soccer goals
for the students. A $200,000 grant
was offered to Waller Jr. High but
it was turned down due to legalities
that were not in the best interest
of the school district.
Most recently, Londa team up with
Mindy Peper, Evelyn Turlington
Elementary Principal, and Jeanine
Slaughter, Waller ISD Facilities and
Construction Director. The team
applied for another San Bernard
Electric Company grant for new
playground equipment for the new
Evelyn Turlington Elementary,
opening in August, 2009. The team’s
efforts paid off and the new school
was awarded $25,000 to purchase new
playground equipment for Turlington
Elementary students. The grant
money will be applied toward the
$51,648 project total. The monies
will provide soccer goals, two
playgrounds – one for early
childhood students, one for all
other students, two swing sets,
playground borders, kiddie cushion,
and drainage.
Londa Sessions said “I was driven to
do this service for the kids. I am
so happy that I could help and that
so many children will benefit from
my efforts. After I received the
first $23,000 grant, I said “WOW! I
can’t stop here!”
Londa worked at Fields Store
Elementary as a Pre-school Program
for Children with Disabilities
teacher. She worked with special
needs children ranging in ages 3-5.
Londa will be working as a Life
Skills teacher at Turlington
Elementary working with students in
first through fifth grades this
upcoming school year. Her
persistence and love for the
students has benefited four of eight
Waller ISD schools by being awarded
$278,437 total in grant funds over a
nine year period. Londa resides
with her husband of 25 years in
Hockley and has three children, all
who attended Waller ISD schools.
Her daughter is the oldest child,
now 20 years old, attending Texas
State University. Londa’s middle
child is 18, graduated Waller High
School last year, and has plans to
attend University of Texas San
Antonio. The youngest child is her
14 year old son who will attend
Wayne C. Schultz Jr. High entering 8th
grade in the upcoming school year.
