By james art LUBBOCK, Texas (NEWS RELEASE) – The Texas Cultural Trust (TXCT), a nonprofit organization dedicated to increasing awareness, access and support for the arts in Texas, has announced the recipients of its sixth annual First-Year Teacher Fellowship. As part of the Trust’s Access to the Arts program, these grants, awarded annually in the fall, are designed to support new arts teachers in providing quality arts education in Title I schools and communities with low access to the arts. This year, grants will be awarded to six art educators in cities across Texas, including Austin, Eustace, Houston and Lubbock.
Each First Year Teacher Scholarship recipient will receive a one-time grant of $1,500 to help alleviate the costs associated with completing their first year as an art teacher. These funds can be used for a variety of expenses that enhance the quality of arts education.
For some art teachers, this requires the purchase of vital equipment: “This financial support is critical as our dance program at Lively Middle School has grown significantly, requiring us to use additional spaces that are not fully equipped for instruction in dance,” said Lively Middle School scholarship recipient Alexandria Havelka. “With this grant we can purchase essential items such as mirrors and ballet bars, making these spaces more suitable environments.”
Other recipients use the grants to fund field trips and unique learning opportunities for students: “This grant will [allow] for my students to learn from professionals and connect with peers and colleges by attending the Texas Thespian Festival,” said Amy Oakley of Eustace Middle School. “This is critical because in our small town, opportunities for arts education and networking are next to none. The financial support provided will allow my students to pursue theater in college and/or as a career.”
Additional uses of the grant may include professional development, classroom enrichment, and other resources that support high-quality arts education.
Recipients of First Year Teacher Scholarships for 2024-2025 are as follows:
- Alexandria Havelka, Austin ISD
- Amy Oakley, Eustace ISD
- Daniela Sanchez, Austin ISD
- Georgiana Crist, Lubbock ISD
- Gitzel Vargas, Splendora ISD
- Victoria Solis, Pasadena ISD
“As we learned in our biennial State of the Arts Report, arts education plays an essential role in cultivating creativity, self-expression, cultural awareness and more in our children,” said Texas Cultural Trust CEO Heidi Marquez Smith. “With these grants, we hope to provide our educators with the resources they need to bring the transformative power of the arts to children across the state.”
These grants are offered on an annual basis and will reopen for applications in the summer of 2025. To learn more about the Texas Cultural Trust and grants available through its Arts Access Program, please visit
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