WICHITA FALLS (KFDX/KJTL) — Some local teachers were surprised to learn they had won a grant from Wichita Falls ISD Foundation.

On Friday, November 10, members from the Wichita Falls ISD Foundation and the school district administrators made the rounds announcing the winners of IDEA grants.

The grants introduce special opportunities to schools and expose students to innovative teaching.

McNiel 7th and 8th English teacher Hannah Reames was one of them. She said she knew about the grants but was shocked when she discovered she had won.

“I am so surprised. I was actually thinking about this yesterday because I was thinking, ‘Man, it sure would be nice if I had that tablet, so my students could come up and make corrections on their papers,'” Reames said. “I was thinking about it, and I was like, I wonder when they are going to announce that, so I am super surprised.”

Over $18,000 was awarded to 26 teachers across the Wichita Falls Independent School District.

IDEA Grants started in 1991 when the school district began providing financial support for teachers to try new things in their classroom. The amount awarded varies with program support each year.