WICHITA FALLS (KFDX/KJTL) — There are so many great individuals and organizations that offer their time and guidance to local students, and they were recognized Tuesday, May 2, at the Wichita Falls Independent School District’s 34th Annual Partners In Education Appreciation Dinner.

One by one those partners were recognized and applauded for all the hard work they put in at our schools around the clock.

“I don’t even think I have words. I was shocked. My babies did all the work, I just was a vessel, and God was using me, and my babies have worked so, so hard to bring their reading levels up,” Partners In Education Female Mentor of the Year winner Kimberly Chenault said.

Kimberly spends more than 10 hours a week as a tutor on the Booker T. Washington Elementary School Campus. Logging more than 180 hours at WFISD campuses this year alone, the gift of knowledge is one she just wants to keep on giving.

Something Reverend Angus Thompson and the congregation of New Jerusalem Baptist Church, the Partners In Education Mentor Program of the Year, agree with.

“We didn’t start this to receive recognition. That was never our thought or our hope. Our hope was simply based upon maybe we can help the children and save the school and encourage the teachers. And, if we receive any accolades, it would be that they could do better and are doing better,” Thompson said.

P.I.E. coordinators said the work New Jerusalem has done on Kirby’s campus is excellent. They add that no task is too small or too big.

“Hopefully we’ve been able to lift up some aspirations and they can see themselves doing great things. It’s our desire that they rise above and they can do that,” Thompson said.

The contributions are great, but our students could always use more.

“They just need your time so I’m asking all of Texoma, get involved with the school system, to volunteer because our kids need you,” Chenault said.

On Friday, May 5, New Jerusalem will be hosting a Gospel Festival at 6:30 p.m. and all the money raised there will go right back to P.I.E.!

A full list of this year’s winners can be found below.