Wounded Richneck teacher awarded grant from Uvalde Foundation
Abigail Zwerner, the first grade teacher shot by a student at Richneck Elementary School in January, was named the inaugural recipient of the HERO TEACHER Award by The Uvalde Foundation for the Kids.
Zwerner will receive the grant in this spring. She will also be in charge of administering the grant to recipients in years to come.
The Uvalde Foundation for the Kids, a nonprofit organization based in Dallas, was formed to prevent violence in schools after the Uvalde Elementary School shooting in Texas last May. Nineteen students and two teachers were killed.
The purpose of the grant is twofold, said Daniel Chapin, founder and chief financial officer of the foundation.
“It’s intended first and foremost to honor this year Abby Zwerner for her actions following the events at Richneck Elementary,” Chapin said. “Ongoing, it will be an annual award in her name honoring teachers across the country to give them recognition as well for their heroic efforts.”
The grant, which includes a stipend for student use and is intended for nonviolent programming in schools, starts at a base amount of $1,000, then can grow through fundraising campaigns.
Initial funds will be transferred Monday to Zwerner, Chapin said. The Foundation is still accepting contributions to the fund.
Because it’s unclear whether Zwerner will return to the classroom, Chapin said she is free to use the award as she sees fit, including for medical or recovery expenses.
The foundation originally planned to give oversight of the grant to the Newport News school division but later decided Zwerner and her representatives would be better suited to oversee it.
“We felt that, quite frankly, if the school was not able to care enough to address Abby’s concerns, and other teachers’ concerns, why would we entrust them with a fund that’s specifically focused on that?” Chapin said. “We’re very big on accountability.”
In the wake of the shooting, teachers and community members in Newport News have raised concerns about the division’s handling of student behavior issues.