Fund for Teachers

Fund for Teachers

The Fund for Teachers, founded by Raymond Plank - Chairman of the Board of Apache Corporation, is a non-profit organization providing educational grants to teachers for summer sabbaticals.  For several years now, ION has been a key sponsor of the Annual Fund Run for Teachers. 

In addition to a financial contribution, each year the company sponsors a team and nearly 50 employees race to support local teachers. Fund for Teachers enriches the personal and professional growth of teachers by recognizing and supporting them as they identify and pursue opportunities around the globe that will have the greatest impact on their practice, the academic lives of their students and on their school communities.

History of Fund for Teachers

Several years ago, as a result of the strong, lasting and positive influence that teachers had on Raymond Plank's life, he started a program in his hometown of Minneapolis to provide teachers with opportunities for summer sabbaticals - self designed programs of summer learning and exploration.  Mr. Plank, Chairman of the Board of Apache Corporation, endowed the program with $1 million.  Administrators at public and independent schools shared Raymond's belief that these experiences would improve the educational process. That pilot program has grown into the public foundation, Fund for Teachers.

Thanks to Fund for Teachers, to date, more than 2,600 teachers from 47 states and Puerto Rico have studied and traveled throughout the United States and 100 other countries on seven continents.

Annual Fund Run for Teachers

Fund for Teachers host an annual Fund Run to raise money for summer sabbaticals.  The 2008 event took place Saturday, February 9th near the Houston Galleria.