Building Community. Creating Experiences. Supporting Our Texans.

Sam Houston Elementary PTA operates with an annual budget of approximately $67,000 to provide programs, resources, events, and support for our students and staff.

We know families are asked to contribute in many different ways throughout the school year. That is why we work hard to make our fundraising purposeful, transparent, and inclusive.

You will never see Sam Houston PTA asking our students to sell products door-to-door. Instead, we focus on fundraising opportunities that build community, provide value, and allow every Texan to participate—regardless of whether their family is able to make a financial contribution.

Participation is always more important to us than a donation.

How We Fund Our PTA

Our annual budget is primarily supported in three ways:

Fall Festival & Silent Auction

Our Fall Festival is one of our largest fundraisers of the year—but it's also much more than a fundraiser.

It is an opportunity for our entire Sam Houston community to come together for an evening of family fun, activities, food, entertainment, and connection.

Fundraising comes through activities such as our silent auction, concessions, tickets, and community support while we work to keep the event accessible and enjoyable for all of our Texans.

Spring Fun Run

Our Lone Star Sprint is our spring fundraiser and a celebration of our students.

Rather than using an outside fundraising company or asking students to sell products, we run our Fun Run in-house, allowing more of the money raised to stay right here at Sam Houston.

Students get to participate in the fun regardless of how much—or whether—they raise. Fundraising is never the price of participation.

Community Giving & Partnerships

Not every family wants another fundraiser, and not everyone has time to attend an event. That's why we also provide opportunities for families and community members to support PTA directly.

This includes one-time and recurring donations, spirit nights, business partnerships, sponsorships, matching gifts, and other community-supported opportunities throughout the year.

Every contribution—whether it is money, time, resources, attendance, or simply sharing one of our events—helps.

Where Does the Money Go?

Right back to Sam Houston.

Our approximately $67,000 annual budget helps make possible a wide range of programs, resources, experiences, and support throughout the school year, including:

• Student & Family Experiences: Family Hot Dog Night, Fall Festival & Silent Auction, Family Movie Night, Healthy Lifestyles programs, special student assemblies, Field Day, Spring Fun Run, two book fairs, Graduation, Wranglers, and other community-building activities.

• Learning & Classroom Support: Staff and classroom grants, STEM Lab, science consumables, classroom leveled reading in the Literacy Library, library support, assistance with field trip costs, and other educational resources.

• Supporting Our Staff & Campus: Staff appreciation throughout the year, counselor and nurse needs, everyday campus needs such as colored paper for flyers, and many of the behind-the-scenes items that help our school community thrive. Every staff member has a dedicated budget line!

And that's only part of what PTA helps make possible.

More Than Fundraising

Fundraising isn't our mission. It's one of the tools that allows us to fulfill it.

Our goal is to use the resources entrusted to us thoughtfully while creating opportunities that strengthen our school community and make meaningful experiences possible for every Texan.

No door-to-door selling. No student left out. Community over competition.

Honoring the Legacy • Building Their Future