Dallas ISD schools carry philanthropy forward  

The next generation of philanthropists can be found at Dallas ISD thanks to the Common Cents Pennies from the Heart Program, which guides students as they raise funds to support various organizations. As they donate what they raise, students are strengthening their community by supporting nonprofits whose missions may reflect their own lived experiences and the causes closest to their hearts.   

This year, 200 students across 21 schools participated in the program coordinated by the Family and Community Engagement Department. Founded by Louise Gartner in 1998, the initiative has grown into a lasting philanthropic effort, expanding its impact through its partnership with Dallas ISD. Today, the program is led by her daughter, Gigi Gartner, who continues her mother’s legacy of service and commitment to community.  

“I’m very proud to be carrying on her legacy,” Gartner said, encouraging participating students to see themselves as leaders of change. “My mother started this program because she wanted a community where people cared for others. She believed, ‘Why not start with the young and teach them?’” 

This year, students raised a total of $22,000, benefiting 24 nonprofits with support from the Communities Foundation of Texas. 

At Kathlyn Joy Gilliam Collegiate Academy, teacher Jonathan Dominguez led his students in selecting a nonprofit they felt deeply connected to in both mission and impact.   

“Our students chose PASOS for Oak Cliff because many of them relate to the challenges the organization seeks to address, like limited access to resources, financial barriers, and the need for community support,” Dominguez said. “By donating our funds to PASOS, our students hope to give back to an organization that uplifts neighborhoods like their own, while helping other students like them take confident steps toward their future.” 

For students at Gilliam, participating in Common Cents means putting generosity into action and showing love for their community. The campus raised $3,619 in support of its selected nonprofit, earning the top spot in funds raised and receiving the Louise Gartner Award. 

In a three-way tie, students at Young Women’s STEAM Academy at Balch Springs, W.H. Adamson High School and Bayles Elementary School each raised $2,127 for their selected nonprofits.  

“Our students chose to support Autism Speaks in recognition of the students in our school on the autism spectrum,” said Narghis Moon, a student sponsor at Bayles Elementary.  

Through this partnership, the district continues to engage families, schools, and the broader community in meaningful ways that support academic achievement and social-emotional development. 

Two students from Adamson High School and Thomas Jefferson High School were awarded the Louise Gartner Scholarship, which provides a $3,000 college scholarship in recognition of outstanding service and leadership. 

To date, more than $1 million has been raised through the Common Cents program. Dallas ISD students are not only making a meaningful impact on their communities, but also developing the leadership, compassion and purpose that will shape how they give back for years to come. 

“Thank you to our students, sponsors, and our district staff, especially from the Family and Community Engagement Office and the Volunteer and Partnership Engagement team, for helping bring this program to life across our campuses,” said Israel Rivera, director of Family and Community Engagement. “And to our nonprofit partners, we are grateful for the opportunity to support your organization.”