The Viper Nation Academic Booster (VNAB) launched in 2009 with a vision to enhance a student’s academic life in the areas of leadership, entrepreneurship, science, technology, engineering and math (STEM), with an emphasis on college-readiness. As we evolve and grow, we are proud to publish VNAB’s accomplishments in support of students, teachers and parents in Austin’s Four Points community. We look forward to expanding our list of accomplishments.

• More than $400,000 invested in all Four Points-area schools.
• More than $165,000 given in Impact Grants.
• $50,000 funded to Naviance, the college/career readiness platform for all LISD high school students.
• $23,000 funded for PSAT™ 8/9, the pre-PSAT test for all LISD 8th graders.
• $50,000 for Vandegrift High School’s SAT® and PSAT/NMSQT®  program, College JumpStart, Academic UIL competitions and teacher professional development. Results from PSAT/NMSQT® program: 50% increase in finalists, semifinalists and commended National Merit scholars and 133% increase in National Hispanic Scholars.
• $19,500 in Excellence in Education Scholarships – 2015 and 2014 seniors.
• $18k for the biomedical program at VHS.
• More than $1,000 to elementary PTAs for STEM/Science Fair Nights.
• More than $50,000 for robotics at all Four Points-area schools.
• More than $11,000 to help fund Summer Library programming at River Ridge Elementary and Four Points Middle Schools, supplies for MakerSpace stations in elementary libraries and E-books for LISD’s Digital Library.

February 23, 2013

Giddy Up Gala Fundraiser Breaks Records!

VNAB netted $74,000 at the 3rd Annual Giddy Up Gala dinner and auction, breaking records for both attendance and funds raised. Special thanks to our sponsors, volunteers and guests for helping to make this the most successful event to date!

November 10, 2012

VNAB Sponsors 4th Annual Robotics Scrimmage

Teams from Four Points-area elementary and middle schools tested their robotic skills at the 4th Annual FIRST® LEGO® League Robotics Scrimmage at Vandegrift High School. Sponsored by VNAB, hosted by the highly successful ViperBots team and funded by National Instruments, the scrimmage served as a forerunner to the FLL Qualifier in December. More than 200 students, teachers and parents attended the event. Judges included employees from 3M, IBM, River Place Elementary and Central Texas FIRST® LEGO® League.

November 8, 2012

VNAB Funds LISD Readistep® Program

VNAB funded ReadiStep for all eighth-grade LISD students for the 2012-2013 academic school year. ReadiStep® is an assessment test that measures the skills that students need to be on track for college success.

October 8, 2012

National Instruments Donates $6,000 to VNAB

Thanks to the generous support of National Instruments, VNAB received a grant of $6,000 to help fund robotics programs including teams participating in the FIRST® LEGO® League. From elementary through high school, students are embracing science and technology and learning valuable employment and life skills through robotics.

July 31, 2012

VNAB Enhances Summer Library at River Ridge Elementary and Four Points Middle School

LISD and VNAB teamed up again during summer 2012 at Four Points area school libraries — River Ridge Elementary and Four Points Middle School — to provide support and access to library books and to bring programming to students. Thanks to LISD school librarians these schools were open on certain days in June and July with nearly 2,000 books checked out — a record number!

May 4, 2012

Nearly $24,000 in Impact Grants Awarded to Area Schools

The VNAB Grant Patrol surprised 10 teachers and counselors with nearly $24,000 in program funding during the Foundation’s second grant patrol. Dr. Bret Champion, Superintendent of Leander ISD, joined several VNAB board members, campus representatives and grant committee members in awarding the grant recipients.

March 21, 2012

Randalls Surprises VNAB with $10,000 Check

Randalls surprised VNAB with a check for $10,000 during the store’s grand opening of their flagship supermarket in Steiner Ranch.

March 3, 2012

VNAB Nets About $47,000 at 2nd Annual Giddy Up Gala

The Viper Nation Academic Booster netted approximately $47,000 at the 2nd Annual Giddy Up Gala on March 3 at The Oasis. A special thanks to our generous sponsors, to all our volunteers for donating their time and talent and to those who joined us in raising vital funds for education that evening.

December 12, 2011

VNAB Awards $24,000 in Impact Grants to Area Schools

The Viper Nation Academic Booster surprised eleven teachers with over $24,000 in program funding during its inaugural grant patrol on Friday, December 9, 2011 and Monday, December 12, 2011. Dr. Bret Champion, Superintendent of Leander ISD, joined several VNAB board members, VNAB campus representatives and grant committee members in awarding the grant recipients.

November 4, 2011

Robotic Teams Compete at 3rd Annual FIRST® LEGO® League Scrimmage sponsored by VNAB

Teams from GVHE, RRE, RPE, SRE, CRMS and FPMS tested their robotic skills at VNAB’s 3rd Annual FIRST® LEGO® League Robotics Scrimmage. FPMS hosted the well-attended event with more than 100 parents and students present. Judges included employees from IBM, National Instruments, River Place Elementary and the Central Texas FIRST® LEGO® League.

August 27, 2011

VNAB Provides Grant to LISD to Implement Naviance Succeed

VNAB provided LISD $10,000, the first of five installments, to help fund the college and career readiness, web-based planning system called Naviance Succeed. All LISD high school students and parents will have access to Naviance, which centralizes and organizes college admission requirements along with supplying a multitude of other resources. VNAB pledged $50,000 through the 2015-2016 academic year.

July 31, 2011

VNAB Enhances Summer Library Hours at River Ridge Elementary

VNAB partnered with LISD to provide access to library books and to enhance story time during summer library hours at River Ridge Elementary. Attendance for story time days was often between 100 and 200 students and parents. Book circulation doubled from 2010 to 2011 at more than 1,200 books.

May 13, 2011

VNAB Raises $32,000 at First Fundraising Event

VNAB hosted its inaugural fundraising event, the Giddy Up Gala, on May 13 at the UT Golf Club, raising more than $32,000 in support of teacher grants, college readiness programs school clubs engaged in science, technology, engineering and math.

November 4, 2010

VNAB Sponsors Robotics Scrimmage

The Viper Nation Academic Booster hosted the 2nd Annual FIRST® LEGO® League Robotics Scrimmage at Four Points Middle School. Teams from Four Points Middle School, River Place Elementary and Steiner Ranch Elementary tested their robotic skills with more than 100 parents and community members cheering them on. Performing the 2010 Body Forward™ “Engineering Meets Medicine” Challenge, teams treated this scrimmage as a forerunner to the Central Texas Qualifying Tournament held the following week. Judges included employees from IBM, National Instruments, River Place Elementary and the Central Texas FIRST® LEGO® League.

October 25, 2010

GVHE Receives $1500 Grant for Robotics & Garden Club

In conjunction with the Lamb Foundation, the Viper Nation Academic Booster is providing Grandview Hills Elementary PTA with a grant of $1,500. Of this, $1,000 is to help launch the school’s inaugural FIRST® LEGO® League Robotics Club and $500 is allocated to the PTA’s Garden Club. Both of these programs offer an exciting opportunity to expose elementary children to science and engineering in a fun and informative way.

October 20, 2010

VNAB Awards LWBE $650 Grant for Robotics Club

VNAB Awarded LWBE a $650 grant to purchase initial supplies for the school’s inaugural Robotics Club. Four parent coaches and one National Instruments mentor have helped to bring the excitement of LEGO building and robotics programming to 18 LWBE students this fall. Plans for a spring program are underway.

September 22, 2010

VNAB Creates First Endowment Fund

The Viper Nation Academic Booster created its first endowment fund. Thanks to the generosity of the Leroy & Helge Lamb Family Foundation, the Viper Nation Education Foundation will award annually one area student attending the Massachusetts Institute of Technology a $500 scholarship.

September 14, 2010

VNAB Awards SRE $500 Grant for Robotics Club

The Viper Nation Academic Booster awarded Steiner Ranch Elementary a $500 grant for their Robotics Club. SRE will use the money to register for the Central Texas Qualifying Tournament in November. They will participate in this year’s FIRST® LEGO® League Challenge called “Body Forward.” Good luck Steiner Stallions!

September 16, 2010

VNAB Continues to Award Grant Money to RPE’s Robotics Club

For the second year, the Viper Nation Academic Booster awarded a $500 grant to River Place Elementary’s Robotics Club. River Place now heralds four 4th and 5th grade teams and this year is proud to add four Junior teams!

April 20, 2010

VNAB’s Community Library Receives 350 Plus Books from Area Girl Scouts

Girl Scouts and their families from the Lake Austin Chapter donated more than 350 books during the Daddy-Daughter Dance to help fund a new Four Points Community Library.