Students with autism and low-incidence disabilities at Friendswood ISD's Therapeutic Education Center will get a new outdoor space built around their sensory and movement needs, thanks to a $115,000 grant presented Monday, Aug. 10.

The Friendswood ISD Education Foundation awarded the Legacy Grant during a surprise celebration at the TEC, located inside the FISD Annex at 402 Laurel Drive, according to the district. The money will fund an outdoor learning and wellness area where students can engage in hands-on activities, movement exercises and sensory work.

Mirna Herr, founder of The U Foundation, and her son Noah Herr, a sophomore at Friendswood High School, personally handed the check to TEC staff at the event. The Friendswood-based nonprofit funded the grant.

"Knowing this grant will give Friendswood ISD students a space where they can learn, grow, connect and thrive makes this especially rewarding," Herr said at the presentation. "As a mother and a member of this community, I'm proud that The U Foundation can help create something that will impact students for years to come."

The TEC is a day school partnership among Friendswood ISD, Alvin ISD and Pearland ISD. It serves students with autism, emotional disabilities or other low-incidence disabilities who need extensive behavioral support after exhausting other options in their home districts. The program's goal is to help students build skills and eventually transition back to their home campuses.

The award is unusually large for FEF.

The foundation's annual target for Legacy Grants is $100,000 total, and a prior round split $52,000 across multiple recipients. Legacy Grants draw from FEF's Endowment Fund and Century Club, plus direct donations from families and organizations. The endowment currently sits just above $2 million, with a goal of reaching $3.5 million by 2030.

No construction timeline for the outdoor space has been announced.

The foundation's next public fundraiser is the FEF Sporting Clays Tournament on Friday, Oct. 2.