The Fund for Teachers is the brainchild of Raymond Plank, founder and Chairman of the Board of Houston-based Apache Corp. Mr. Plank best describes the "why" of creating the foundation.

"Growing up in the Midwest, the most important influence in my life other than my father was a man named Noah Foss. He was a Latin teacher, a towering figure who inspired, challenged and motivated countless young men at the small country day school I attended in the 1930s. But for Foss, who gave me the focus and self-respect I needed, I wouldn't have received an honors score on my college entrance exams. And, almost certainly, I never would have gone to Yale.

There are many Noah Fosses in this country; teachers who each day inspire, challenge and shape young lives in countless ways. A decade ago I began a modest grant program in Minnesota to reward deserving grades K-12 teachers who wanted a chance to enhance their skills, stimulate their minds, and bring new-found excitement back into the classroom. A chance to study volcanoes in Hawaii. Architecture in Florence. Language in Chile.

The time has now come to broaden this program to a national effort. The Fund for Teachers rewards promise, creativity and dedication. Our grants are based solely on merit. And they reflect a goal my father often spoke of - to make this world a little better off than it was before."