Mini Grant Recipients for the 2018-2019 School Year
This year, several teachers from the Guadalupe Union School District received Mini Grants from the Foundation aimed at helping the students of Guadalupe reach new academic, cultural and athletic goals in our schools. Check out some of their projects below:
Q-Ball Kid Friendly Microphone System by Michelle Berry, Shannon Brough, and Kelli Brill (Mary Buren)
Many of our students are extremely soft spoken or shy to speak in class. In a recent survey, students were asked if they like to read aloud and why. The majority of students said no because they were too shy. When pressed further, they said it is embarrassing when the teacher asks them to speak louder and they are afraid to mess up in front of their peers. The Q-Ball is a throwable microphone ball that will amplify student's voices and encourage them to be excited to participate and share in class. This project will allow student's voices to be clearly heard in the classroom. We will work on our public speaking skills and the importance of sharing our ideas clearly in class through collaboration and communication.
Social Education by Ashley Thompson (Mary Buren)
Elementary students need social-emotional education just as much as they need academic education. This classroom citizenship project will promote social-emotional awareness and growth inside and outside of the classroom for all affected students.
PE in Class by Kimberly Dodges (Mary Buren)
Education Code Section 51223 requires all elementary students to receive a minimum of 200 minutes of physical education instruction every ten school days. As my students receive P.E. instruction one time per week, I would like to incorporate another session of P.E. instruction during the week. To do this, the students require the necessary equipment to full fill the grade level standards for physical education. This grant will allow me to purchase supplies to accomplish this goal
Education Code Section 51223 requires all elementary students to receive a minimum of 200 minutes of physical education instruction every ten school days. As my students receive P.E. instruction one time per week, I would like to incorporate another session of P.E. instruction during the week. To do this, the students require the necessary equipment to full fill the grade level standards for physical education. This grant will allow me to purchase supplies to accomplish this goal
Science Circuit Boards by Mehgan Gardner (Mary Buren and Mckenzie)
This project will meet the need for students to learn about circuits and programming by allowing me to purchase the Makey Makey circuit kits. Programming has become a major player in the technical job industry and the Makey Makey, used in conjunction with Scratch a coding/programming application from MIT will expose and teach our students these valuable technological skills.
Fun Beat Remo Sound by Robin Sumabat (Mary Buren)
TK students need to learn to follow directions, focus & stay focused. They need to have practice with fine motor and gross motor development activities. TK students need stimulation of the left and right side of their brains. They need to develop their math skills (color identification, shape identification, sorting, counting, etc...) in hands-on, kinesthetic ways. They also need to have experiences that promote cooperation and teamwork with their peers. The Remo Sound Shapes will allow me to accomplish all these goals in the classroom
English Literacy Games by Jenni Kerr (Mary Buren)
I plan to purchase 5 different sets of educational literacy games from Lakeshore Learning for the classroom to use throughout the year, and each set comes with 4-8 different games focused on a particular literacy skill. The literacy skills that will be targeted include: phonics, grammar, writing, parts of speech, vocabulary, and reading comprehension. Students will be able to work on these skills by playing the games in small group rotations. These literacy skills need to be addressed so my students can be successful readers, writers, and speakers. The variety of games will help me differentiate instruction and focus on certain skills with small groups of students.
Math Materials by Elsa Ross (Mary Buren)
I plan to purchase 5 different sets of educational literacy games from Lakeshore Learning for the classroom to use throughout the year, and each set comes with 4-8 different games focused on a particular literacy skill. The literacy skills that will be targeted include: phonics, grammar, writing, parts of speech, vocabulary, and reading comprehension. Students will be able to work on these skills by playing the games in small group rotations. These literacy skills need to be addressed so my students can be successful readers, writers, and speakers. The variety of games will help me differentiate instruction and focus on certain skills with small groups of students.
Basket Ball Team Sports Equipment by Jeff Almaguer (McKenzie)
This grant will allow me to provide my basketball team with the supplies necessary to be safe and proud of themselves and their community and to promote their success in their endeavor to represent their school and our community.
Talent Show by Oliva Rubalcaba (McKenzie)
The purpose for McKenzie's Got Talent is to discover, develop, and promote, the talents of Mckenzie Intermediate School students. To Provide a safe and friendly atmosphere in which to showcase their talent. To Create an opportunity for students, staff, students, and community, (parent involvement) come together and celebrate student success and build confidence and self esteem through dancing, singing, mimes, playing an instrument, etc. Finally, to it hopes to Promotes school spirit.
The purpose for McKenzie's Got Talent is to discover, develop, and promote, the talents of Mckenzie Intermediate School students. To Provide a safe and friendly atmosphere in which to showcase their talent. To Create an opportunity for students, staff, students, and community, (parent involvement) come together and celebrate student success and build confidence and self esteem through dancing, singing, mimes, playing an instrument, etc. Finally, to it hopes to Promotes school spirit.
Music Materials by Charles Kim (McKenzie)
Of all of the school systems that feed into the Santa Maria Joint Union High School District, Guadalupe is one of the weakest when it comes to musical opportunities offered to students in elementary and middle school. In order to offer the best experience to all students. This grant will provide much needed materials for the Guadalupe student to help alleviate the financial stress that some of the young musicians may have regarding necessary materials for the band setting.
Of all of the school systems that feed into the Santa Maria Joint Union High School District, Guadalupe is one of the weakest when it comes to musical opportunities offered to students in elementary and middle school. In order to offer the best experience to all students. This grant will provide much needed materials for the Guadalupe student to help alleviate the financial stress that some of the young musicians may have regarding necessary materials for the band setting.
College Flags by Robin Ilac (McKenzie)
Our students need to know that there are no limits to where their educational journey will take them. I would like to put college flags in our multi-purpose room (cafeteria) to inspire our students to learn more about going to college. Using the flags will help us create a college-going culture in our school, where students will be inspired to a lifelong path toward higher education and deeper learning that ends with a degree. To reach that goal, the school needs to create a place of inspiration to motivate students toward achieving a college education. We want students to know that going to college isn't just a dream, but a plan set into motion.
Our students need to know that there are no limits to where their educational journey will take them. I would like to put college flags in our multi-purpose room (cafeteria) to inspire our students to learn more about going to college. Using the flags will help us create a college-going culture in our school, where students will be inspired to a lifelong path toward higher education and deeper learning that ends with a degree. To reach that goal, the school needs to create a place of inspiration to motivate students toward achieving a college education. We want students to know that going to college isn't just a dream, but a plan set into motion.
Knitting/Sewing Elective by Rosie Garcia (McKenzie)
My primary objective is that students have a platform in which to be creative and begin to learn to focus while creating their projects. I heard from my colleagues that students who were in my elective class tended to be more focused in their academic classes because they had a way to manage their extra energy, or stress, and because they felt some sense of accomplishment in school when they may have not been feeling that in their academic classes. In turn, that feeling of accomplishment was something that content area teachers could build on to help students engage in their academic courses and help build their self-esteem.
Also, by making items that can be donated to local organizations, students can see that what they are creating in class, and at school can have an impact on the community around them. Students may be able to see the baby hat they created on a baby in their own family, or in their neighborhood. This would tie into the restorative practices culture that is being developed at McKenzie. It would allow students to see that what they do in one area of their life can have a positive impact on the lives of others. This would help foster a culture of kindness and compassion for others that we would love to see our young people embrace.
