Page 24 - Southern California Gaming Guide • December 2016

PIoway and San Jose Schools Awarded Barona Education Grants
n October, the Barona Band of Mission Indians awarded a $5,000 Barona Education the Turtleback Elementary School check to the
grant’s sponsor, California State Assemblyman Brian Maienschein, Turtleback Principal Ann
Auten, and students.
“Barona’s Education Grant will aid in the
development of Turtleback Elementary students by allowing children to discover new strengths and interests,” said Assemblymember Brian Maienschein. “ e Maker Space program will provide an e ective and fun way to support children’s academic rigor, growth and creativity.”
More than one fth of Turtleback’s students speak English as a second language. Maker Space learning environments are shown to transcend all languages, allowing every student a chance to participate, be engaged, and be successful in the classroom. e space is also accessible and suited to the learning styles of students with autism, add and adhd.
Since the Barona Education Grant program was launched in 2006, Barona has awarded over $2.9 million to California schools statewide. e program has equipped 587 schools with hundreds of computers, thousands of books, iPads, computer software programs, and various other technologies and school supplies.
e Barona Education Grant program is the rst of its kind in California created and administered by a Tribal Government. e goal of the program is to create strong educational opportunities for the children of California building upon the success of the Barona Indian Charter School, which operates under a continuous improvement model. Schools throughout California can apply for educational grants from Barona to purchase much-needed supplies and materials that promote academic improvement. Each grant awarded by the Barona Education Grant Program is $5,000. Applications can be downloaded at Barona-nsn.gov/education.
TMorongo Band’s Thanksgiving Outreach Provided Holiday Meals
Grant to students and teachers at Rosemary Elementary School in San Jose. e
school will use the grant to purchase 16 new Chromebook computers and o er before, during, and after school access to technology.
PAGE 24
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA GAMING GUIDE DECEMBER 2016
Rosemary Elementary School received a $5,000 Barona Education Grant to purchase technology to connect students to the digital world.
“Many of California’s schools can’t a ord access to basic tools and technology,” said Cli ord LaChappa, Chairman of the Barona Band of Mission Indians. “ ese funds will allow the children at Rosemary Elementary to experience the wonders and learning of the digital world that so many of us take for granted.”
“I would like to thank the Barona Band of Mission Indians for choosing Rosemary Elementary School as a 2016 education grant recipient,” said Assemblyman Evan Low. “With the grant funding, the Rosemary community will be able to secure additional technology for their classrooms. Students in California deserve a quality education that prepares them for the rest of their lives. Many schools, even in Silicon Valley, are struggling to update their classrooms for 21st Century learning. I applaud the Barona Band of Mission Indians’
dedication to helping California schools acquire the tools and materials they need to provide our students with the education they deserve.”
Rosemary Elementary is located in one of San Jose’s most crime-ridden neighborhoods, and the school serves as a sanctuary for the community. Parents are eager to provide the best educational opportunities for their students, yet most do not have the ability to provide the necessary materials to support their children in school. e Barona Education Grant will help to reduce the de cit, help them navigate the world of technology, and pave a path for future academic success.
Also the students and teachers at Turtleback Elementary School received a $5,000 Barona Education Grant in October. e school, part of the Poway Unified School District in San Diego County, will use the grant to establish a Maker Space, or learning area, to provide students an opportunity to explore, create, build, design, problem solve, collaborate, and think critically.
“With the creation of this custom learning space, Turtleback Elementary School will be at the forefront of a new trend in education,” said Chairman Cli ord LaChappa. “Maker Spaces like these are becoming more popular at schools across the country as a creative way to inspire young students to be more engaged in classroom learning. We’re excited that this Barona Education Grant will provide the funds needed to purchase the materials to get it up and running.”
Barona Tribal Council Vice Chairman Ray Welch and Councilwoman Beth Glasco presented
he Morongo Band of Mission Indians’ Thanksgiving Outreach Program “Even during the times that our tribe faced great di culties and hardship, began three decades ago, when tribal members noticed that their we always found a way to give to others,” said Morongo Tribal Chairman neighbors needed a anksgiving meal. e e ort grew each year, and the Robert Martin in a news release. “ at spirit of giving lives on at Morongo,
anksgiving Outreach Program became o cial in 1985. In 31 years, the Tribe has been able to provide almost 2 million meals to families in need. is year the program delivered thousands of turkeys to charities and non-pro t groups in the Inland area and Southern California around the anksgiving holiday.
Tribal members and volunteers helped distribute frozen turkeys to 116 nonpro t organizations, churches, food pantries, schools, veterans groups, and homeless shelters in San Bernardino, Riverside, Banning, Beaumont,
Lake Elsinore, and other communities.
and we hope to alleviate such uncertainty for those in need this holiday season.”
e recipients included the Inland AIDS Project in San Bernardino, Hope Food Share Program Bank in San Jacinto, Kansas Avenue Resource Center in Riverside, Martha’s Village in Indio, and the Coachella Valley Rescue Mission. To receive turkeys, participating groups submitted applications to the Tribe and were noti ed over the summer that they had been selected.
e turkeys were expected to provide more than 200,000 anksgiving meals.
December 2016 Tribes in the News