Carson City schools' foundation awards grants

The Carson City School District and Carson City Schools Foundation have awarded mini and department grants for the fall.

Each semester, CCSF gives back to educators and students alike. This past semester, the foundation awarded $200 mini-grants as well as up to $2,000 grants for a department, school or grade-level project(s).

“The competitive process garners dozens of applications from district educators each semester,” Steven Reynolds, chairperson of the CCSF Board, said. “The review committee always has a difficult task of narrowing down all the worthy applications. But we are pleased to recognize and support these exciting programs for students.”

The fall 2020 $200 mini-grant winners include:

• John Corbitt: Pioneer High School — Pioneer High School Parent/Guardian Appreciation Drive-Through Breakfast
• Rachel Croft: Bordewich Bray Elementary School — students will learn about rock formations and fossils in rock layers and create a model to show their understanding of fossils as part of fourth grade science standards.
• Margarita Portillo: Eagle Valley Middle School — renovate the school’s front entrance to create a more welcoming space.
• Laura Ricks: Empire Elementary School — funds to create a diverse classroom library in both genres of literature and in diversity of cultures.
• Cassidy Robinson: Empire Elementary School — purchase of books to supplement Artie Almeida's "Mallet Madness."
• Kristin Steinkraus: Pioneer High School — funds for physics students to build a Shopvac hovercraft and a fluidized air bed to demonstrate physics principles.
• Briana Valley: Carson Middle School — students will work on virtual performances where they learn the music in class, and then record themselves at home.

The fall 2020 department grant winners include:

• Carson High School Fine Arts Department: Adapting performing arts programs to pandemic restrictions ($2,000 department grant)
• Carson Middle School Library: Graphic novel and manga section in CMS library ($2,000 department grant)
• Mark Twain Elementary School fifth grade student leadership: Schoolwide communication with Morning News ($1,500 grade-level project grant)
• Transportation: Manipulatives/fidgets for special needs students ($2,000 department grant)
• Work-Based Learning, grades 4 to 12: Virtual field trips, guest speakers, job shadows ($2,000 department grant)

CCSF is a nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting community involvement and investment in the public schools of Carson City. This project is one of the many results of the “Empower Carson City 2022″ Strategic Plan, a five-year strategic plan for extraordinary schools built by the community of Carson City.

CCSF was created to increase student achievement through philanthropic investment and involvement. Established by the Carson City School District’s Board of Trustees, the foundation promotes education programs that traditional funding sources might not be able to reach.

For information about the CCSF, visit www.ccschoolsfoundation.org. To make a contribution, go to www.ccschoolsfoundation.org/campaigns/donations/.