FORT IRWIN, Calif. — The Silver Valley Unified School District has been awarded a $1.25 million grant from the Department of Defense Education Activity (DoDEA), focusing on Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM). The District received the grant in October of 2018 and the district’s “STEM Success Initiative” has two primary goals: to increase the percentage of military-connected 12th graders who complete the STEM courses required for California public university eligibility; and increasing the percentage of military-connected 5th and 8th grade students who meet or exceed standards on the California Science Test (CAST).

The grant funding will be dispersed over the next four years and the district will use that money for several things: to purchase Next Generation Science Standard-aligned curriculum; purchase new technology, like iPads, tablets and projectors; provide professional development to teachers and staff to support student learning and look to offer coding and robotics opportunities during after school programs. Giving students opportunities to have more hands-on, meaningful learning experiences and expose them to STEM-related jobs is a great opportunity to improve the district’s STEM program offerings, improve student achievement and continue to build on our success.

Receiving this grant will also help provide stability to the district’s budget. Purchasing new curriculum is a big expense to school districts, including small districts like Silver Valley. With this funding, the district will be able to secure the necessary curriculum and additional resources to support our students and staff without impacting our overall general fund. The district is grateful to DoDEA for this opportunity and excited to partner with them to bring STEM opportunities to its students.