Bonsall West Elementary School receives grant to establish Project AIM High

BONSALL – A five-year $250,000 grant from the Department of Defense Education Activity (DoDEA) will allow Bonsall West Elementary School to improve learning through STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) programs and social-emotional counseling.

“Project AIM High” (Academic achievement, Innovation, Mental Health) will prepare military dependent students for success in reading, writing, science and emotional health at Bonsall West Elementary School. The project will increase access to technology, build creativity in the sciences, and increase reading and writing fluency.

Students will extend STEM learning beyond the classroom walls with access to a makerspace and a STEM lab. Teachers will receive professional development in designing STEM lessons aligned to Next Generation Science Standards. Through Project AIM High, students will immerse themselves in solving real world problems and aspire to become leaders in their future education and careers.

“Project AIM High is a transformative grant which will positively impact all of our students, especially our military dependents and their families,” said Bonsall West Elementary principal Tina Calabrese. “The funding will provide much needed hands-on science opportunities and technology access. The grant will also provide counseling support during transitions of deployment: pre-deployment, deployment, and re-entry to family life after deployment. Our military dependents and their families have sacrificed so much for our country. We are excited to provide our students with the tools and resources to be successful.”

“Students and teachers are already so innovative in their implementation of technology in the classroom at Bonsall West,” stated Craig Leach, Technology & Learning Coordinator. “This project will allow their creativity and learning to soar through access to a makerspace, mobile STEM labs, and 1:1 technology.”

“I am very pleased about the collaboration between our Technology & Learning Coordinator, Craig Leach, and principal, Tina Calabrese, to secure the Project AIM High grant,” said Superintendent David Jones. “With careful planning and effective implementation of the grant resources, my hope is that we will see a positive impact on student learning. I am appreciative of their efforts, and I am excited for the new opportunities for our students.”

For more information on this project, contact Craig Leach, Bonsall Unified School District Technology & Learning Coordinator and Project AIM High Project Director at [email protected] or by phone (760) 631-5200.

For questions regarding the DoDEA Grant Program, or to comment on this or any other grant funded initiative, contact the DoDEA Education Partnership and Resources Branch at [email protected] or by phone (571) 372-6026.