Irvine Public Schools Foundation (IPSF) recently granted $140,000 to 35 teachers for innovative projects at 19 schools in the Irvine Unified School District (IUSD), through its annual Innovative Teaching Award Program. “We are thrilled to be able to celebrate the innovation that our schools are famous for,” stated Neda Eaton, IPSF President & CEO. “This brings our total funding amount to $952,911 since 1996.”
The reception honoring recipients and funders was held at Strawberry Farms Golf Club in Irvine. Funding for the Innovative Teaching Award Program is made possible by donations to the Parents Appreciating Teachers and Staff (PATS) program and IPSF partners, including Charles and Mildred Schnurmacher Foundation, Inc., COX Communications, Toshiba America Foundation, and the Exchange Club of Irvine. The goal of the Innovative Teaching Award Program is to inspire and support innovative teaching and counseling in Irvine schools, and to provide direct resources for implementation in the classroom. According to grant recipient Nancy Driscoll, “There is no state funding for our program, so we just feel really fortunate that IPSF has come through for us.” Grants were awarded for projects in robotics, health, technology, music, engineering, podcasting, 3D design, as well as many other areas. A complete list of recipients and projects, along with a short video highlighting the impact of innovation grants, can be found at ipsf.net.