Innovative Learning Grants 2021-22

The Mountain View Los Altos High School Foundation awarded over $100,000 toward Innovative Learning Grants for the 2021-22 school year.

The Innovative Learning Grants are a competitive application process, and grant recipients are required to submit a written evaluation of their project’s outcome within two weeks of completion of the project. “These grants are intended to foster innovation while cultivating exciting new collaborations among students. The projects may also serve as pilot programs which, if successful, could become part of the curriculum in the future,” said Brigitte Sarraf, retired Assistant Superintendent of Education Services and current Director of Assessment & Accountability, who oversees the grant selection and evaluation process. Congratulations to the following grant recipients and projects approved in Rounds 1 and 2 for the 2021-22 school year.

• scaling potential, such as incorporation into the curriculum, shared future use by others in the course team, and potential for replication across the district,
• impact on student learning, such as enhancing depth of knowledge, applicability to addressing real-world problems, interdisciplinary approaches to problem-solving, and
• effectiveness in challenging students to make connections and discover alternative problem-solving.

Los Altos High Grant Recipients and Projects

Round 1 approved 5/12/21

• Bernice Wei & Connie Chen, Mandarin 1-4 & AP: hands-on Chinese cultural experiences to advance understanding
• Linda Hambrick, Environmental Science: hydroponics
• Michael Moul, Journalism, Talon, New Media Lit: Digital recording equipment to expand journalism course to more students
• Jacob Russo, Agricultural Ecology: plant and grow a variety of crops in a sustainable fashion

Round 2 approved 10/13/21

• Tory Johnson, Biology & AP Biology: using models to understand complex biological concepts
• Linda Hambrick & Lisa Cardellini, AP Biology: ecospheres to study living organisms and connections in the natural sciences
• Stephen Hine & Sarah Alvarado, TED: Collaboration to bring Art into STEM
• Silja Paymer & Stephen Hine, AP Physics: Reimagining assessments as hands-on experiences
• Meghan Strazicich, Biology, Biotechnology, Forensics: CRISPR sequence-specific control of gene expression
• Jacob Russo, Agricultural Ecology: Greenhouse of Agricultural Ecology

Mountain View High Grant Recipients and Projects

Round 1 approved 5/12/21

• Mickey Lai: Special education: digital notetaking to enhance learning
• Brendan Dilloughery, Financial Math: Stock Market & Budget Simulations
• Hector Perez,  English: creative writing publication for literary club
• Gabi Elfenbein, Special education: Academic Communication & Job Skill Development
• Wei Lu & Jennifer Chui: Mandarin 1-4 & AP: Hands-on Chinese cultural experiences to advance understanding
• Lori Nock, Graphic design and Journalism, start-up cost for SLAM magazine club
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Round 2 approved 10/13/21

• Lori Nock, Art: drawing and illustration with digital tools
• Ann Nguyen, Anatomy & Physiology: Vernier probes to monitor the physiology of exercise
• Nicole Higley & Minako Walther, Japanese 1-4: Japanese woodblock printing
• David Cmaylo, AP Biology, spectrophotometer photosynthesis project
• Carla Gomez, Oracle: Podcast creation: taking learning offline and into the world