Innovative Learning Grants 2024-25

The Mountain View Los Altos High School Foundation awarded over $100,000 toward Innovative Learning Grants for the 2024-25 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, who oversees the grant selection and evaluation process. Congratulations to the following grant recipients and projects approved in Rounds 1 and 2 for the 2024-25 school year.

Awards were based on the projects’:

• 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, and  interdisciplinary approaches to problem-solving
• effectiveness in challenging students to make connections and discover alternative problem-solving.

Adult Transition Recipients and Project

Round 1 approved May 2024

Jay Ruby, Louisa Danford, Lark Leet, Lily Wang, Adult Transition Program: T-shirt Design Project with XTool

Alta Vista Grant Recipients and Projects

Round 2 approved October 2024

• Jennifer Lewis, Career Exploration: Fashion Design

Los Altos High Grant Recipients and Projects

Round 1 approved May 2024

• James Stiltner & Tory Johnson, Biotechnology, AP Bio & ASI Collaboration: Omega Microplate Reader
• Connie Chen & Bernice Wei, Mandarin: Guest speaker Series  with hands-on activities
• Archana Venugopal, Linda Hambrick, Biology and Environmental Science: Ecosystems models
• Linda Hambrick, Heather Laederich, Archana Venugopal, Greg Stoehr, Elizabeth Pyne, Biology: Personalized & Memorable Scientific Investigations for all students with Shrimp Hatcheries

Round 2 October 2024

• Gabrielle Tabor & Antonio Murillo, Spanish 3 & 3H: Building a Culture of Reading
• Joseph Manildi & Stephen Hine, Engineering 1 & 2: Drones in Engineering
• James Stiltner, Bio-Tech: Modeling Industry Production, Purification, and QC testing of Proteins
• Persephone Hintlian, Special Ed: Therapeutically Enhanced Class

Mountain View High Grant Recipients and Projects

Round 1 approved May 2024

• Kathy Brenner: Life Skills: Restorative Yoga & Social-emotional LearningStephen Widmark, AP Physics C/E&M: Hydrogen Alpha Solar Telescope
• Lauren Camarillo & Tom Chang, Ambassadors &  Digital Communication Collaboration: Community Spotlights
• Raylynn Villa, SAI English I-V: SAI/Resource Classroom Library
• Lori Nock & Minako Walther, Photography 2 & AP Japanese Collaboration: Finding Creativity & Peace in Japanese Zen Garden
• Jack West, AP Physics 1: Real-Time Data Collection & Mathematical Analysis
• Stephen Widmark, AP Physics C/E&M: Hydrogen Alpha Solar Telescope

Round 2 approved October 2024

• Wei Lu & Jennifer Chiu, Mandarin: Lion Dance Costume and Instruments
• Tami Kittle, Folklorico Dance: Costumes & Community Service Project
• Stephen Widmark, AP Physics 1: Real-Time Data Collection & Mathematical Analysis
• Jonathan Bower, Ann Nguyen & Sukhraj Sohal, Bio Honors:  PCR Testing for the Bitter Taster Gene