Teachers from throughout Ventura County are being honored with $14,000 in grants for developing innovative lessons for their students. At a ceremony Wednesday night in Oxnard, the Ventura County Office of Education presented 21 IMPACT II grants to teachers from nine schools in four local districts. The grants are funded by local businesses and organizations that wish to promote unique and creative teaching practices.

The 15 winners were selected from 63 applicants by judging teams comprised of educators and community members. The winning applications cover topics ranging from art to physics. 

2016 Ventura County IMPACT II Grant Recipients:

Sponsor: SAGE
Participants: Christa Lamb and Kari White
School: Colina Middle School
Grant Title: Bugging Out

Sponsor: State Farm
Participants: Ivy Brown and Jessica Murphy
School: Ventura Charter School
Grant Title: Celebrating Californians Both Past and Present

Sponsor: State Farm
Participants: Peter Daland
School: Moorpark High School
Grant Title: Economics of Starting a Small Business in Moorpark, California

Sponsor: State Farm
Participants: Kevin Downey and Joel Levin
School: Buena High School
Grant Title: Making Records in the Digital Age: Recording and Sharing Student
Voices

Sponsor: State Farm
Participants: Dave DeLos Santos, Debbie Maulhardt and Ernie Rodriquez
School: R.J. Frank Academy of Marine Science and Engineering
Grant Title: If You Have Knowledge, Let Others Light Their Candles in It

Sponsor: State Farm
Participants: Debbie Maulhardt
School: R.J. Frank Academy of Marine Science and Technology
Grant Title: "Knowledge is Having the Right Answers, Intelligence is asking the
Right Questions"

Sponsor: State Farm
Participants: Cathie Kourounis and Julie Roland
School: St. Paschal Baylon School
Grant Title: Math + Reading = Art

Sponsor: Amgen
Participants: Allan Viscarra
School: Ventura Charter School of Arts and Global Education
Grant Title: Do You Hear What I Hear?: An Investigation of Sound and
Vibration

Sponsor: Amgen
Participants: Jocelyn White, Diane Winter-Walorinta
School: Pacifica High School
Grant Title: Teaching Chemistry Through the Story of the Penny

Sponsor: SAGE
Participants: Laurie Curtis-Abbe
School: Anacapa Middle School
Grant Title: Read Across America Middle School & Elementary Schools
Collaboration

Sponsor: SAGE
Participants: Tiffany Armas, Karen Davis, Angela Jaquez and Kathy Wadley
School: La Mariposa Elementary
Grant Title: Let's S'more About Animals

Sponsor: SAGE
Participants: Jennifer Dobbie
School: Isbell Middle School
Grant Title: There's an App for That! Apps and Time Travel

Sponsor: SAGE
Participants: Maria Geib
School: Junipero Serra School
Grant Title: Chumash Interactive Museum

Sponsor: SAGE
Participants: Monica Lukins
School: DATA
Grant Title: GMO Mission Impossible Project

Sponsor: Ventura County Reading Association
Participants: Kimberly Hansmeier
School: Ventura Charter School of Arts and Global Education
Grant Title: The Power of Publishing

Sponsor: Amgen
Participants: Clark Barnett
School: Lang Ranch Elementary
Grant Title: 3D Printed Entomology

Sponsor: Amgen
Participants: Laura Bingham and Holly Johnson
School: Ventura Charter School
Grant Title: Home Is Where The Habitat Is

Sponsor: Amgen
Participants: Jena Branstetter, Nancy Escamilla, Francis Flores, Peri Froedge
and Judy Neumann
School: E.P. Foster STEM Academy
Grant Title: 2nd Grade Engineers: Building a Boat that Floats

Sponsor: Amgen
Participants: Ashley Cooper and Toni Young
School: Thousand Oaks High School
Grant Title: Expressing Yourself: Creative Writing in Biology

Sponsor: Amgen
Participants: Beth McGrath
School: Lindero Canyon Middle School
Grant Title: Dynamic Earth Pyramid

Sponsor: Amgen
Participants: Steve Rowley
School: Mound Elementary School
Grant Title: Healthy Farming = Healthy World
 

Special Awards

Title: Superintendent's Award
Sponsor: State Farm
Participants: Monica Lukins
School: De Anza Academy of Technology and the Arts

Title: Ed Lyon Excellence in Education Award
​Sponsor: Blois Construction
Participants: Jocelyn White and Diane Winter-Walorinta
School: Pacifica High School

More About IMPACT II 

IMPACT II is a curriculum sharing and recognition program for educators in kindergarten through grade 12 in all subject areas. Since 1993, Ventura County educators have received more than $300,000 in sponsor-funded grants.

Educators submit grant proposals about classroom-tested curricula they have developed. Individual educators whose proposals are selected receive $500. Collaborative efforts receive $750. 

Awards Ceremony Photo Gallery

Winning Lesson Plans

More about IMPACT II