Cox Communications Awards More Than $52,000 in "Innovation in Education" Grants to Orange County Schools

LAKE FOREST, Calif. – Dec. 3, 2015 – Cox Communications (Cox) has awarded $52,000 in “Innovation in Education” grants to 15 Orange County schools in the Cox service area to help fund innovative programs for students in grades K-12. The grant program invited principals, administrators and teachers at eligible schools to submit a grant application for innovative classroom projects that focus on skills-based learning, STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art/Design, and Mathematics), digital literacy, or cyber citizenship (responsibly using the Internet).

“The Innovation in Education Program is part of Cox’s long-standing commitment to education,” said MyMy Lu, Manager of Public Affairs, Cox Communications. “By supporting innovation in the classroom, we can help prepare students for the future.”

The 2015 Innovation in Education grant recipients are:

Capistrano Unified School District

• Keith Hancock, Tesoro High, Commercial Music Production
• Jason Harney, Aliso Viejo Middle, Classroom Teaching Piano
• Jacqueline Porter, San Juan Elementary, Robotic Arms
• Katrina Streza, Dana Hills High, EBSCO Host Student Research Center
• Jenny Vaccaro, Spencer Dorn, Chuck Hobbs, Vista del Mar Middle, iPads for the Electives
• Mark Yanaura, Vista del Mar Middle, Video Production

Irvine Unified School District

• Liz Harlow, Canyon View Elementary, Chromebooks for Digital Literacy
• Alice Shin, University Park Elementary, Kindergarten Newcomers
• Kathie Wilhelm, Santiago Hills Elementary, Dashing Through the Code

Laguna Beach Unified School District

• Michelle Martinez, Thurston Middle, Forensic/Mock Trial of Richard III at the Battle of Bosworth

Saddleback Valley Unified School District

• Sean Fletcher, Los Alisos Intermediate, Snap Circuits Extreme
• Roscelia Lavenant, Los Alisos Intermediate, Maker from Scratch Project
• Leslie Harrison, dePortola Elementary, Chromebooks for Digital Literacy

Santa Ana Unified School District

• Christopher Martin, Century High, Information & Communication Technology Pathway

Tustin Unified School District

• Jessica Holmes, Hicks Canyon Elementary, Cognitive Guided Instruction

The “Innovation in Education” grant program is one of many ways Cox is supporting technology and education. Through the nonprofit initiative Connect2Compete, Cox offers discounted Internet service to families on the national free school lunch program to help bridge the digital divide. Cox also awards $150,000 annually in scholarships from the Cox Cares Foundation to graduating high schools seniors in California and provides $40,000 in annual support to school foundations in Orange County.