(SAN DIEGO) October 2008 – Fifteen middle schools throughout San Diego County have been awarded a total of $59,175.10 in Innovation in Education grants from the Cox Kids Foundation. Sponsored by Comerica Bank, the grants will be used by local teachers to create a new classroom project, build upon an existing one, purchase equipment and materials, or promote student learning and participation.

Through the Cox Kids Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Cox Communications, employees donate funds from their paychecks, which are matched 100% by the company to support San Diego area educational initiatives and children and families in need. The Innovation in Education program awards grants to local middle schools to help fund educational programs that promote innovation and imagination in local classrooms.

Chosen from nearly 100 applicants from throughout San Diego County, the 2008 Innovation in Education grant recipients are:

Bonita Vista Middle School, Chula Vista, $5,000 to implement a teacher-developed science program called “Point-of-View” that uses technology to help seventh- and eighth-grade students overcome common misconceptions and gain critical thinking skills. Instead of teacher-centered lectures, students will be exposed to an inquiry-based learning program.

Cajon Park Junior High School, Santee, $5,000 for “Moodle,” an online instructional program that offers students a new way to learn algebra. Initially, 70 eighth-grade students will be able to self-pace in groups or with a partner. This individualized, challenging program also features the use of online blogging or discussion thread components.

Cajon Valley Middle School, El Cajon, $4,956.50 for a creative program that uses ear training and rhythm on keyboards to help students, many who have come from war-torn countries and have had little or no schooling, develop listening skills to help them learn how to read, write and speak in English and build solid math and science foundations. The funds will be used to purchase microphones, portable CD players, CDs, CD Burner, keyboards and software, and headphones for students in sixth, seventh and eighth-grades.

Correia Middle School, San Diego, $5,000 to purchase digital sensors for environmental and scientific classroom investigation. The hand-held sensor units will afford students field experience to collect and analyze data including water quality, the greenhouse effect, micro-climate studies for seventh-grade science students.

Dehesa Charter School, Mission Valley, $5,000 for an innovative project that uses the “Page to Stage” teaching approach to help seventh- and eighth-grade students master skills in English.  Students will develop acting, video production and editing skills to create dynamic projects, and monies received will be used to purchase Mac books, Sony digital video cameras, a digital projector and digital cameras.

Emerald Middle School, El Cajon, $5,000 to purchase “e-Instruction’s Classroom Performance Systems,” an interactive program that uses computers and handheld clickers, allowing teachers to receive instant feedback from students before, during and after English lessons. The program, which automatically engages all students, will change the learning environment from a passive one to a participative one for seventh-grade students.

Greenfield Middle School, El Cajon, $2,500 for the “Tech Arts of the Future” program that will help students in math, science and music. The 18-module project affords students the opportunity to learn about ocean salinity using a conductivity meter, create musical pieces with broadcast software, learn the fundamentals of personal banking and test their BMI for a fitness plan.

La Presa Middle School, Spring Valley, $5,000  for a neighborhood documentary project, where sixth, seventh- and eighth-grade students will investigate a neighborhood issue and report their findings using poignant photographic images, sound, animation devices and editing skills. The monies received will be used to purchase Final Cut Studio 2 Software, a Mac Book Pro, digital camera and more for students who are members of the Altruist Club.

Lincoln Middle School, Oceanside, $3,378.45 to purchase document cameras, for all math teachers to aid in maximizing student engagement. With this new state-of-the-art technology, students will be able to display their thinking in a new way, teach others students using essential mathematical language, solve problems in groups and analyze and correct errors anonymously.

Madison Middle School, Oceanside, $2,748.81 to expand a program that is currently in place by increasing students’ knowledge of economic principals including opportunity cost, long-term budgeting and credit card debt. Approximately 190 students per year will benefit from this classroom debit card program, and monies received will be used to purchase Think Pads and barcode generators.

Montgomery Middle School, El Cajon, $2,270 to purchase “Classroom Performance Systems,” an interactive program that uses computers and handheld clickers, for sixth-, seventh- and eighth-grade students who currently receive educational resource support. The program will allow teachers to better assist students with mild disabilities.

Pacific View Charter School, Oceanside, $1,680 for “Study Island,” a web-based test preparation program that gives sixth-, seventh- and eighth-grade students instant feedback and built-in remediation. The program features standards-based curriculum and offers students the opportunity to choose their style of learning, standard test format and/or interactive games. Teacher and principals also have access to usage statistics and results for each student in a class.

Rincon Middle School, Escondido, $1,668.11 for the “Every Student Counts Project,” which helps students who are introverted, shy, not fluent in English, or have specific learning disabilities to respond to quiz questions using remote-control devices. The monies received will go towards purchasing Hyper-Interactive Teaching Technology (H-ITT) and will be used in reading, language and social studies classes for sixth-grade students.

Roosevelt Middle School, Oceanside, $5,000 for the “Inside the…Wild” (ITW), a bi-weekly video magazine that will be shown on closed-circuit TV. With this creative program, sixth and seventh-grade Special Day Students will learn vital life skills including writing, reading, speaking and managing behaviors by designing, filming and reporting. The monies funded will be used to purchase digital still cameras, tripods, microphones, DVDs, a Windows-based PC and more.

San Elijo, San Marcos, & Woodland Park Middle Schools, San Marcos, $4,973.23 for the “San Diego CyberTEAM” project, which uses laptop computers and videoconferencing gear for four sixth-grade classes at three schools to use to collaborate with Scripps Institute of Oceanography scientists, California Parks interpreters ands Cal State University San Marcos faculty.

To date, nearly $3 million has been raised through the Cox Kids Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Cox Communications, for community programs for children and families in need in the area of health, education and social services. For more information, visit www.coxkidsfoundation.org.