Staff report

 

The Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians Foundation is accepting grant applications for its Technology in Schools Program, which is aimed at helping Santa Barbara County schools upgrade the curriculum in their classrooms and boost their high-tech resources.

The deadline to apply for the 2020-2021 school year is April 30, 2020, and all applications must be submitted online at www.santaynezchumash.org.

The program allows school administrators and faculty to apply for technology grant dollars to fund specific projects. With schools struggling to keep their equipment and software up to date, finding additional resources to pay for new technology can be difficult for local schools.

Since its inception in 2015, the tribe’s Technology in Schools Program has issued more than $195,000 in grants to area schools. Grant awards for the 2019-2020 school year will be announced in the coming weeks.

“These grants have provided new laptops for classrooms and school districts in need, funded the purchase of software that improves reading skills in young learners and paid for the equipment necessary to support innovative learning environments,” said Kenneth Kahn, Tribal Chairman of the Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians. “We’re proud of our Technology in Schools Program because it gives our local educators an opportunity to modernize their classrooms and expose young minds to technological advances without affecting their school’s strict budget.”

Past beneficiaries of the Technology in Schools Program from the Santa Ynez Valley include Santa Ynez Valley Christian Academy, Santa Ynez Valley Charter School, Santa Barbara Community Academy, Jonata Middle School in Buellton, the Solvang School District, the Los Olivos School District, and the College School District in Santa Ynez.

For more information and to access applications, please visit www.santaynezchumash.org or call 805-688-7997.