The Summer break has been a busy time as leadership at Fallbrook Unified Elementary School Fallbrook Union Elementary School District prepare to announce its recent awarding of a $750,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Defense Education Activity (DoDEA). According to the Committee on Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) Education of the National Science and Technology Council, it is critical to our national security that our students spark interest in critical and fast-growing careers in STEM and our PreK-12 education system is poised to increase and sustain student engagement in STEM. This grant, Project CAMO (Concepts, Application, Methods, and Optimization), will provide two schools located on Camp Pendleton, Mary Fay Pendleton School and San Onofre School, with the college and career-ready resources necessary to successfully expand the district’s STEM program.

 

“Project CAMO will not only prepare our students for the future, but it will also prepare them to create the future,” says Maria Flaherty, STEM Coach and Grant Director.

 

The DoDEA awarded $6.75 million nationally across 8 grants as part of its 2019 Cohort. These grants will serve more than 68,000 students across 6 states, 27,000 of whom are military-connected. DoDEA’s Education Partnership and Resources division strives to ensure all military-connected K-12 students have access to quality educational opportunities through engagement in partnerships with school districts and professional organizations. The division provides school personnel and stakeholders with evidence-based resources and supports to increase understanding and awareness related to the unique challenges faced by military-connected students and families.