Olive Pierce Middle School Awarded $5,000 Barona Education Grant For School Library Technology

SAN DIEGO, Sept. 10, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- The Barona Band of Mission Indians has awarded students and teachers at Olive Pierce Middle School a $5,000 Barona Education Grant. The public middle school, located in Ramona, will use the grant to purchase an interactive smart white board and a dozen Chromebook computers to update the technology in the school library.                                                                 

California State Assemblyman Randy Voepel sponsored the grant. Barona Tribal Chairman "Edwin" Thorpe Romero presented the $5,000 check to Principal Pauline Levitt and the students.

"The faculty at Olive Pierce is dedicated to providing students with the latest technology to help them achieve academic excellence and prepare them for careers," said Chairman Romero. "Our Tribe is proud to present this grant money to ensure each student has the tools and resources to help them succeed."

The school is currently working to transform its library space into an interactive learning space to promote digital literacy and to allow for students to access the new technology for special projects in the area of STEM learning and specifically creating computer codes.

Since the Barona Education Grant program was launched in 2006, Barona has awarded over $3.4 million to California schools statewide. The program has equipped 689 schools with hundreds of computers, thousands of books, iPads, computer software programs and various other technologies and school supplies.  The Barona Education Grant program is the first of its kind in California created and administered by a Tribal Government. The goal of the program is to create strong educational opportunities for the children of California building upon the success of the Barona Indian Charter School, which operates under a continuous improvement model. Schools throughout California can apply for educational grants from Barona to purchase much-needed supplies and materials that promote academic improvement. Each grant awarded by the Barona Education Grant Program is $5,000. Applications can be downloaded at http://barona-nsn.gov/education.

About the Barona Band of Mission Indians
The Barona Band of Mission Indians, recognized by the United States government as a sovereign nation, has lived on the Barona Indian Reservation in rural eastern San Diego County since 1932.  Prior to that, the Tribe lived on the Capitan Grande Reservation, which was established by the federal government in 1875. Long before living on a reservation, the Tribe traveled across Southern California in tune with the seasons and what nature provided. Today, the sovereign nation, governed by an elected Tribal Council, is serving its Tribal members, their families, and sharing with the San Diego region. One of the most successful gaming Tribes in the country, Barona also owns and operates the Barona Resort & Casino, San Diego's leading gaming resort, casino and golf course. For more information, visit www.barona-nsn.gov.

SOURCE Barona Band of Mission Indians