Scholar Student Innovative Program

I wanted to thank AEF once again for their mini-grant support which has helped fund my Scholar Student innovative program. As you know AUSD has started a Scholar Program to aid and enrich both academic and social emotional growth for students from communities that are often underserved and underrepresented. The program allows us to focus on the specific needs of identified students, meet and work with families to create concrete goals that we as a team can accomplish. Your generous and very educator friendly mini-grant allowed me to take it a step further and create a space we've called "Build-it Wednesdays!" for them to explore, overcome challenges as a team, collaborate, reflect on goals, and just have some hands-on fun. With your help, they have a variety of options to explore: Q-BA-Maze cubes where they build roller coasters for metal marbles, Keva sticks to connect in endless ways, award winning board games, cup stacking challenges, additions to my personal Lego set, and other ideas the scholars suggest themselves. It's a budding and always changing program with a growing collection that we've been able to expand to more students by the Scholars' personal request - always great to see pride and inclusiveness!

The level of quality products and engagement would not be present without AEF's most generous support. On behalf of all my wonderful students, I thank you very much.

Scott Hixon, 3rd Grade Teacher at Love Elementary School

Photos from Mr. Hixon's "Build-it Wednesdays" program below.