SAN DIMAS/LA VERNE – Thirty-three Bonita Unified School District educators received more than $13,000 in teacher mini-grants from the La Verne/San Dimas Educational Foundation (LVSDEF) during the Nov. 5 Board of Education meeting, aimed at bolstering hands-on and engaging educational experiences.

The grants will fund projects that strengthen instruction in literacy, science, arts, technology, and collaborative learning. Educators will use the funds to purchase classroom tools, and provide resources that support growth in key academic areas.

“We are deeply grateful to the LVSDEF for providing our teachers with opportunities to bring different and engaging learning experiences into the classroom,” Bonita Unified Superintendent Matt Wien said. “Their generosity empowers our educators to support student learning outcomes in meaningful ways that set Bonita Unified apart.”

Among this year’s recipients is Robin Torres, a first-grade teacher at Gladstone Elementary and 11-year BUSD teacher who is using her $350 grant to enhance her students’ phonics, writing, and literacy skills. Funds will purchase magnetic letter sets for phonics instruction, reusable writing boards that support penmanship development, and books to supplement her classroom library selection.

According to Torres, opportunities like the LVSDEF mini-grants allow educators to introduce unique learning experiences that maintain student interest and strengthen reading comprehension – a skill that supports academic success across all other subjects.

“Having tools that let students see, touch, and manipulate letters and words keeps them engaged and helps them understand how reading and writing fit together,” Torres said. “Teachers spend so much of their own money on classroom supplies, so having this opportunity truly makes a difference.”

The 2025-26 LVSDEF Mini-Grant recipients are:

  • Allen Avenue Elementary: Angela Parra, Brooke Salgado, Emily O’Connor
  • Bonita High School: John McLuckey
  • Chaparral-Vista High School: Courtney Lytle
  • Ekstrand Elementary: Catherine Calderon Rojas, Elizabeth Hutter, Kelly Sera Kohler, Sara Davis
  • Gladstone Elementary: Adrian Wong, Brooke Wharton, Robin Torres
  • Grace Miller Elementary: Amy Benson, Antonio Garza, April Maidens, Emilee Duenas, Ruby Olacio
  • La Verne Heights Elementary: Karla Iniguez
  • Lone Hill Middle School: Alicia Saldana, Armando Jacquez, Kevin Amegin, Michelle Cruz, Mitchell Jacobs
  • Oak Mesa Elementary: Heather Hoynes
  • Ramona Middle School: Alexandra Laszlo
  • Roynon Elementary: Amanda Nulty, Dena Seman, Kristin McDaniel, Monica Johnson
  • San Dimas High School: Austin Sill, Sarah Ruiz
  • Shull Elementary: Alyssa Ferree, Kelly Montgomery

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BUSD_LVSDEF_MINI_GRANTS: Teachers from across Bonita Unified School District are awarded LVSDEF mini-grants for classroom supplies during the Nov. 5 Board of Education meeting.