After years of high demands for STEM equipment, the Santa Clarita Valley Education Foundation officials have allocated funding for a more well-rounded arena of school equipment, including drone equipment and trombones.

On Feb. 8, the SCVEF board plans to give grants to 18 teachers and their principals for classroom innovation.  

“Years ago, the grants were focused more on stem equipment — but because the needs have changed, we saw many more grants for more basic needs,” said Jackie Hartmann the Executive Director of the Education Foundation.

The SCV Education Foundation officials plan to donate $23,000 to 18 of the 35 applicants for their equipment requests, an increase from the $13,000 donated to 12 of the 19 applicants for equipment last year.

“It doesn’t always have to be innovative,” said Hartmann, explaining that the funds were judged by five board members from each school district, on the program’s need for the equipment, and its impact on students.

Although the creative use of the equipment played an additional factor in the judging criteria, the board eliminated applicants based on vague and unclear reasoning for their requests, according to Hartmann.

Members of SCVEF have distributed $500,000 of its funding over the course of its history, that it’s gained from fundraisers and donations from other organizations.