Incline Education Fund Secures Two $50,000 STEM Grants for Incline Schools

The Incline Education Fund (IEF) was awarded a $50,000 grant in early October from the Washoe County Community Reinvestment Program for the Incline High School Engineering and Entrepreneurship program. They received a second $50,000 grant this January from the Nevada Governor’s Office of Science, Innovation and Technology (OSIT) to support the Incline Middle School Robotics Program.

Founded in late 2019, the nonprofit Incline Education Fund is the leading champion for Incline’s public schools. With an impressive list of successful projects, it now adds these grant awards to its list of accomplishments. 

With the push for STEM expertise, Danahey said that IEF realizes students will always need strong core academic skills in order to succeed in these exciting new programs. 

To ensure that all students are prepared, IEF has partnered with Tahoe Tutoring “to provide extra academic reinforcement to those who most need a little extra help at both Incline Elementary and Middle School,” explained cofounder Sharon Schrage. “Plans are also underway to give that same additional attention to students above grade level to foster extra academic enrichment.”

In just the past two years, the Incline Education Fund has become the driving force in bringing innovative educational programs to Incline schools.

Recent Incline Education Fund’s successful programs include:

• Successful pilot & launch of UNR’s Dean’s Future Scholars pilot program
  • Ongoing mentorship program at Incline Middle School
• The Courage Project pilot program at Incline Elementary School
  • Ongoing program to build resiliency at IES
• IEF Sponsored educational events
  • including: Mock Interview Day, EdPlanIt College Boot Camp, TERC Science Expo, Incline Elementary School Parent Nights
• Technology Drive for Incline Middle School
  • Raised $100,000+ to provide laptops for each student
• Incline Elementary School Makerspace
  • Raised $100,000+ for a robotics and coding lab

In addition to academic support, Incline Education Fund is also underwriting some of the Incline Middle Schools’ Exploratory classes, including swimming and the new culinary class this semester.  Outside of the classroom, IEF has partnered with AAUW Tahoe-Nevada to bring both a Girls Who Code chapter and a Culinary Club to students. IEF is also working with both Incline Village Rotary Groups to update the Incline Middle School library.

IEF is always looking for individuals willing to share their skills and experience as mentors, coaches or as a speaker. “Volunteers are always needed to help with tutoring or as reading buddies, classroom aides, subject specialists and most importantly, substitute teachers.”

To learn more or to donate, email Mary Danahey, maryd@inclineeducationfund.org, Sharon Schrage, sharons@inclineeducationfund.org, or visit the Incline Education Fund website.