On Thursday, March 19, 2015, Harbor Community Benefit Foundation (HCBF) received unanimous support from the Port of Los Angeles Board of Harbor Commissioners to release $300,000 in grants, funded through the Port Community Mitigation Trust Fund, for the pilot round of HCBF’s Harbor Schools: S.T.E.A.M. Initiative. A total of 17 programs were chosen, benefitting 22 LAUSD schools located in Wilmington and San Pedro. The first program of its kind in the Harbor area, HCBF’s Harbor Schools: S.T.E.A.M. Initiative promotes science, technology, engineering, arts, and math as a pathway for Harbor students to address Port impacts in their communities, increase engagement with coastal and maritime resources, and pursue Port-related careers.

The grant awards, up to $25,000 per applicant, are directed to either an LAUSD school located in Wilmington or San Pedro, or a non-profit organization working in collaboration with a Wilmington or San Pedro school.“HCBF’s S.T.E.A.M. Initiative is one way that the Harbor communities can respond to the environmental challenges of living adjacent to a port,” said David Sloane, HCBF Board Member. “Educating a new generation of young people to grow up to be responsible civic leaders, innovative professionals and researchers, and creative artists will improve their communities and lessen their health and social inequities.”HCBF’s newest competitive grant program provides equitable funding to San Pedro and Wilmington, with $150,000 in grants directed to each community. HCBF considered a range of innovative and impactful programs, with 31 applicants requesting over $670,000 in grant funding.

Proposals were evaluated on their ability to use S.T.E.A.M. to address Port impacts, increase access and engagement with coastal or maritime resources, and/or support Port-related careers.Selected projects include an underwater robotics program at Banning High School, a Port technology pilot program at Avalon Continuation School, a 3D-printing plankton project at Pt. Fermin Elementary, a joint aquatic nursery and robotics program at Dana Middle School and Cabrillo Marine Aquarium, a collaborative science at sea and tall ship program with Wilmington Middle school and Los Angeles Maritime Institute, and field trips aboard a floating laboratory in the Los Angeles Harbor run by Think Earth, among others.

Selected schools and organizations will begin work in the Spring of the current school year and may continue into the 2015-16 academic year.

Inaugural Harbor Schools: S.T.E.A.M. Initiative Recipients:

1. Banning High School (HS), w/ PORPOISE Robotics
2. Broad Avenue Elementary School (ES)
3. Cabrillo Avenue ES
4. Cabrillo Marine Aquarium, w/ Dana Midddle School(MS)
5. Dana MS
6. Foundation for Marine Animal Husbandry
7. Grand Vision Foundation, w/ multiple schools
8. Hawaiian Ave ES Foundation
9. International Trade Education Programs (ITEP), w/ Banning HS
10. Los Angeles Maritime Institute, w/ Wilmington MS
11. Park Western ES
12. Point Fermin ES
13. POLA HS
14. Palos Verdes Peninsula Land Conservancy, w/ multiple schools
15. Sharefest, w/ Avalon Continuation School
16. Taper Ave ES Technology Magnet
17. Think Earth, w/ multiple schools

Harbor Community Benefit Foundation (HCBF) is an independent 501(c)3 non-profit organization formed in 2011. Its mission is to assess, protect, and improve the health, quality of life, aesthetics, and physical environment of the harbor communities of San Pedro and Wilmington, California, which have been impacted by the Port of Los Angeles. HCBF accomplishes this through grantmaking, independent research, and collaborative community engagement.(This story was provided via www.hcbf.org any questions contact (310) 997-7116, ata@hcbf.org)