The Cabrillo Education Foundation (CEF) mission is to champion success for all Coastside public school students. CEF’s Endowment Fund is designed to provide a long term, stable source of funding for student success within the Cabrillo Unified School District. This is a group of folks who care about the public school students and the families of CUSD. I am very proud to be a member!
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I am so honored to sing the praises of CEF, the Cabrillo Education Foundation! I am a proud board member of CEF, and am blown away by the many ways the public school students' lives on the Coastside are enriched by the many programs CEF funds. CEF funds Innovation Grants for teachers and students, an AP Computer Science class at the high school, Coastside Futures' Scholarships to eligible high school graduates, a 5th grade science teacher, Literacy Initiatives which include support for Los Listos Preschool, Big Lift Inspiring Summers program and an ELL Dean at Cunha, as well as the AVID program which helps 6-12th grade students prepare for 21st century careers. This year CEF worked with the HMBHS to produce a job fair, which led to many summer and full-time jobs. Most exciting is the creation of the Community Resilience Hub, a trusted center on the Cunha campus where students and families in the district can come for educational and wrap-around services with a focus on the whole child. This center is built on a partnership with CEF, Boys & Girls Club of the Coastside, ALAS (Ayudando Latinos A Sonar) and Cabrillo Unified School District. This new venture will bring four strong community-based organizations together to have an even greater positive impact on the public school students of the Coastside.
I teach in a wonderful school with limited resources. As a teacher, it is a major struggle to get materials and resources from the school district. We truly have a limited budget.
As a science and STEAM teacher, I want to provide meaningful and hands-on learning experiences for my students. The Cabrillo Education Foundation not only makes this a possibility for me, but also supports all teachers , students and families in our district.
The Cabrillo Education Foundation supports our community in many ways. As a science teacher, the Cabrillo Education Foundation has provided opportunities for all the science teachers in our district to meet and collaborate. We are able to map out a supportive and concrete plan for our students from 5th grade to AP Physics.
As a STEAM teacher, the Cabrillo Education Foundation has made it very easy for me to provide project based learning to my students. I easily completed an Innovation Grant from the Cabrillo Education Foundation and was provided money to purchase Humming Bird Coding Kits. With these kits, my students were able to learn coding and design their own projects. Students were able to bring their own personality into their projects: battle robots, a robotic kitty, and a musical dinosaur.
CEF is a wonderful partner organization to the City of Half Moon Bay. From the community hub that supports programming and provides space for critical supportive services like counseling, to drawing scores of families to Back to School Night at our local Make It Main Street event - CEF is dedicated to Coastside students and families. Their leadership is a delight to work with and quick to rally around innovative opportunities to get kids and families the services they deserve.
Cabrillo Education Foundation continues to be a close partner in our local Big Lift Literacy Collaborative. The Big Lift is a countywide initiative focused on raising literacy rates. CEF co authored our local application for funding and also provides multiple sources of financial support across the Coastside. Superbly functioning organization focused on local educational needs.
I am thankful for Cabrillo Education Foundation (CEF) in our community. They are able to help fund innovative projects at our local public schools that state funding does not allow for -making a huge impact for our local students.
"I think my favorite part about being the district science specialist is that I get an opportunity to work with students across the district. I think I have approximately 225 students to whom I have the privilege of delivering instruction and giving a little push towards the sciences. To have the opportunity to work with all of the fifth graders across the district, has been tremendous. The subjects studied in fifth grade are science inquiry, properties of matter, and how energy moves through ecosystems. In addition to that, there is a program on coding and robotics. I would like to give my thanks to CEF for stepping up and funding such a valuable program and showing a commitment to quality science instruction in the Cabrillo Unified School District."
Thank you CEF! Last summer I was offered the opportunity to go to Business Innovation Forum at Yale University but coming from a low income family I was worried that this great opportunity wasn't going to be possible. Thankfully Cabrillo Education Foundation awarded me the Student Initiative grant that covered most of the costs to go to the program. At the program learned more about the business field by doing hands on activities, hearing from guest speakers that work in that field, and interacting with like-minded individuals. Not only that but this experience also taught me more about independence, collage life, and how to network with others. In the present-day given me the courage to take on leadership roles in my school and community. I give all the credit to Cabrillo Education Foundation for making this life changing experience possible.
CEF is an essential partner with our local public schools, funding innovative teacher projects and effective programs and pilots to advance literacy, STEM, and student wellness. We’ve been monthly donors for years because strong public schools are the foundation of strong communities and strong democracies.
For more than 15 years, CEF has been raising funds to build an endowment - to support public school students and teachers to be more successful.
I often hear parents thanking CEF for funding early literacy or the science program at our elementary schools.
I really appreciate the fiduciary role and prudent investment choices the board has made to care for these funds.
I also love their innovation grants, allowing students and teachers to collaborate on different practical applications.
Keep up the great work!
I can’t think of a better cause to donate to than CEF. This foundation makes a huge difference to the lives of so many children. We give every year. The CEF Endowment has helped reading levels, science programs, created a computer science curriculum, and many more.
CEF exemplifies the collaborative leadership all communities need to help their students learn and grow! Combining visionary thinking, strategic planning, and effective implementation in close partnership with school district and other non-profit partners, they continue to drive toward true equity and excellence for all students.
The work CEF has done for our community is priceless. Every child in every grade has benefited from their generosity. Having donated, volunteered and had children who have enjoyed the experiences they’ve contributed to I can say this organization is thoughtful with the programs they provide, innovated in the way they raise money and genuinely care for our community. We are so very lucky for the hard work and dedication CEF brings to the coast.
CEF is an amazing organization and invaluable to our school district. We donate every year and we SEE those dollars being put back into our schools - saving programs that would otherwise be discontinued. As a parent, community member, and donor I am proud to support CEF.
CabrilloEducationFoundation 10/28/2021
your support means a lot and helps us to do what we do!!
thanks to the CEF I was able to bring awareness to the field of Geology and paleontology by creating a display case that not only displays specimens from around the globe but by those who collect them around town. a good 25% of the fossils on display were donated by locals in Half Moon Bay. Geosciences aren't really something widely recognized unless people spot huge skeletons or volcanic models, However, thanks to the CEF the people of Half Moon Bay and its visitors can now witness just how small and important this field actually is./
CabrilloEducationFoundation 10/28/2021
You can feel really proud of the work you did to bring this to our community! We love to support such inspiring students.
"I have received grants from the Cabrillo Education Foundation for a variety of great projects over the years. One of my favorites is the grants for hiring someone to run a Shakespeare Camp. This makes Shakespeare accessible to most students and fun for all. Students learn the basics of stage performance (the most fun) while also learning not to be afraid of Shakespeare. They are up and about, running around, while improving their literacy and self-esteem.
These grants help teachers feel appreciated as we navigate modern education."
CEF's support of the 5th grade science teacher has been incredibly impactful. Students participate in a genuine, hands on, lab science program in elementary school. This program is a perfect transition from the science of wonder and curiosity for our younger students to science of inquiry, experimentation and theorization that engages our older students. It also prepares students for the rigors of lab science that lasts through middle school and on to high school
CEF creates educational opportunities with an eye on equity for all students in our school district. Top business minds and thought leaders in our community have taken turns on the CEF board and shine light on needs, gaps and opportunities to better prepare our students for future educational and career paths, and make investments toward that end. CEF is a vital partner in education for CUSD and a worthy organization for our charitable contributions.
Thank you CEF for supporting HMBHS Algebra 2 students; you rock! I feel it's important to be able to provide the necessary learning materials for all students, in order to be successful in their academics. Graphing Calculators are first introduced when a student reaches their Algebra 2 course at HMBHS. These devices are not easy to obtain, but you have brought our Math department one step closer to helping achieve this goal for our students, of having a class set. Thank you for the five TI-84 graphing calculators. We hope to lend these out to students in need, or to serve as a backup in the classroom, when in-person learning resumes. Thank you for the generous donation!
The Cabrillo Educational Foundation is a vital partner for the Cabrillo Unified School District. Its financial assistance helps fill the gaps left by inadequate local and state educational funding. CEF grants help teachers innovate and take instructional risks benefiting all CUSD students.
The Cabrillo Education Foundation has been a tremendous supporter of a number of vital programs at Half Moon Bay High School.
Supporting the Advancement Via Individual Determination (AVID) program allows students who may not have traditionally attended college, get the support and skills to prepare them for success at a four-year university. Our computer science program is taking the next step in its development, adding Advanced Placement Computer Science for the first time, funded by CEF. During these very challenging times, we have created an entirely new course offering for the fall, Positive Psychology, and this too is funded by the CEF. Additionally, CEF has given multiple financial scholarships to graduates who are ready to enter college or the workforce in the fall.
We are truly appreciative and grateful to have such a wonderful partner who has focused on the needs of all the students in our district.
Sincerely
John Nazar
Principal
Half Moon Bay High School
I can't speak highly enough about CEF and its efforts to make a difference in the Half Moon Bay community. Its commitment to enrich education for kids of all ages on the Coast goes above and beyond, from funding for literacy at early ages, science for elementary schools, and the focus on college and career readiness. All of which have longterm impact on the education journey. The effort to make sure every dollar counts (no matter how big or small) through long term investment has had tremendous success giving CEF the continued opportunity to fund these programs and more. My favorite part of CEF is the support of the Coastal Community. It is tremendous and inspiring with many donors continuing to give long after their kids have grown. It is a place where innovation and creativity are welcome when figuring out solutions to constant funding needs, gathering input from teachers, administrators, parents and students bringing the community together in support of kids education.
Cabrillo Unified School District is so appreciative of and so grateful for the contributions CEF makes to our schools on the Coastside, whether it be much needed funding this year that helped us continue to provide programs designated to be cut from CUSD schools or the collaborative thought partnership provided by CEF staff and board members. As CUSD's superintendent, I have personally spoken to this appreciation in CUSD Board of Education meetings, but it cannot be underestimated or understated. CEF helps CUSD provide much needed programs and services to our community of families, students, and staff, and CEF also helps us push toward brainstorming and implementing programs that are innovative and student-centered. The examples are far too many to list here, but I know CUSD is stronger because of our partnership with CEF. Certainly we appreciate the hundreds of thousands of dollars CEF brings to CUSD in funding each year, but please know the thought partnership and the mission alignment that we have developed over time in our shared goal of reaching every child every day are priceless to CUSD. Many thanks to CEF for all they do for all of us!
Thanks to CEFs support we've been able to hold and provide food for our first two Family Literacy Nights. We had about 25 families at our first event at Farallone View and 21 families at our event at Moonridge. In total at least 100 people attended these two events. We provided the families with resources, information, and the HMB Library even gave out free books to every attendee. A volunteer also collected new and slightly used books that were leveled and given to students at the Moonridge event.
As part of our push to improve literacy skills we also launched a school-wide reading program that has taken the school by storm. Students turn in a reading log and one classroom wins "Whiskers"our stuffed school mascot for the week. Over 50% of the students are participating and participation is growing week-over-week.
The Coastside Land Trust's Junior Land Stewards Program wants to thank CEF for the support given to our program. It is because of their funding that we were able to purchase our necessary materials, such as the students’ scientific journals, writing implements, field work tools, plant seeds for the native pollinator garden, and culminating project art supplies. We are very grateful for this! CEF is an awesome organization doing such awesome work in the community and for our schools!
Thanks you CEF for funding a match in SIPA's first participation in Coastside Gives. Not only were we able to reach our goal, but SIPA was also granted the legitimacy and visibility of being acknowledged as an important school support organization. We were honored to be under the CEF umbrella.
CEF funded two $1,000 grants to subsidize basic swimming lessons in a local swim school for our 4th graders who could not swim. These grants literally changed my students' lives, and the lives of their families. Some families had never had the opportunity to learn to swim. They are barely earning a living, and do not have the resources to pay for swimming lessons, or a means of transport to bring their children to a pool. The CEF grant made it possible for our students to learn this life-saving skill.
Many of those students were very self-conscious about something they perceived as a deficiency in themselves. They required a lot of encouragement and reassurance to even attempt something new. Some took to swimming literally like a duck to water, and others took longer to overcome their fears - but they, too, learned to swim. In swimming, as in life, we all learn at different rates, but they discovered that they can and do learn with hard work and practice - also a valuable life lesson. Their self-confidence increased immensely, which carries over into other endeavors.
In addition to learning a healthy sport they can enjoy all their lives, these students learned a skill they could share. As one student said, "Now I can teach my brothers and sisters and parents how to swim, too." The CEF investment rippled through whole families. The following year when I asked about applying for swimming lessons again, four students in my class said their brothers and sisters who were previously in the program had already taught them to swim. In other words, it was a gift with legs! All this would not have been possible without the grant from CEF.
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This year, due to Covid-19, all our field trips were cancelled except the 4 field trips we took early in the year to study and plant native species in our Junior Land Stewards habitat restoration project, which was partially funded by CEF. We received composition notebooks and used them to write facts we learned, journal observations we made in the field and the classroom, and also to write and illustrate reflections on our experiences. It was new and wonderful for students to do science in the field: getting dirty, learning that not all experiments go according to plan, and sharing the experience with their friends. My students adored working with their high school mentors, and loved the mix of active fieldwork and deeply introspective expression.
The Cabrillo Education Foundation has been very important to Cunha Intermediate School in maintaining our AVID program, a priority for the district in assisting students gain the skills they need to become the first in their families to attend four-year colleges. CEF has also helped us seed great hands-on electives such as our 6th grade bicycle repair class. This year CEF allocated funding to make sure all our 6th graders who wanted to go to our week-long Outdoor Education program in the redwood forest could attend, and for this coming year CEF will be supporting our Academic Dean. The Dean position at Cunha has been vital in working with our most at-risk students. Our Dean meets with them individually, and helps these students plan for academic success and deal with obstacles they face. The Dean also works with our English Language Development department to reclassify students who have met the requirements to move from English Learners to fully fluent and proficient speakers. This is a vital step for our students to access the regular curriculum, engage in electives, and push towards further academic growth in high school.
Cunha Intermediate very much appreciates the work of CEF!
James Barnes
Principal
We are a second generation Cabrillo Unified School District and I can't speak highly enough on how much this foundation has brought to our school district and our kids. In a time where funding for so many things in education is struggling (that is saying it nicely), Cabrillo Education Foundation brings enrichment to our schools with funding that wouldn't otherwise be available.
Like many school districts in California, ours is underfunded, so thank goodness for the Cabrillo Education Foundation! CEF does more than just randomly fill the gaps in funding - they thoughtfully assess what’s missing and work in conjunction with the District to place money where it’s needed. They fund science, they fund special projects for teachers and students, and they reliably fund college scholarships year after year. We’re very lucky (and grateful) to have CEF helping make sure our students get the best educational experience possible!
Cabrillo Education Foundation is helping to keep valuable and necessary programs in Cabrillo USD schools. They also raise funds for a number of scholarships each year for graduating seniors. Somehow, they manage to shake money out of the trees, even when those tress seem empty, and the support they have given to local teachers goes beyond the financial...they make teachers feel appreciated!
Even in this very trying time, CEF is there to help. I'm a big fan.
Susan Alvaro, Trustee Area 1 of the San Mateo County Board of Education
I served on the board of this organization for many years and love it dearly. The established endowment is a vital gift to the public schools that keeps giving, year after year. The organization works hard at endowment fundraising and prioritizes connection to its stakeholders and mission, while keeping overhead low.
CabrilloEducationFoundation 10/28/2021
Thank you for these kind words. We are working hard to support our Coastside students!