The money I won from the BRAVO Awards has had a very tangible impact on both my classroom practice and student achievement. I have used the money in two ways.

Last summer I was able to afford to attend a week-long institute at Art Center in Pasadena. I had been interested in this course for several years but was never able to take it due to cost. The course focused on using the design process to boost students' creativity, problem solving, and critical thinking skills. I was so inspired by this experience that I enrolled in the graduate program at Cal Poly Pomona in Design Based Learning. I am currently half way through this program and will receive a Masters degree in Curriculum and Instruction in spring of 2010. Everything I am learning I am putting into practice in my classroom. By expanding students' opportunities to engage their own creativity and innovation in the classroom, I have seen a jump in student engagement and a measurable improvement in attendance compared to previous years. More...