La Mesa Junior High 8th graders will soon be building water bottle rockets as part of their science program, thanks to funding from California Credit Union through its Fall 2021 Teacher Grant program.

As part of its commitment to help educators create innovative learning opportunities for their students, the credit union has provided 10 grants of $500 each to underwrite class projects across Los Angeles County. The credit union grants will fund a diverse range of programs illustrating the creativity and commitment teachers bring to their classrooms and communities.

La Mesa Junior High School Teacher Grant Recipient Shelley Turski will use the funds to create a water bottle rocket program for 400 8th graders at the school. Through the program, students will design and build water bottle rockets, incorporating speed, physics and Newton’s laws. The project was also chosen as a NASA Downlink site to connect the program to how the International Space Stations utilizes principles taught in the Science course.

“We never fail to be amazed at the creativity and passion of the teachers in our Teacher Grant Program. Every application we receive shows the care and commitment our teachers bring to engaging and inspiring their students,” said California Credit Union President/CEO Steve O’Connell. “We congratulate all of our grant recipients, and look forward to seeing these exciting learning programs come to life.”

A complete list of the Fall 2021 California Credit Union Teacher Grant recipients includes:

Hedako Brown: St. Jerome School Los Angeles

Sophie Durand: Altadena Arts Magnet Pasadena

Laura McCutcheon: Quincy Jones Elementary School Los Angeles

Wanni Mena: St. Raphaels Catholic School Los Angeles

Esther Mmagu: Mendez High School Los Angeles

Alison O’Dell: John Muir Middle School Burbank

Helen Ramillano: Harrison Elementary School Los Angeles

Benjamin Schulz: Lokrantz Special Education Center Reseda

Shelley Turski: La Mesa Junior High School Santa Clarita

Rosalba Villanueva: Braddock Drive Elementary School Culver City

Since the creation of the program in 2012, California Credit Union has awarded $145,000 in teacher grants to support innovative learning projects. Up to 20 grants are awarded bi-annually in the spring and fall. Any full-time classroom teacher in Los Angeles, San Diego, Orange, and Riverside County can apply for a grant for a program that has clearly defined learning objectives tied to students’ academic needs, displays creativity in education, and targets a significant number of students. More information is available at ccu.com.