Barona Tribe Awards $5,000 Education Grant to Faith Lutheran School in Vista

SAN DIEGO, CA--(Marketwired - Nov 6, 2013) - Faith Lutheran School in Vista, Calif. is the latest school to receive a $5,000 education grant from the Barona Band of Mission Indians. The North County school serves Kindergarten through 8^th grade students from Vista, Oceanside, Carlsbad and Temecula. The school's grant application was sponsored by Assemblyman Rocky Chavez whose district includes Vista.

Faith Lutheran will use the grant money to purchase the Houghton Mifflin Reading Program for grades K through 5. The award-winning program includes books for all levels as well as audio CDs and a Classroom Intervention Kit.

"Reading is one of the cornerstones to success and we are proud to have the opportunity to provide these bright young minds with access to leading educational materials," said Clifford LaChappa, Chairman of the Barona Band of Mission Indians. "We applaud the principal and the faculty at Faith Lutheran for the dedication they have demonstrated to their students and hope this grant helps ensure their students have the best materials available.

Since 2006, the Barona Band of Mission Indians has awarded over $2 million to more than 400 schools statewide to help bridge school budget gaps and share resources through its Barona Education Grant Program.

The program is the first of its kind in California created and administered by a Tribal Government. The goal of the program is to create strong educational opportunities for the children of California building upon the success of the Barona Indian Charter School, which operates under a continuous improvement model. Schools throughout California can apply for educational grants from Barona to purchase much needed supplies and materials that promote academic improvement. Each grant awarded by the Barona Education Grant Program is $5,000. Applications can be downloaded at http://barona-nsn.gov/education.

About the Barona Band of Mission Indians
The Barona Band of Mission Indians, recognized by the United States government as a sovereign nation, has lived on the Barona Indian Reservation in rural eastern San Diego County since 1932. Prior to that, the Tribe lived on the Capitan Grande Reservation which was established by the federal government in 1875. Long before living on a reservation, the Tribe traveled across Southern California in tune with the seasons and what nature provided. Today, the sovereign nation, governed by an elected Tribal Council, is serving its Tribal members, their families, and sharing with the San Diego region. One of the most successful gaming Tribes in the country, Barona also owns and operates the Barona Resort & Casino, San Diego's leading gaming resort, casino and golf course. For more information, visit www.barona-nsn.gov.