Barona Tribe Awards $5,000 Education Grant to Grace Lutheran School in Escondido

SAN DIEGO, CA--(Marketwired - Oct 30, 2014) - Students and educators at Grace Lutheran School received a $5,000 grant today from the Barona Band of Mission Indians. The Escondido school will use the funds to provide students with updated technology by purchasing 18 Chromebooks: personal computers featuring the Chrome OS operating system.

The school's grant was sponsored by Assemblywoman Marie Waldron, a former Escondido city councilmember. Grace Lutheran School has been an integral part of the Escondido community since 1957 and currently educates 335 students in preschool through 8^th grade.

"It is our pleasure to help Grace Lutheran students have access to the tools they need to succeed in a technology driven age," said Clifford LaChappa, Chairman of the Barona Band of Mission Indians. "We would like to thank Assemblywoman Marie Waldron for reaching out to us and congratulate Principal Ben Elliott on the hard work that has made Grace Lutheran such an impressive academic school."

Since 2006, the Barona Band of Mission Indians has awarded over $2.3 million to 474 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.