Each year the MBEF Board works together with Manhattan Beach Unified School District leadership to determine an immediate need to focus on during the Paddle Raise. Past initiatives have included math, STEM, and visual arts. The Paddle Raise effort is announced in May each year.
As a foundation committed to innovation, MBEF has directed significant funding towards project-based learning in our schools focused on Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM). From MakerSpace and Science Lab Specialists in our elementary schools, to STEM electives and advanced lab science support in our secondary schools, MBEF has been at the forefront of innovative programs.
We are witnessing the way in which our world operates change before our eyes, and our students must learn the skills necessary to keep ahead of the curve. Competing in today’s global economy and pursuing expanding employment opportunities in science and engineering related fields, is only feasible with access to a strong K–12 STEM education that is interwoven with core subjects. In traditional education, these subjects are taught with independent curriculum for each, but with an intensive interdisciplinary approach, students are prepared with the curiosity, critical thinking, and creativity necessary to succeed.
The important foundational concepts learned in STEM-based classrooms and programs promotes strategic critical thinking and creative problem solving to ensure our students can navigate and engage in a 21st century global society.
To build on the important STEM programs currently in practice with more resources to give our students the sort of learning environment and personalized instruction where an enthusiasm for STEM will thrive, the 2022 paddle raise focused on STEM, ensuring that we build on this momentum to equip our students with more opportunities for exploration and discovery. Thank you to all our donors for raising their paddle to support STEM in our schools.
2022 STEM Paddle Raise Donors
$100,000+
Chevron
$10,000+
Michael Greenberg
Dora and Jon Seiffer
$5,000+
Amanda and Heath Gregory
Audra and Michael Hatch
Pipkin Family Foundation
Susan and Todd Purdy
Donna and Gary Rosenthal
Alison and Scott Rosenthal
Peir and Jeff Serota
Lan and Desmond Shirazi
Veronica and Adam Sullins
$2,500+
Lisa Bennet
Kate and Timothy Bergin
Katherine and Britt Joyce
Amy and Bill Lange
Stephanie and Mark Maruyama
$1,000+
Dave Baldwin
Camela Ott and Mark Bell
Diane and Danny Benjamin
Lorelei and Jason Chao
Kirsten and Michael Chen
Ivane Chou
Angela Constable and John Dowell
Kristie Daniel-DiGregio and Gino DiGregio
Katie and Keenan Driscoll
Sherolyn and Mike Duckworth
Jennifer and Christopher Fenton
Rhonda and Anthony Ferguson
Lawrence and Farnaz Flechner
Kimberly and Matthew Friesl
Jennifer Pham-Hott and Douglas Hott
Chris James
Gretchen and Rich Janson
Superna and Nandan Kalle
Wanda and Chuck Kaminski
Pinky and Jim Kottoor
Laney LA
Charlotte and Russell Lesser
Liv and Steven Long
Dana and Keith Lupton
Marissa and Ben Messer
Sarah and Justin Nedelman
Jeanne and John Oshiro
Brenda and Nathan Pingelton
Colleen and CJ Pipkin
Taylor Platt
Lisa and Adam Quarello
Tiffany and Dave Quick
Tara and Matthew Riley
Taleene and Spencer Rose
Nathalie and Jim Rosen
Angie and Jared Smith
Sheryl and Jeff Thaler
Joy Higa and Christopher Tuffli
Kaj Vazales
Selena and Fredrick Walker
$500+
Kerry Riccio Aguero and Mark Aguero
Rose and Bill Ahrens
Cathy and Sean Banchik
Cheryl Gussman & John Bowes
Emily and Mike Brunick
Tanja and Ralph Canada
Lana Choi and Kurt Decko
Monika and Lee Dover
Bill Dramis
Geoff Fallon
Katie Gunther and Alistair Farquharson
Jun and Tim Fogaren
Stacey and John Fundingsland
Trisha and Michael Husson
Kimberly and Robert Jones
Emily and Ryan Kaplan
Erin and Steve Levin
Cynthia and Jaime Marian
Zoya and John Matich
Kristen and Tyler Monroe
Jenny and Tyler Morant
Sally and Jason Peel
Ellen Scott
Kathy and Chris Stahl
Lisa and Tom Stekol
Wysh and Dan Weinstein
Emily Wells
Shannon and Michael Williams
$499 and Under
Krishna and Alan Berkes
Michelle McDonald and Dan Blakey
David Brennan
Jennifer and William Cram
Danielle Brown and Idris Curry
Heather and Dirk de Roos
Michael Dunitz
Jo and Gary Eggers
Zoe and Mike Frank
Michelle and Alan Franz
Kelly Sprick-Gagne and Brian Gagne
Shilpa Baweja and Raj Ganguly
Cathey and Tim Graves
Kathleen Paralusz and Brad Jacobson
Yolla Kairouz
Shweta and Sidarth Kapoor
Rachel Katz
Ellen Kubo and Allen Kirschenbaum
Bobbie and Paul Kokorowski
Heather Krueger
Jessica and Bryan LaCour
Kristen Lukas
Paige and Lauren Lupton
Tyler Messner
Aimee and Alexander Murashko
Melanie and Nicholas Murray
Katherine and Conor Neu
Eve Ahlers and Bill Nunan
Jennifer and Alejandro Otero
Nancy and Greg Reynolds
Vishal Sabharwal
Diana and David Skaar
Jean and Michael Slater
Tara and Scott Sorensen
Strohbehn Family
Betty and Raymond Wan
Kirsten and Derrick Wood
