In the face of escalating threats to public education and dwindling resources for underserved communities, a trailblazing school in Moreno Valley, California is taking its future into its own hands.
Garvey Allen STEAM Academy (GASA), an innovative charter school that blends STEM education with the visual and performing arts, has launched a $500,000 GoFundMe campaign to support the construction of its new campus. Ground has already been broken and construction is underway, but school leaders say community support is needed to finish the job.
The campaign arrives at a time of crisis and opportunity in American education. With increasing national pressure to defund or dismantle the U.S. Department of Education, schools like GASA have become more than places of learning. They are sanctuaries for growth, leadership, and transformation—especially for Black and Brown students.
A Campus Built on Purpose
Founded by educator and activist Tiffany Gilmore, Garvey Allen STEAM Academy serves grades 5 through 8 in a fringe rural corner of Riverside County. The student body is 99 percent minority and 72 percent economically disadvantaged. But the school’s mission is anything but limited. At its core, GASA is about cultivating ACHIEVERS—young people who are high-performing, culturally aware, and equipped to lead in an increasingly complex world.
GASA’s current facility is bursting at the seams. The new campus is designed to meet the needs of a growing student body while offering purpose-built spaces that reflect the school’s unique approach to education.
Funds from the GoFundMe will help complete classrooms outfitted with smart technology, flexible furniture, and specialized STEM labs. They will also support safety and infrastructure upgrades, outdoor learning spaces, expanded arts and sports programming, and scholarships for families in need.
“We are not just building a school. We are building a lifeline,” said Tiffany Gilmore, Founder and Executive Director of GASA. “Ground has been broken and construction is moving forward, but we need our community to help us cross the finish line. In 2025, when the future of public education is hanging in the balance, we cannot afford to wait. Our children deserve spaces that affirm their worth, fuel their brilliance, and prepare them to lead.”
Reimagining What Learning Looks Like
GASA stands apart by refusing to choose between science and creativity. Its curriculum encourages students to thrive in both. That means coding and choreography. Robotics and rhythm. Algebra and acting.
This integrated model of learning helps students connect deeply with their identities while preparing them for success in fields that have historically excluded them. Through a rigorous program rooted in both academic excellence and cultural affirmation, GASA is raising a new generation of innovators, dreamers, and doers.
Beyond test scores and performance metrics, the school’s impact is evident in the confidence, curiosity, and leadership of its students.
A Plea for Change
The GoFundMe campaign is more than a plea for donations. It is a rallying cry for equity in education. GASA’s leaders are calling on families, alumni, neighbors, and supporters nationwide to invest in a future where every student—regardless of background—has the resources and inspiration to thrive.
“This is a moment,” said Gilmore. “Not just for our school, but for anyone who believes in what education should be. The movement to empower our children cannot be paused. We have to meet it with urgency and with love.”
To support the campaign or learn more, visit:
https://gofund.me/5275a6e7
About Garvey Allen STEAM Academy
Garvey Allen Visual & Performing Arts Academy for Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics is a public charter school serving grades 5 through 8. Located in Moreno Valley, CA, the school’s mission is to transform historically disenfranchised students into high-performing graduates through a rigorous, culturally affirming curriculum. GASA celebrates leadership, legacy, and learning with purpose. Students are known as ACHIEVERS and are equipped to become artists, scientists, and agents of change in their communities and beyond.
To learn more about the school, visit:
https://www.garveyallenacademy.com
