Caprock Academy Upgrades Campus Safety with $50,000 Grant

Funding from Mesa County Federal Mineral Lease District enables new safety initiatives at Colorado school.

Jan. 29, 2026 at 6:55pm

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

Caprock Academy, a school in Grand Junction, Colorado, has implemented a series of campus safety upgrades and emergency preparedness initiatives thanks to a $50,000 grant from the Mesa County Federal Mineral Lease District (MCFMLD). The grant allowed the school to add more automated external defibrillators (AEDs), expand security camera coverage, increase classroom door visibility, and upgrade windows, perimeter areas, and staff communication systems.

Why it matters

Ensuring the safety and security of students and staff is a top priority for schools. This grant allowed Caprock Academy to make meaningful improvements to its campus infrastructure and emergency response capabilities, which can help protect the school community in the event of an emergency.

The details

The $50,000 grant from MCFMLD enabled Caprock Academy to add more AEDs with child and infant pads, expand its security camera network, increase visibility on classroom doors, and upgrade various campus facilities like windows, perimeter areas, and staff communication systems. These upgrades were part of the school's broader efforts to strengthen campus safety and emergency preparedness.

  • Caprock Academy received the $50,000 grant from MCFMLD in 2025.
  • The school used the grant funding to implement the campus safety upgrades in the same year.

The players

Caprock Academy

A school located in Grand Junction, Colorado that received a $50,000 grant to upgrade its campus safety and emergency preparedness.

Mesa County Federal Mineral Lease District (MCFMLD)

An organization that provides grant funding to projects in Mesa County, Colorado that are supported by federal mineral lease payments.

Chance Ballegeer

The Director of Safety and Security at Caprock Academy.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“This grant allowed us to take meaningful steps to further strengthen campus safety and emergency readiness.”

— Chance Ballegeer, Director of Safety and Security, Caprock Academy

The takeaway

The Caprock Academy campus safety upgrades, funded by a $50,000 grant, demonstrate how schools can leverage external resources to enhance the security and emergency preparedness of their facilities, ultimately helping to protect students and staff.