The Toyota USA Foundation Board of Directors, in its semiannual meeting, announced
that it has approved grants totaling $1,349,113 to support five education initiatives
designed to enhance the teaching of K-12 science and mathematics in the United
States.
Recipients of the awards include the College Board, New York City; The Regents
of the University of California/California State Summer School for Mathematics
and Science, Oakland, CA; The Greening of Detroit, Detroit; Palouse Discovery
Science Center, Pullman, WA; and Catching the Dream, Albuquerque, NM.
"We're pleased to continue our investment in this important arena of K-12
education with such outstanding and innovative partners," said Atsushi
"Art" Niimi, president, Toyota USA Foundation, in announcing the awards.
"Each of these organizations has developed programs that will not only
advance the learning of math and science among school children, but also help
them become the leaders this country will need to successfully compete in the
world marketplace of tomorrow."
The College Board will receive a $500,000 grant to support the development
of two key components of its College Success Initiative in Mathematics. This
program is a set of national standards and proficiencies in math for grades
6-12 that reflect the content areas students need to master to build their conceptual
understanding of mathematics. The Toyota USA Foundation will underwrite the
program's web-based student diagnostic assessment and web-based professional
development materials and activities for mathematics teachers.
Support of $400,000 will be provided to the Regents of University of California/California
Summer School for Mathematics and Science (COSMOS). This program, administered
by the University of California Office of the President, is designed to draw
the state's brightest and most motivated high school students to a month-long
residential program held on three UC campuses. Foundation funding will underwrite
half of the planning costs to establish a fourth COSMOS site on a UC campus
and half of the operating costs during the school's initial year of operation.
The Greening of Detroit will receive $181,413 to allow it to continue and expand
its successful TreeKeepers Kids Program. Funds will be utilized to continue
this hands-on, school yard habitat life sciences program for K-12 students in
23 Detroit schools while adding 10 new schools to the initiative.
A grant of $217,700 will support the development, evaluation and dissemination
of the New Generation Explorers Project at the Palouse Discovery Science Center
in Pullman, WA. This math and science partnership between the center and schools
in a four-county region of eastern Washington and northern Idaho will allow
4th-8th grade students to participate in a hand-on robotics program both in
the classroom and at the science center.
Catching the Dream, headquartered in Albuquerque, NM, will receive a $50,000
grant to support its successful Math and Science Teaching (MAST) program. This
national awards competition is designed to assist Native American High Schools
in increasing the numbers of students enrolling in advanced math and science
courses by enhancing the caliber of the programs offered at recipient schools.
The Toyota USA Foundation is a $40 million charitable endowment created to
support innovative education programs serving kindergarten through the 12th
grade in the United States, with special emphasis in the areas of mathematics
and science.
