Schools Receive $4 Million in 'Innovation Generation' Grants
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The Motorola Foundation this week awarded $4 million to 92 K-12 schools and education organizations in its 2008 Innovation Generation grant program. The funding is aimed at supporting STEM-oriented education programs for K-12 students, including after-school programs, science and math clubs, and other initiatives.
In particular, this year, the Motorola grants focused on programs serving groups that are highly underrepresented in STEM careers, with 35 percent of the funded programs targeting female students and 43 percent targeting black students, as well as 23 percent targeting Hispanic students.
"We've reached a threshold in our global competitiveness in math and science where the need to spark and sustain students' interest in these critical skills is paramount," said Eileen Sweeney, director of the Motorola Foundation, in a statement released Monday. "Building a diverse pipeline of critical thinkers, skilled scientists and engineers is a by-product of our efforts that not only will benefit Motorola and our industry, but it also will support a sustainable workforce and bolster the country's competitive advantage in the global, knowledge-based economy."
The Motorola Foundation has awarded some $20 million in grants supporting STEM education since 2005. A list of this year's recipients can be found here.
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About the author:David Nagel is the executive editor for 1105 Media's online education technology publications, including THE Journal and Campus Technology. He can be reached at [email protected].
Proposals for articles and tips for news stories, as well as questions and comments about this publication, should be submitted to David Nagel, executive editor, at [email protected].