Toyota USA Foundation Names Five Recipients $1.3 Million for Science And Math Initiatives

NEW YORK, Dec. 10, 2003 -- 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.