LIMESTONE, Maine — The Maine School of Science and Mathematics will benefit from a national grant from the Jack Kent Cooke Foundation.
The foundation has awarded $855,000 in Rural Talent Initiative grants to academic enrichment programs serving low-income rural students in elementary and secondary schools in North Carolina, Indiana, Iowa, Maine, Mississippi and Virginia.
MSSM will receive $120,000 over two years, and will use the funds to develop online enrichment courses designed to introduce middle school students to advanced science, technology, engineering and math subjects in hopes of encouraging them to continue those studies in the future.
Courses will use interactive gaming and simulations to capture student interest. Up to 75 students will be served in the coming school year, expanding to up to 150 in the following year.
The Cooke Foundation Rural Talent Initiative grants are designed to help expand opportunities for rigorous summer and academic year learning and enrichment for students in rural regions, where access to educational opportunities is limited.
“Low-income rural students can help build a better and more prosperous future for our country, and they deserve the same opportunities as other students to get a good education and go as far as their abilities take them,” said Cooke Foundation Executive Director Harold O. Levy. “Talented students, regardless of their geographic location and family income, need to be supported so they can reach their fullest potential.”
The Cooke Foundation is dedicated to advancing the education of exceptionally promising students who have financial need. Since 2000, the foundation has awarded $175 million in scholarships to more than 2,300 students from eighth grade through graduate school, along with comprehensive counseling and other support services.
