Contacts
Anna Bethmann, Osborn Barr, 314/746-1933
Rachel McGrew, Osborn Barr, 314/746-1952
District named winner in America’s Farmers Grow Rural Education℠
MONTICELLO, Wis. – Teachers and students in Monticello will soon be entering a new age of technology. Thanks to the support of local farmers and America’s Farmers Grow Rural Education℠, Monticello School District received a $10,000 grant to create a telepresence room that will give Monticello and Albany School Districts the opportunity to share classes in real time via interactive video conferencing. This technology will allow both districts to offer upper-level and dual credit classes, virtual field trips and professional development for teachers.
America’s Farmers Grow Rural Education, sponsored by the Monsanto Fund, gives farmers the opportunity to nominate a public school district in their community to compete for a grant of either $10,000 or $25,000 to enhance education in the areas of math and/or science. More than 1,000 nominated school districts submitted applications. The Monsanto Fund will invest $2.3 million into rural education through this program.
“This grant will allow students, staff and community members to learn, explore and collaborate with others using interactive video,” said Karen Ballin, Monticello School District administrator. “Our partners may be as close as the neighboring school district or on the other side of the globe. We hope to share our pride in this rural school while learning from others’ experiences.”
After being nominated by local farmers, school districts completed an online application, and finalists were chosen by math and science teachers from ineligible school districts. The America’s Farmers Grow Rural Education Advisory Council, a group of 26 prominent farmers from across the country, then reviewed the finalists’ applications and selected the winners.
“We are grateful to the farmers who showed their support by taking the time to nominate the Monticello School District for this grant,” Ballin said. “This is a wonderful example of how important it is for our school and community to work in partnership.”
Monticello School District was presented with the $10,000 grant during a presentation at an open house for the telepresence room on Oct. 10.
America’s Farmers Grow Rural Education started with a successful pilot in Illinois and Minnesota in 2011, in which farmers were given the opportunity to nominate a public school district districts in 165 eligible counties in those two states. The Monsanto Fund awarded more than $266,000 to local schools in 16 CRDs. Now, the program has expanded to 1,245 eligible counties in 39 states.
America’s Farmers Grow Rural Education helps farmers positively impact their communities and supports local rural school districts. This program is part of the Monsanto Fund’s overall effort to support rural education and communities. Another program that is part of this effort is America’s Farmers Grow Communities that gives winning farmers the opportunity to direct a $2,500 donation to their favorite community nonprofit organization in their county. Farmers can participate in this program through Nov. 30, 2012 by visiting http://www.growcommunities.com.
About the Monsanto Fund
The Monsanto Fund, the philanthropic arm of the Monsanto Company, is a nonprofit organization dedicated to strengthening the farm communities where farmers and Monsanto Company employees live and work. Visit the Monsanto Fund at http://www.monsantofund.org.
