Toyota USA Foundation donated $5.8 million over the course of a five-year period toward the betterment of education levels at Lee County and Pontotoc City Schools, Northeast Mississippi. The foundation seeks to provide innovative tools and programs through its Driving Possibilities initiative that result in foundational skills and student confidence building and enhance student interest in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math).
An example of this goal is to be fulfilled through Driving Possibilities, says Ana Meade, vice president of social innovation at Toyota. “We’re working with communities to break down barriers to help prepare students for the quality STEM jobs of the future.”
This is part of Toyota’s broader national workforce readiness strategy and is being implemented in collaboration with the CREATE Foundation and the University of Mississippi, to discover areas of need and facilitate educational transformation through hands-on STEM programs.
Under the new initiative, Lee County Schools is to take on STEM within the middle school curriculum but to provide professional development for teachers. Pontotoc City Schools are to begin with the Newcomer Program to address the student needs in English-language learners, thus providing an all-rounded approach to diversity support.
Mississippi represents the ninth site for Driving Possibilities, which has invested nearly $72 million to date through multi-year grants in collaboration with nonprofits, education partners, and communities in which Toyota operates.
“I’m thankful Toyota comes to Mississippi,” Lt. Governor Delbert Hosemann said. “Toyota’s support endures for the betterment of Mississippi’s future workforce. Where industry and education intersect, the opportunities for our children and economy are endless.”
The Toyota USA Foundation focuses on PreK-12 STEM education and has been supporting educational initiatives in the U.S. for over 65 years as a reflection of Toyota’s long-standing commitment to community development and workforce readiness
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