Southwestern High School receives another $25,000 grant in program sponsored by Monsanto

BRIGHTON – Southwestern High School recently received its second $25,000 grant from the America’s Farmers Grow Rural Education Fund.

A presentation was made at halftime of a recent Southwestern JV football game. Two science teachers, two administrators and a few of the 28 farmers who nominated the school district for the grant gathered at the 50-yard-line for a photo along with a Monsanto Company representative.

This is the second $25,000 grant that the Southwestern School District has received in five years (2011 and 2016). The grant from the America’s Farmers Grow Rural Education Program, sponsored by the Monsanto Fund, will provide enhanced learning opportunities for Piasa and Macoupin County students to develop important and leading skills – helping to shape the future of agriculture.

“The Southwestern School District truly appreciates the help and support by all of our local farmers and the grant opportunity by Monsanto,” said Mark Bearley, Southwestern High School principal. “This grant will provide our students academic opportunities that will allow them to excel and succeed in the science fields.

“We appreciate the time and commitment by Mr. Marvin Allen, Mrs. Jen Borkowski, and Ms. Deb Gaffney in writing the grant for the benefit of our students. Thank you, Monsanto, for positively impacting the students at Southwestern High School.”

To feed the world’s rapidly growing population and tackle many other global challenges, the country’s next generation of leaders will need to be highly-skilled in the areas of science, technology, engineering and math (STEM). That’s why the America’s Farmers Grow Rural Education Program, sponsored by the Monsanto Fund, has awarded the Southwestern Community School District #9 with a $25,000.

The Southwestern Community School District #9 plans to use the funds to purchase Vernier data collection devices and sensors, which are designed to allow students to collect and analyze meaningful data.

Southwestern Community School District #9 will utilize funds to help increase students’ access to technology and encourage genuine science through data collection.

Farmers from across the U.S. nominated and selected the America’s Farmers Grow Rural Education grant recipients.

In 2016, the America’s Farmers Grow Rural Education program is awarding $2.3 million to rural public school districts to benefit science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) programs.

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