Rural School Districts Receive Grants Of Up To $25,000

BOONE, Iowa, Aug. 28, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Monsanto announced today at the Farm Progress Show that 176 school districts in 35 states have been selected to receive grants of up to $25,000.  The America's Farmers Grow Rural Education^SM program, sponsored by the Monsanto Fund, will invest $2.3 million in rural schools across the United States during the 2012-2013 school year.

"School districts were innovative and creative in their applications," said Deborah Patterson, Monsanto Fund President. "We are really looking forward to seeing the proposals come to fruition and learning how the students benefit from them."

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.

"Who better to judge the practical content and quality of these applications from rural school districts than experienced, working farmers?" said Jim Andrew of Jefferson, IA, America's Farmers Grow Rural Education Farmer Advisory Council Member.  "We devoted many hours at home evaluating and scoring the applications and then met as a group in St. Louis for two days to discuss and select the schools we recommended to the Monsanto Fund for grants.  It was personally very rewarding to read the creative and practical grant applications that were eventually selected by our advisory group to receive the grants."

There were 176 school districts in 35 states that received grants of up to $25,000. Winners are posted at www.growruraleducation.com and below. 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 public school districts in 165 eligible counties in those two states. The Monsanto Fund awarded more than $266,000 to local schools in sixteen Crop Reporting Districts. Now, the program has expanded to 1,245 eligible counties in 39 states. 

America's Farmers Grow Rural Education is sponsored by the Monsanto Fund to help farmers positively impact their communities and support 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, which gives 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 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 www.monsantofund.org.

Alabama-Geneva City, Madison County
Arkansas-Des Arc School District, Estem Elementary Charter, Monticello School District, Southside High School, Texarkana School District, Valley View School District
Arizona-Buckeye Union High School District
California-Brawley Elementary, Esparto Unified School District, Farmersville Unified, Hilmar Unified School District
Colorado-Frenchman School District Re-3, Limon School District, No. Re 4J, Re-1 Valley School District, Walsh School District No. Re-1
Delaware-Smyrna School District
Georgia-Burke County, Terrell County, Wilcox County School System
Iowa-George Little Rock Community Schools, Hampton-Dumont Community School District, Lamoni Community School District, Logan-Magnolia School District, Mormon Trail Community School District, New Hampton, New London Community School District, North Tama County Community School District, Northeast Community School District, Riceville Community School District, Schleswig Community School District, Sidney Community School District
Idaho-Caldwell School District No. 132, Filer School District
Illinois-Allendale CC School District 17, Brussels CUSD 42, Farmington Central CUSD 265, Indian Creek CUSD 425, Morrisonville CUSD #1, North Greene CUSD 3, Olympia CUSD 16, Oregon Community Unit School District 220, Red Hill CUSD10, Tolono CUSD 7, Willow Grove SD 46
Indiana-Clay Community Schools, Delaware Community School Corporation, Fairfield Community Schools, Flatrock Hawcreek School Co, Jennings County Schools, Oregon-Davis School Corp, Pike County School Corp, Salem Community Schools, South Central Com School Corp, Southwest Parke Com School Corp
Kansas-Bucklin, Girard USD 248, Hoxie Community Schools USD 412, Royal Valley, Scott County Schools, Sedgwick Public Schools, Sterling USD376, Wamego, Washington County Schools, Wellsville-USD 289
Kentucky-Calloway County, Daviess County Public Schools, Logan County, Nelson County School District
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Michigan-Breckenridge Community Schools, Frankenmuth School District, Fremont Public Schools, Ida Public School District, Lowell Area Schools, North Huron School District, Springport Public Schools, St. Louis Public Schools
Minnesota-Belgrade-Brooten-Elrosa Schools, Farmington Area Public Schools, Glacial Hills Elementary, Greenbush-Middle River School District, Lakeview Public Schools, Lancaster Public School District, N.R.H.E.G. School District, United South Central Independent School District 2134
Missouri-Community R-VI School District, Johnson Co. R-VII, Liberal R-II, Lone Jack C-6, Miami R-I School District, Monroe City R-I, Northeast Nodaway Co. R-V, Oak Ridge R-VI, Orrick, Pleasant View R-VI, Strain-Japan R-XVI
Mississippi-Pontotoc Co School District
North Carolina-Craven County Schools, Perquimans County Schools, Rowan-Salisbury Schools
North Dakota-Carrington School District, Dakota Prairie, Hatton Public School 7, Richland 44, Wishek 19
Nebraska-Cambridge Public Schools, Falls City Public Schools, Hayes Center Public Schools, Lyons-Decatur Northeast Schools, Mitchell Public Schools, Northwest Public Schools, Osceola Public Schools, Rock County Public Schools, Thayer Central Community Schools
New Jersey-Chesterfield Township
New York-Albion Central School District, Argyle Central School District, Arkport Central School District, Canton Central School District, Greece Central School District, Tully Central School District
Ohio-Clinton-Massie Local, Crestview Local Schools, Eastern Local Schools, Garaway Local, Northeastern Local, Ridgedale Community, West Liberty-Salem Local, Westfall Local
Oklahoma- Garber Public School, Navajo Public School
Oregon-Vale SD 84
Pennsylvania-Danville Area SD, Greensburg Salem SD, Manheim Central SD, Northwestern School District, Seneca Valley SD, Tyrone Area School District, Upper Adams SD
South Carolina-Calhoun 01, Dillon 02
South Dakota-Dell Rapids School District 49-3, Milbank High School-01, Parker School District, Wolsey-Wessington School District 20-6
Tennessee-Franklin County School District, Obion County School System, Robertson County, South Carroll County Special School District
Texas-Brownsville ISD, Dalhart ISD, Edna ISD, Hillsboro ISD, Ira ISD, Levelland ISD, Memphis ISD, Southland ISD, Wall ISD
Virginia-Southampton Co Public Schools
Washington-Warden School District
Wisconsin-Cadott Community School District, Chilton School District, Cornell School District, Gillett School District, Lake Geneva-Genoa City UHS School District, Lancaster Community School District, Marathon City School District, Monticello School District, School District Of New London, Sparta Area School District, Tri-County Area School District, Wrightstown Community School District

Contact   |   Christy Toedebusch (314-694-6397)

SOURCE Monsanto Company