Phoenix, Ariz., Dec 3, 2015 On Thursday, the APS Foundation presented a $200,000 check to MIND Research Institute during a celebration at the charter school SySTEM Phoenix. The grant expands MIND’s Spatial-Temporal (ST) Math® program in Arizona, as well as supporting a partnership with Arizona State University to implement a professional development exploratory study with English language learner students.
ST Math is a game-based instructional software program designed to boost math comprehension and proficiency through visual learning. The partnership with APS will provide this innovative program to low-income students throughout Arizona, and provide teacher training that supports this visual approach that deepens students' problem-solving skills and mathematical knowledge.
“Arizona needs a workforce proficient in STEM skills – it is critical to retaining and attracting high-quality businesses and industries to the state,” said Tina Marie Tentori, Executive Director of the APS Foundation. “The APS Foundation is pleased to partner with MIND Research and SySTEM Phoenix, both of whom are working together to create the STEM pipeline of workers we need for economic progress in our state.”
Thanks to partnerships with philanthropic organizations and schools, over 17,000 students across Arizona currently use MIND’s ST Math. In an analysis conducted by MIND Research Institute on state math proficiency test scores, Arizona schools using ST Math achieved double their growth in math proficiency.
“We are grateful to the APS Foundation for extending the opportunity to use ST Math to more students and teachers in Arizona, helping in their efforts to improve the critical thinking and problem solving skills of the future workforce,” said Janine Ingram, Vice President of Philanthropic Partnerships at MIND. “It is these skills that will enable students to be equipped to solve Arizona’s – and the world’s – most challenging problems.”
Guests at the celebration event visited a class using ST Math to see the program in action and talk with students about their experiences learning math visually.
MIND Research Institute
MIND Research Institute is a neuroscience and education social benefit organization, dedicated to ensuring that all students are mathematically equipped to solve the world’s most challenging problems. MIND's distinctive visual approach to math and problem-solving is the basis of its innovative, research-proven ST Math® programs for elementary and secondary schools. The visually-based ST Math program has been shown to double or triple schools’ growth rates in math proficiency. MIND's programs currently reach 800,000 students and 31,000 teachers in 2,500 schools in 40 states. For more information, visit www.mindresearch.org.
About APS Foundation
The APS Foundation is committed to making a deep impact in Arizona communities and does so through supporting statewide nonprofits that advance knowledge in the field of STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) education. The Foundation supports a wide range of educational initiatives that target both students and teachers in order to keep the next generation of Arizona’s workforce strong and competitive.
Privately endowed by Pinnacle West Capital Corp. in 1981 as an independent 501(c) (3) organization, the APS Foundation distributes an average of $1.5 – $2 million per year through a bi-annual grant process. Since its inception, it has invested more than $38 million in Arizona nonprofits. Tina Marie Tentori serves as Executive Director for the APS Foundation. For more information, please visit www.aps.com/corporategiving and click on the Foundation link.
Media contact:
Abby Daniels
MIND Research Institute
949-345-8637
adaniels@mindresearch.org
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