(Boise). Idaho middle school students participating in the GearUp Idaho program will benefit from a $140,000 donation from the Steele-Reese Foundation.
"This donation exemplifies the type of public-private partnerships which are critical in advancing the mission of GearUp Idaho," said Idaho Program Director Decker Sanders. "Combining federal, state, and private resources to address academic and financial preparedness for a post secondary education create a win-win-win for the foundation, the communities, and the students. these students are making significant strides toward preparing themselves for the educational opportunities beyond high school that make such a difference in their lives and the lives of their families."
Gear Up Idaho (Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs) is a partnership program funded by a federal grant and matching local monies designed to work with students and their families beginning in the 7th grade. The program focuses on committing the student and family to a more rigorous course of study, helping with tutoring, financial aid, mentoring and scholarships upon graduation. Some twenty-two middle schools across the state currently participate in Gear Up Idaho.
The Steele-Reese Foundation is a trust for charitable purposes, created by Eleanor Steele Reese on August 10, 1955. The foundation makes grants to charitable organizations operating in the western states of Idaho and Montana, and in the southern Appalachian mountain region of eastern Kentucky. The Steele-Reese Foundation mainly supports projects in education, health, social welfare, the humanities, and the environment.
To learn more about the Steele-Reese Foundation,
please visit http://www.steele-reese.org/.
To learn more about GEAR UP Idaho, please visit http://www.gearupidaho.idaho.gov/.