For Immediate Release:

The National Geographic Education Foundation has awarded the Massachusetts Geographic Alliance a $50,000 Education Network Grant for 2007-08 entitled, “Building Bridges to the Classroom and Meeting State Curriculum Standards through Museum Partnerships”.

In response to state curriculum standards in History and Social Studies, the Massachusetts Alliance will use the grant to continue its Museum Collaboration Project, built around geo-history themes, in which each of the Alliance’s Regional Centers partners with a local museum to offer teacher training as well as a wide variety of outreach programs to parents, students, and community members.  The program is expected to impact 1,500 teachers, encompassing about 25,000 students in the Commonwealth.  The Alliance’s Regional Centers are located at Framingham St. College, Bridgewater St. College, Salem St. College, Clark University, Five College Center for East Asian Studies at Smith College, and the Winchester Public Schools.

The Society’s Education Network Grant program is designed to inspire teachers and students to be lifelong learners with the world as their classroom.  This year, the Foundation plans to award $2 million in grants for projects that offer students direct learning experiences in environmental education or physical geography; professional development projects for teachers; programs that strengthen or expand mentoring among teachers; state curriculum and assessment tools for geography; and new teaching practices.

“National Geographic is proud of its role in restoring geography to the classroom.  We believe today’s students must have a sound knowledge of geography to prepare for their role as tomorrow’s stewards of the planet,” said Christopher Shearer, Director of  Grantmaking for the National Geographic Society Education Foundation. “The Education Network Grants are an ideal tool to raise the level of geographic literacy, and to help teachers bring geography into kids’ daily lives”. 

Since 1988, the National Geographic Society Education Foundation has dispersed over  $110 million on innovative educational programs to bring geography to life.  The Foundation’s programs include a grassroots network of geographic alliances, online resources, public awareness campaigns for geography, and professional development and mentoring programs for teachers.

For information about the Massachusetts Geographic Alliance and its Museum Collaboration Project, contact Paul Mulloy:

Additional information may be found at www.nationalgeographic.com and at the Alliance’s web site www.massgeo.org