LOS ANGELES, Feb. 3, 2006 (PRIMEZONE) -- The Northrop Grumman Foundation announced today it is sponsoring 1,000 educational grants of $250 each to help spur middle-school students' interest in math and science.
Teachers may use these one-time Connecting Educators to Engineering Math and Science grants toward developing innovative teaching techniques, additional classroom activities or curriculum enhancements for math, science and engineering technology-related projects. The grants may also be applied toward purchasing books and equipment or for field trips that would otherwise be unfunded.
"We want young people to see the excitement of math and science," said Sandra J. Evers-Manly, vice president of ethics and diversity and president of the Northrop Grumman Foundation. "These grants will give teachers the extra resources they need to fire the imaginations of middle-school students and encourage them to pursue technical educations."
The grants are available to public schools and accredited private schools for use by full-time classroom teachers of students in grades 5 through 8. Applications are available via the Community Relations link at www.northropgrumman.com and are due by March 30. Grant awards will be announced April 26.
The program is part of Northrop Grumman's co-sponsorship, with the Society of Women Engineers, of National Engineers Week 2006. Engineers Week is a coalition of engineering, education and cultural societies, corporations and government agencies dedicated to raising public awareness of engineers' positive contributions to our quality of life.
"With the demand for technical professionals outstripping supply, we need to steer today's students towards math, science and engineering," said Evers-Manly. "These disciplines are central to America's future economic competitiveness, quality of life and national security. We will depend on today's middle schoolers for these in the not too distant future."
The Northrop Grumman Foundation is primarily focused on supporting diverse and sustainable programs that improve the educational experience for students, especially in the subjects of literacy, math, science and technology.
Northrop Grumman Corporation is a global defense company headquartered in Los Angeles, Calif. Northrop Grumman provides technologically advanced, innovative products, services and solutions in systems integration, defense electronics, information technology, advanced aircraft, shipbuilding and space technology. With more than 125,000 employees, and operations in all 50 states and 25 countries, Northrop Grumman serves U.S. and international military, government and commercial customers.