Friday, April 13, 2007
Contact: Jessica Robinson, 573-751-0290
Blunt Helps Launch New Education Program to Challenge Students
Show-Me Scholars Motivates Students to Aim High
ST. LOUIS– Gov. Matt Blunt today helped kick off the Show-Me Scholars Initiative, which brings local business leaders into eighth-grade classrooms to motivate students to take challenging classes in high school. The Missouri Chamber of Commerce and Industry spearheaded the program to encourage students to reach their full potential.
"Education is my highest priority as Missouri's governor, and I am pleased the Missouri Chamber and business partners are playing a role to help students work towards excellence as they begin to shape their education and their future," Blunt said. "This initiative will help broaden students' opportunities and their ability to compete for jobs in the global economy. It will also help secure Missouri's role as a great place to live, work and raise a family."
Blunt joined eighth-grade students from the Rockwood and Jennings School Districts and education stakeholders from across the state for today's official launch of the Show-Me Scholars Initiative.
The program is designed to challenge Missouri's students to take difficult classes and to help them understand how challenging courses will help them succeed after high school. The Show-Me Scholars Initiative will begin with four pilot school districts. The Missouri Chamber will work to extend this program to one-fourth of Missouri's school districts by 2010.
Today's event showcased the governor, scientists from Monsanto and an engineer from Boeing. The Missouri program is modeled after a national education program called the State Scholars Initiative and is funded by the U.S. Department of Education. Missouri was one of four states chosen to participate, and is now one of 24 states that offers the program.
Blunt has helped ensure education is the state's highest priority. He has increased funding for elementary and secondary education every year he has been in office. His proposed budget for next year combined with past increases totals more than one half of a billion dollars in funding for education in the last three years. His leadership has allowed for the expansion of Missouri's nationally recognized Parents as Teachers program and increased funding for A+ Schools. Blunt has also pledged that he will never withhold money approved for Missouri classrooms. He continues to identify ways to enhance Math, Engineering, Technology and Science (METS) learning in our state and hosted the first comprehensive summit to bring stakeholders together to identify solutions to current challenges in METS. In addition, his early childhood initiatives are working to ensure Missouri's youngest students get a head start on lifelong learning.