Press Release
July 25, 2012
Dan Keefe, (518) 486-1868
New York State Parks Receives Motorola Solutions Foundation Innovation Generation Grant for Environmental Education
[Long Island, NY] - The New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation today announced it has received $30,000 as part of the Innovation Generation grant program from the Motorola Solutions Foundation, the charitable arm of Motorola Solutions, Inc. Through the grant, New York State Parks will be able to provide environmental education programming to approximately 3,000 underserved Long Island students.
Since 2007, the program has provided $30 million in support of science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) education programs, supporting more than 300 school, museum and nonprofit programs across the United States. The Innovation Generation program awards funds to organizations such as New York State Parks that foster and support STEM initiatives for teachers and U.S. preschool through university students - especially girls and underrepresented minorities.
"I am pleased our State Parks will serve as outdoor laboratories to help these students learn more about science and nature," said State Parks Commissioner Rose Harvey. "With this grant, we will be able to teach a new generation of conservationists how to better appreciate and take care of our parks and natural environment, and I'm grateful to the Motorola Solutions Foundation for helping us to fulfill this important mission."
New York State Parks applied for the grant to provide hands-on field oriented research courses to kindergarten through 12th grade students from Long Island districts with a high proportion of minorities and girls. Due to difficult fiscal conditions, many districts across Long Island have been forced to cut environmental classes from their budgets. The grant will enable State Parks to provide environmental education to students as they experience the beauty of local ecosystems.
Students enrolled in the program will be provided a broad view of the rich ecosystems that can be found within Long Island's State Parks. Environmental education programs are site based and emphasize experiential learning through hands-on activities and exploration, learning about native flora and fauna, as well as some of the challenges in its conservation.
"Each year, I am truly amazed by the ground-breaking work our grant recipients like the Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation accomplish through their Innovation Generation grants," said Matt Blakely, director, Motorola Solutions Foundation. "These grantees are playing an active role in developing the future of STEM education for our country. As a company dedicated to helping people be their best in the moments that matter, Motorola Solutions could not be more honored to support programs such as New York State Parks."
Innovation Generation is a part of Motorola Solutions' larger commitment to engaging youth in STEM education. Beyond funding, New York State Parks will receive ongoing support from Motorola Solutions employee volunteers, who will act as mentors, tutors and experts in STEM careers.
For additional information on the Motorola Solutions Foundation grants programs, visit: http://responsibility.motorolasolutions.com/index.php/solutions-for-community/.
About New York State ParksThe New York State Office of Parks, Recreation, and Historic Preservation oversees 178 state parks and 35 historic sites. For more information on any of these recreation areas, call 518-474-0456 or visit www.nysparks.com, connect with us on Facebook, or follow us on Twitter.
About Motorola Solutions FoundationThe Motorola Solutions Foundation is the charitable and philanthropic arm of Motorola Solutions. With employees located around the globe, Motorola Solutions seeks to benefit the communities where it operates. The company achieves this by making strategic grants, forging strong community partnerships and fostering innovation. The Motorola Solutions Foundation focuses its funding on public safety, disaster relief, employee programs and education, especially science, technology, engineering and math programming. For more information on Motorola Solutions Corporate and Foundation giving, visit www.motorolasolutions.com/giving.
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