3M Foundation Awards Ingenuity Grants to Local Teachers

3M Foundation, St. Paul, has awarded new grants to recognize local teachers who use innovative teaching methods to get students interested in math, science and economics. Forty-one teachers in the St. Paul and North St. Paul/Maplewood/Oakdale school districts and 15 teachers in the South Washington County school district received 3M Ingenuity Grants totaling more than $130,000 for classroom programs ranging from "First in Math" curriculum to a forensic science unit.

3M Ingenuity grants recognize public school teachers in grades 3-8 who bring new and innovative opportunities into their classroom to raise student interest and achievement in math, science and economics. Individual grants of up to $3,500 help teachers to purchase materials such as microscopes, calculators and books, or to develop creative teaching methods. Participation is by invitation, and the program is targeted to schools in communities where 3M has facilities.

"Teachers are always looking for new and innovative teaching methods to help get students excited about learning," said Alex Cirillo, vice president community affairs and workforce diversity for 3M. "These teachers bring passion and commitment to their classrooms and we are pleased to help them make their ideas a reality."

Recipients of 3M's 2004 Ingenuity Grants include:

• Susan Fourniea, a science teacher at Cleveland Quality Middle School, St. Paul, who will receive $3,500 for equipment needed for life science experiments. Students will develop experiments to check on animal life at Belwin Environmental Park.
  
  
• Maree George, family and consumer sciences teacher at John Glenn Middle School, Maplewood, who will receive $3,400 to open a school store. Through an enhanced curriculum and hands-on experience at the store, students will learn how to run a business.
  
  
• Angie Leitch, fourth-grade teacher at Newport Elementary in Newport, who will receive $1,600 for "First In Math Online," an online math program that helps students improve their math skills through online math games.

3M awarded 87 Ingenuity Grants totaling more than $218,000 to teachers in seven states. For a list of all 2004 grant recipients, visit 3M's Web site.

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