Toyota Mississippi is investing $5.8 million over five years in two North Mississippi school districts to enhance and promote science, technology, engineering and math learning. Driving Possibilities is Toyota’s national approach to workforce readiness and community engagement.
Toyota, which first announced the investment on Sept. 18, is collaborating with the CREATE Foundation and the University of Mississippi to provide funds for the districts to integrate STEM education, address base-level needs, support mobility, and provide professional development for the Lee County and Pontotoc City school districts.
The automotive company identified that Lee County has a significant need due to its high percentage of low-income and socioeconomically disadvantaged students who are primarily non-white.
“The program is designed to remove barriers to education and create access to opportunities for all students and all educators,” Toyota Mississippi Corporate Communications Manager Tiffannie L. Hedin told the Mississippi Free Press on Sept 25. “So for Mississippi, specifically, our investment of $5.8 million is to help support Lee County Schools and Pontotoc City Schools with … unique programs.”
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The unique ecosystem of Pontotoc, with its large population of English language learners, led the company to choose the city’s district. Toyota Mississippi is the ninth site to launch the Driving Possibilities initiative.
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Toyota Motor Company spent a year working alongside educators, school administrators and community officials to determine the specific needs of the Lee County and Pontotoc City School Districts. The information collected drove the districts’ decision-making on how to spend the grant funds. Photo courtesy Tiffannie L. Hedin ” data-medium-file=”https://i0.wp.com/www.mississippifreepress.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/RAC_2223_courtesy-Tiffannie-L.-Hedin.jpg?fit=300%2C200&ssl=1″ data-large-file=”https://i0.wp.com/www.mississippifreepress.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/RAC_2223_courtesy-Tiffannie-L.-Hedin.jpg?fit=780%2C519&ssl=1″ src=”https://i0.wp.com/www.mississippifreepress.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/RAC_2223_courtesy-Tiffannie-L.-Hedin.jpg?resize=780%2C519&ssl=1″ alt class=”wp-image-47592″ srcset=”https://i0.wp.com/www.mississippifreepress.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/RAC_2223_courtesy-Tiffannie-L.-Hedin.jpg?resize=1024%2C682&ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/www.mississippifreepress.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/RAC_2223_courtesy-Tiffannie-L.-Hedin.jpg?resize=300%2C200&ssl=1 300w, https://i0.wp.com/www.mississippifreepress.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/RAC_2223_courtesy-Tiffannie-L.-Hedin.jpg?resize=768%2C512&ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/www.mississippifreepress.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/RAC_2223_courtesy-Tiffannie-L.-Hedin.jpg?resize=1536%2C1024&ssl=1 1536w, https://i0.wp.com/www.mississippifreepress.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/RAC_2223_courtesy-Tiffannie-L.-Hedin.jpg?resize=1200%2C800&ssl=1 1200w, https://i0.wp.com/www.mississippifreepress.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/RAC_2223_courtesy-Tiffannie-L.-Hedin.jpg?resize=1568%2C1045&ssl=1 1568w, https://i0.wp.com/www.mississippifreepress.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/RAC_2223_courtesy-Tiffannie-L.-Hedin.jpg?resize=400%2C267&ssl=1 400w, https://i0.wp.com/www.mississippifreepress.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/RAC_2223_courtesy-Tiffannie-L.-Hedin.jpg?w=2000&ssl=1 2000w, https://i0.wp.com/www.mississippifreepress.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/RAC_2223_courtesy-Tiffannie-L.-Hedin-1024×682.jpg?w=370&ssl=1 370w” sizes=”(max-width: 780px) 100vw, 780px”>Toyota Motor Company spent a year working alongside educators, school administrators and community officials to determine the specific needs of the Lee County and Pontotoc City School Districts. The information collected drove the districts’ decision-making on how to spend the grant funds. Photo courtesy
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