Yuma, AZ - A $3.9 million dollar check was signed over to the Yuma Union High School District by the Helios Education Foundation.
"We normally don't give grants of that size, we have in the past but it has to be a project for us that's in alignment with the goals and objectives of the foundation and changes the way education is seen in a community," says Vince Roig the chairman of the Helios Education Foundation.
The money will go into the "Ready Now Yuma" program which will be expanding district wide beginning in fall.
The ready now Yuma is an initiative of YUHSD and the Helios education foundation to ensure every student graduates prepared to succeed in college and a career. The program was implemented in 2011 with nearly 3,000 9th grade students, 100 teachers, counselors and administrators.
This will impact over 11,000 students in the district and will position YUHSD as a leader and national model. There will be various forms of improvements such as providing students with a rigorous, high expectations curriculum, focusing on critical thinking and problem solving. The district will offer additional academic support and engage students in higher standard exams and assessments.
"We understand that not all our students are going to go straight to college, some may go into career field work, but that doesn't mean the curriculum is going to change for them at all. We want for all students no matter what they choose to do, to be ready," says Marie Meza a teacher at Yuma High School.
The class of 2015 will be the first group of graduates to reap the full rewards of the program by having participated in the initiative for their entire high school career.
For more info visit- http://www.helios.org/
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