Toyota USA Foundation Supports STEM Education

Feb. 2012

Programs and Services

The Toyota USA Foundation has awarded the College Board a $350,000 grant to support the Advanced Placement Program^® (AP^®). The Toyota USA Foundation charitable endowment was established in 1987 to support education programs that focus on mathematics, science and environmental science serving U.S. students in grades K–12 and their teachers. AP is just one of the key education programs supported by the foundation. Through a variety of scholarships and programs, the foundation has supported and inspired students and teachers to pursue rigorous scientific study.

“The College Board is very grateful to the Toyota USA Foundation for this generous grant,” said Potoula Chresomales, executive director of professional development, product strategy and management for the College Board’s AP Program. “The grant is enabling districts and schools to train AP STEM teachers to help a diverse population of underserved students to succeed in rigorous AP course work. This funding is helping to support formative and interim student assessments and online professional development for AP Biology teachers.”

In 2011, Toyota awarded $5.2 million in new grants to eight organizations across the country — including The Nature Conservancy, Red Cloud Indian School and Groundwork Inc —  with an emphasis on STEM-related initiatives for students and educators. Grants have been awarded to prepare underserved students to succeed in lab-based sciences, strengthen teacher training, link high school students to college graduation, provide science facilities and equipment, and recruit more students into STEM majors in college. “The College Board is excited to be included among this esteemed list of Toyota grant recipients,” Chresomales said.