A Force in Motion
Taylor Automotive Group has awarded Imagination Station a $50,000 sponsorship that provides an exciting opportunity for every 5th grade student at Toledo Public Schools.
A press conference took place on Wednesday, October 27, 2010 at Burroughs Elementary School to publicly announce the details. Imagination Station kicked off the press conference with a “bang”, followed by statements from Imagination Station Executive Director, Ms. Lori Hauser, Taylor Automotive Family President, Mr. Stephen D. Taylor, Toledo Federation of Teachers President, Ms. Francine Lawrence and TPS Superintendent, Dr. Jerome Pecko. Once the official announcement was made, students from Burroughs enjoyed a half-hour Extreme Science demonstration.
As presenting sponsor of the Forces and Motion educational program, Taylor Automotive Family, in conjunction with The Blade, has “adopted” roughly 2,000 TPS students and teachers for a concentrated program to improve science performance. This program will provide field trips to the science center for all 5th grade students at TPS in the 2010-11 school year. Additionally, twenty (20) science festivals and sixty (60) Workshops on Wheels (WOWs) will be awarded to 5th grade classrooms and schools in TPS to help drive home the concepts learned during their field trips.
“This partnership affords the science center an opportunity to expose thousands of local kids to vital science education,” said Ms. Hauser. “Taylor’s sponsorship is a great initiative and highlights the impact of local organizations taking an active role in educating the children of our community.”
Teachers will take an active role in the partnership by participating in pre-field trip visits called Prep4Ed, which enables them to become familiar with the science center and the exhibits, and ask questions about the visit or the science concepts being covered. They’ll be given a Forces curriculum guide that is aligned to State of Ohio academic standards to use during and after their visit. Teachers will monitor student performance and identify one student from their classroom who has achieved the highest incremental performance in science by the end of the school year. Taylor will then host a recognition ceremony at Imagination Station inviting teachers, top-performing students and their families.
Additionally, Taylor has donated a KIA Sedona van to the science center to be used for all educational outreach visits and community appearances throughout Northwest Ohio and Southeast Michigan.
“Taylor Automotive Family wanted to help enrich the educational experience for kids,” said Mr. Taylor. “The current economic situation is not the fault of the children, therefore, their experience shouldn’t be limited due to lack of funding. This partnership with Imagination Station was a key effort in making sure that every child has an opportunity to be inspired.”
