The Mississippi Power Education Foundation recently awarded 16 grants totaling more than $125,400 to educational institutions and teachers throughout its 23-county service area. More than half of the grants will be used by school districts and educational organizations for strategic planning.

Forrest County School District received a $25,000 grant to help implement its strategic plan.

The Lamar County School District was awarded a $12,000 grant to review its long-range, consensus-based strategic plan and evaluate its progress toward implementing action plans and measurement plans since 2000.

The Hattiesburg School District received $12,000 to help fund a workshop to design and implement a new district strategic plan with the district’s newly-named superintendent. Ocean Springs School District and Moss Point School District also received $12,000 grants to help develop their respective strategic plans.

An $11,200 grant was awarded to the Pascagoula School District to develop a second five-year strategic plan, while the Poplarville School District received a $10,477 grant and the Picayune School District received a grant of $9,650 to help review and update their strategic plans.

A $10,000 grant was awarded to the Public Education Forum of Mississippi, Inc. for the Mississippi Scholars Program, which targets students who rank academically in the middle 50 percent. The curriculum is designed to challenge high school students regardless of whether they are planning to continue their education or directly enter the workplace or the military.

The Gulfport School District received three grants. A $1,921 teacher grant will be used to turn the after-school program, R.A.C.E. for Success at Gulfport High School, into an interactive hands-on learning experience through technology. Students will learn about electrical systems, pneumatics, robotics and problem-solving.

A $2,092 grant was awarded to support T.E.A.M. (Teachers Enhancing All Mathematics), a plan for professional growth and development in mathematics through workshops for math teachers of grades K through 12.

A $1,500 grant was awarded to Central Elementary School (Gulfport) for a program called “‘BAM’ – Believe! Achieve! Maintain!” The BAM program will teach elementary age students safety, manners, curriculum objectives and transitional activities, and will also introduce them to food from around the world.

Hancock High School will use a $2,000 grant for a study entitled, “To Eat or Not to Eat: Identifying Organisms by Analyzing Proteins.” The unit is designed to enhance student laboratory skills, integrate current science technology in the classroom, increase student interest in science and develop critical thinking skills.

A $1,600 grant was awarded to the South Side Elementary School (Picayune) for “Delectable Decomposers,” a hands-on, discovery-based science inquiry which integrates science with language arts, writing and math.

Shady Grove Elementary School (Laurel) received $1,000 for “Get Wired Up!,” which will enable Internet capability for two computers in each classroom, providing students access to tutorial programs in math, language and reading.

St. Martin East Elementary School will use $1,000 to purchase Accelerated Reader tests for its existing AR books. Through the “Reading for a Bright Future” initiative, students will be encouraged to read to improve their skills and discover that reading is fun.

The Mississippi Power Education Foundation makes grants several times each year to schools, school systems and educational institutions in southeast Mississippi. Since 1984, Mississippi Power Company has supported excellence in education throughout its service area by awarding more than $3 million in grants to teachers, schools, school systems and educational projects through its foundations.