Comcast President’s Grant awarded to DuPage Children’s Museum to fund Kindergarten Math Initiative

Release date: November 28, 2006

The Comcast Foundation, Elected Officials, Community Leaders welcome DuPage County Children attending DuPage Children’s Museum’s Kindergarten Math Initiative

$105,000, 3-Year Grant to fund Museum’s Kindergarten Math Initiative

Naperville, IL (November 28, 2006) – DuPage Children’s Museum (DCM), the Comcast Foundation, local elected officials and community leaders welcomed kindergarten students today, as they came to DCM to participate in the Museum’s new Kindergarten Math Initiative. Naperville Mayor George Pradel and Downers Grove Mayor Brian Krajewski joined Comcast, the Museum and community leaders, such as DCM Board members, to welcome the students and celebrate the grant announcement.

The Comcast Foundation recently announced that it will invest in the Museum initiative that focuses on giving kindergartners in DuPage County a head start in their math literacy skills. This President’s Grant will support the Museum’s Kindergarten Math Initiative (KMI), which utilizes a hands-on, minds-on approach to teach children about the wonders of math. The $105,000 grant will help the Museum expand its program to all DuPage County kindergarteners over three years—approximately 11,000 students will benefit.

The timing of this grant coincides with the release of new national Math Focal Points from the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM) for all grade levels, which are incorporated into the DCM KMI programs. These Curriculum Focal Points are the most important mathematical topics for each grade level and comprise related ideas, concepts, skills, and procedures that form the foundation for understanding and lasting learning. For more information about these focal points, visit http://www.nctm.org/focalpoints. All DCM school programs were developed to align with the Illinois academic standards and are updated annually.

“This is one of the most exciting program expansions we have undertaken in many years,” said Susan Broad, Executive Director of DuPage Children’s Museum, “These are key concepts being introduced at a key point in a child’s cognitive development.”

“Comcast is very community minded and centered on providing a better quality of life for our children,” said Naperville Mayor George Pradel. “How better to express that than to provide financial support for our own DuPage Children's Museum? Thank you to Comcast for your support of our parents to give their children a strong foundation in math."

DuPage Children’s Museum, one of Chicagoland’s top 10 cultural attractions, was founded in 1987 and is dedicated to stimulating curiosity, creativity, thinking and problem-solving in young children through self-directed, open-ended experiences and the integration of the arts, science and math. The Museum’s KMI expects to draw all DuPage County kindergarteners through the museum program, and with the Comcast Foundation grant, the museum is well on its way to expanding it to the county’s 11,000 kindergarteners within three years.

“At Comcast, we recognize the importance for parents and guardians to have access to programs and services that will help them advance their children’s future. We offer products that stimulate children’s developmental and educational growth, such as PBS Kids Sprout, and our Leaders and Achievers Scholarships reward high school graduates for their stellar work,” said Leigh Ann Hughes, Comcast West Area Vice President. “Our commitment to families makes today’s announcement very significant for us at Comcast and to partner with an organization dedicated to improving the quality of life for all DuPage County children.”

KMI is a part of the Museum’s current Learning Lab school program where over 20,000 school children in 25 school districts participate annually in classes that explore interactive adventures in math, science and the arts. The grant program will serve approximately 4,000 students this school year, growing to serve roughly 11,000 kindergarteners by the third year, to improve the math literacy of every kindergartner regardless of physical, economic or cultural barriers.

This KMI program will focus on the crucial kindergarten age where developing a strong math literacy foundation is necessary as the child moves through school and will include 2-hour Math Learning Labs conducted at the Museum with a 1-hour Learning Lab

Workshop plus an hour in the Museum’s math-related exhibits for each child.

DUPAGE CHILDREN’S MUSEUM:

DuPage Children’s Museum is a not-for-profit organization, receiving 40% of its funding through donations and sponsorships. Your support helps us make a difference in the lives of children!

Location: 301 N. Washington Street

Naperville, IL 60540

Phone: 630-637-8000

Hours*: Monday: 9 am - 1 pm

Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday: 9 am - 5 pm

Thursday: 9 am - 8 pm

Sunday: 12 - 5 pm

*Call for special holiday hours.

General Admission: $7.50 per person, ages one through 59.

$6.50 per person, ages 60 and over.

Annual Memberships: Several membership types are available. Please call 630-637-8000, visit www.dupagechildrensmuseum.org or inquire at the Museum, for more information.

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