(CENTERVIEW, Mo.) – The Johnson County R-VII School District recently received a $25,000 grant to purchase a set of laptop computers for elementary school students.
Laptops will be used in Crest Ridge Elementary classrooms to increase involvement in math and science lessons and improve technological proficiency, according to a news release.
America’s Farmers Grow Rural Education, sponsored by the Monsanto Fund, allows farmers to nominate a public school district in their community to compete for a grant of either $10,000 or $25,000 in the areas of math and/or science. More than 1,000 nominated school districts submitted applications. The Monsanto Fund will invest $2.3 million into rural education through this program.
“Our goal is to create an environment that will prepare our students for higher education and a technology-enriched job market,” said Lesi Smart, elementary school principal at Crest Ridge Elementary. “We want the students in our rural community to be on a level playing field with other, larger community schools, starting in elementary school. We believe that by building a strong base knowledge of math, science and technology at an early age, we are encouraging a successful foundation for our rural community.”
After being nominated by local farmers, school districts completed an online application, and finalists were chosen by math and science teachers from ineligible school districts. The America’s Farmers Grow Rural Education Advisory Council, a group of 26 prominent farmers from across the country, then reviewed the applications and selected the winners.
“Johnson County R-VII is where my kids went to school and where three of my grandchildren are attending school now,” said Reba Lockard, a local farmer whose nomination helped the school win the grant. “The school is short on computers, which is something children need for today’s world. Our community is very close-knit, and I’m glad we could come together to nominate the school and help the children gain access to technology in the classroom.”
Johnson County R-VII School District was presented with the $25,000 grant during a presentation at Crest Ridge Elementary on Friday, Oct. 12.
 
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