The Monogram Foods Loves Kids Foundation awards Virginia Museum of Natural History $5,000 grant in support of Science Outreach Initiative

The Monogram Foods Loves Kids Foundation has awarded the Virginia Museum of Natural History a grant of $5,000 in support of the museum's 2023-2024 VMNH Science Outreach Initiative, a year-long science outreach program designed to provide STEM-based education programming to students in Martinsville and Henry County, as well as families throughout the region.

"The Monogram Foods Loves Kids Foundation has been a long-time supporter of the museum's education programming and we're excited to have its support again for this school year," said VMNH Deputy Director Ryan Barber. "With the Foundation's latest support, the museum will be better positioned to offer need-based, education program scholarships to local public schools, as well as a more robust offering of STEM-based programming during the museum's public science festivals."

Through this grant, the museum will establish education scholarships for kindergarten through 5th grade students in Martinsville City and Henry County public schools during the 2023-2024 school year.

"Thanks to the Foundation's support, the museum's STEM-based education programs are now more accessible to students throughout Martinsville and Henry County," said VMNH Education Manager Christy Deatherage. "The scholarships allow for school groups to visit the museum and experience in-depth, interpretive tours of the museum's exhibits, as well as participate in standards-based, education programs that focus on a wide variety of topics, such as natural history, science, technology, engineering and math."

Beyond establishing education scholarships, the grant will also help the museum facilitate STEM-based programming during the 2024 lineup of its family-oriented science festivals, which draw crowds from throughout Virginia and North Carolina.

"The museum's science festivals continue to grow in popularity and scope," said Barber. "With this grant, we are better positioned to ensure that these festivals not only provide a high-level of entertainment value, but an equally high-level of educational benefit."

Teachers and administrators who are interested in applying for scholarships can contact the museum at discover@vmnh.virginia.gov.

To learn more about the museum's education programs and public events, visit www.vmnh.net.