PND (4/25/2000) -- Joyce Foundation Announces First Major Millenium Grant to Girls Charter School

In the first of a series of major grants to mark the new millennium, the Chicago-based Joyce Foundation is awarding $525,000 to the Young Women’s Leadership Charter School of Chicago. The school, set to open this fall, will use the funds to develop a curriculum in math and science designed to help redresses the under-representation of women in those fields.

The three-year grant to the school is the first of the Joyce Millennium Initiatives, being launched by the foundation this month. Ranging between $250,000 and $1 million, the grants are "intergenerational" — intended to "carry forward significant achievements of the twentieth century and promote bold, change-oriented initiatives" for the next century. (Proposals for Joyce Millennium Initiatives are at the invitation of foundation staff.)

"We are living in a thrilling but exceedingly challenging moment in history," said Joyce president Paula DiPerna. "The Joyce Millennium Initiatives are intended to mark this intergenerational transition, by reinforcing and strengthening landmark principles, as well as catalyzing and encouraging exceptional new efforts."

The Young Women’s Leadership Charter School, to be located on the campus of the Illinois Institute of Technology, won a charter from the Chicago Board of Education last December. Opening enrollment will include 75 sixth graders and 75 ninth graders; all city girls are eligible to apply. Funding from the Joyce Foundation will support development and testing of a science curriculum for the school as well as the work of a researcher to document the program’s efforts and share lessons about what works with other educators nationwide.

"Clearly science and technology will drive the 21st century," said DiPerna. "Yet too many American girls continue to be underrepresented in science and technology careers. This new public school, whose founding premise is exceptionally innovative, embodies the sort of new institution worthy of the early major commitment of funds visualized by this new grantmaking effort."

FCnote: The Joyce Foundation (IL) had assets of $947,071,122 and made grants totaling $30,657,581 in the fiscal year ending 12/31/98.

"Joyce Foundation Launches Millennium Initiatives to Mark Intergenerational Transition; Girls Charter School Receives First Award of $525,000 to Develop Innovative Science Curriculum." Joyce Foundation Press Release 5/1/2000.

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