Studer Community Institute

Monsanto plant seeds at Molino Park school

November 26, 2014
/ Reggie Dogan
/ early-learning

Monsanto is the biggest seed company in the United States. The company also strives to plant seeds of support and inspiration in schools in rural counties through its grant program. Molino Park Elementary School is reaping the harvest. It’s the only school in Florida or Alabama to receive the grant, “Multiplying Potential and Excellence,” through America’s Farmers Grow Rural Education Grant program sponsored by the Monsanto Fund. The school received a check for $25,000. Molino Park purchased iPads and kid-friendly cases for the third- and fourth-grade teachers to use in their classrooms. “The kids come home so excited,” said Kellie Odom, the mother of Wyatt Ramsey, a Molino Park fourth-grader. “My son likes anything to do with computers better than he likes books.” Monsanto has given nearly $7 million in grants since 2000 to schools and non-profit organizations identified by farmers, said Rod Higdon, a Monsanto district manager. Last spring, Alice Woodward, Molino Park principal, and Sandra Harwood, grant coordinator for the Escambia County School District, heard about Monsanto’s grant program. They were able to get a local farmer to nominate the school, and Monsanto awarded the school the grant. Monsanto encourages farmers to find worthy non-profit organizations to give small grants of $2,500. A local farmer won one of those last year and he donated the funds to the FFA students at Northview High School to buy a welding machine. The next level of competition is a $10,000 grant. Woodward said she would have been happy to win that amount, but Harwood convinced her they should apply for the $25,000 grant. Molino Park Elementary School, surrounded by cotton fields, was the perfect place for Monsanto to plant a few seeds – not more cotton, but seeds of education and learning.

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Monsanto plant seeds at Molino Park school

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