For the first time ever the Gulf Coast Exploreum Science Center is launching a campaign for middle and high school students to improve their grades. Move It Up! is a rewards-based program for school children, 5th through 12th grade, motivating them to improve their grades in science and math education. Through a generous donation from Wells Fargo up to 4,000 students will be awarded.
“Wells Fargo fully believes that supporting education is one of the most important investments we can make in our country’s future. Today’s youth are tomorrow’s business owners, leaders and teachers, and we are honored to work together with the Exploreum and its inaugural Move It Up! Campaign to encourage students to improve their grades in math and science education,” said Mississippi and Alabama Coast Area President Chris Tracy in a news release. “It helps demonstrate Wells Fargo’s ongoing commitment to our community. We fully believe that by helping the communities we serve succeed, we will also be successful.”
The Exploreum and Wells Fargo want to acknowledge students for getting good grades. Oftentimes, students are rewarded for all “A’s” or all “A’s” and “B’s.” The Move It Up! campaign is drastically different in that it will reward any student moving up one letter grade in either science or math. It is in this way that the program plans to encourage those students who are on the verge of giving up on STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) subjects altogether. By giving them an incentive to set the bar higher, it gives them the confidence to keep pushing themselves until they reach that top tier grade level.
“We are grateful that Wells Fargo is partnering with the Exploreum in this way,” said Jan McKay, Exploreum’s Executive Director. “The Exploreum is a catalyst for increasing science and math literacy on the Gulf Coast. This is one way to encourage students, acknowledge their hard work, and entice them to seek out ways to get more involved and excited about this content.”
If a student improves their math or science score, between quarters, by one letter grade, they will receive free admission to the Exploreum’s exhibits. All that is required from the student is that they attend with a paid adult and bring the student’s report card(s) showing the improvement from one quarter to the other.
For more information please call the Education Department at 251-208-6849.
