Bronaugh R-7 selected as grant finalist

Nevada Daily Mail

America's Farmers Grow Rural Education organization selected Bronaugh, and 22 other Missouri school districts, as a 2013 finalist for a grant of up to $25,000.

"We're hopeful," Superintendent Lyle Best said. "We're excited."

The grant, sponsored by the Monsanto Fund, attempts to help farmers strengthen math and science education in rural school districts. In its second year, the program and America's Farmers Grow Communities have together contributed more than $15 million to rural communities.

A member of the Bronaugh community nominated the school and a panel of educators reviewed submissions and selected the finalists which were sent to the America's Farmers Grow Rural Education Advisory Council. The advisory council, comprised of farmer-leaders with a vested interest in both agriculture and education, will select the winning grant applications from this pool of finalists.

If chosen, Bronaugh would receive a grant of up to $25,000.

"It's a good program," Best said. "I've been through it before with a different school district."

Best said the school proposed to buy lab equipment and technology, such as workstations and microscopes, for the junior and high school science classrooms.

"The grant is difficult to get," he said. "There's a lot of competition and limited grant funds."