BREAUX BRIDGE, La. (KLFY)– St. Martin Parish Schools will be receiving approximately $13.4 million total over the span of five years after being awarded a Magnet Schools Assistance Program grant from the U.S. Department of Education.
The money will be used for the program PROSPER (Providing STEAM integration, Rigor, and new Opportunities for Students to Promote Equitable, Real-world pathways), which is designed to help students attending St. Martin Parish’s Early Learning Center and St. Martinville Primary gain academic success while also finding ways to encourage desegregation that coincide with the district’s court-ordered desegregation plan.
Th have already gotten nearly $3 million to introduce PROSPER to schools for the first year, and they will later get nearly $2.6 million for each of the following four years.
The goal of PROSPER, according to the St. Martin Parish School Board, is to create and plan for sustainable magnet program at the schools.
“Through this grant, St. Martin Parish hopes to create unique learning experiences, which
foster student engagement and a motivation to learn,” Frederick Wiltz, superintendent of St. Martin Parish schools, said. “By establishing a supportive learning environment, which promotes diversity and cultural exchange, students will be better prepared for higher education and career opportunities.”
Some of the key partners collaborating with St. Martin Parish schools in this process include the St. Martinville Mayor’s Office, University of Louisiana at Lafayette, LaSTEM, UC Davis C STEM Center, Barobo, Acadiana Center for the Arts, A5 Academy of the Arts, Autism Society Acadiana, Louisiana A+ Schools and Life is Tech.
