TI Foundation's grant to Big Brothers Big Sisters expands Math and Science Mentoring Initiatives

DALLAS, Feb. 22 /PRNewswire/ -- The Texas Instruments (TI) Foundation is granting $50,000 to Big Brothers Big Sisters (BBBS) of North Texas to fund programs for 40 seventh and eighth grade students in the Dallas Independent School District (ISD) who are enrolled in the Math and Science Mentoring Initiatives pilot program. Each student will receive scholarships for math/science initiatives including tutoring, fair or camp fees. The funding will also provide year-long support and training for each student's mentor.

Big Brothers Big Sisters created the program in 2007 to promote greater appreciation for math and science among seventh and eighth graders in Dallas ISD through one-to-one mentoring. By heightening the interest of students who share a propensity for math and science and encouraging math and science professionals' involvement as mentors, the initiative aims to increase the likelihood of these students achieving success in these subjects and reaching beyond high school graduation to the exploration of careers related to those fields.

"We are pleased to help fund a program like Math and Science Mentoring Initiatives because it will have a powerful impact on youth by fostering academic success in math and science," said Beth Bull, TI vice president and BBBS board member. "Through the efforts of our employees as mentors, we expect children will show marked improvements in their capabilities."

TI has a longtime and significant partnership with BBBS with 65 TI employees volunteering as mentors with the organization over the past three years.

"We are hoping that this pilot program demonstrates that one-to-one mentoring has the power to help children make positive choices while also nurturing their specific interests and talents, enabling them to translate those skills into productive futures," said Big Brothers Big Sisters CEO Charles Pierson. "The TI Foundation's contribution and the numerous TI employees who donate their time to our organization are well on their way to helping us fulfill that objective with Dallas area children."

With investments at all points in the education continuum, the TI Foundation's primary focus is the development of programs that help prepare students for studies in science, technology, engineering and math.

About Texas Instruments

Texas Instruments helps customers solve problems and develop new electronics that make the world smarter, healthier, safer, greener and more fun. A global semiconductor company, TI innovates through manufacturing, design and sales operations in more than 25 countries. For more information, go to http://www.ti.com/.

About the Texas Instruments Foundation

The Texas Instruments Foundation, founded in 1964, is a non-profit corporation providing philanthropic support for educational and charitable purposes primarily in the communities where Texas Instruments has a presence. More information about the TI Foundation can be found at http://www.ti.com/tifoundation.

About Big Brothers Big Sisters of North Texas

Big Brothers Big Sisters places caring adults in the lives of children in one-to-one mentoring relationships. Through the positive impact of those friendships, children with a Big Brother or Big Sister are more likely to graduate from high school and less likely to begin using drugs, begin using alcohol or become teenage parents. Contact us at 888.887.BIGS or http://www.bbbsnt.org/.

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