IMSA Ball Foundation Grant Supports Teacher Preparation Programs

For Immediate Release, March 2003
For comment, contact Brenda Buschbacher at (630) 907-5033

Media Note: The Ball Foundation is located in Glen Ellyn.

AURORA - The Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy (IMSA) is offering expanded and enhanced professional development opportunities for Illinois teachers thanks to a generous grant from The Ball Foundation.

The grant has enabled IMSA to expand two of its teacher development programs – the Problem-Based Learning Network and Bridges to Science Literacy.

"IMSA is a remarkable institution,” said Liz Duffy, Executive Director of The Ball Foundation. The Foundation awarded IMSA a four-year $100,000 grant to support both programs. “We're pleased to be able to support IMSA's efforts to work with teachers across the state on problem-based learning and science literacy."

Problem-Based Learning (PBL) is an educational approach that organizes curriculum and instruction around carefully crafted problem situations adapted from real-world issues. In investigating these problems, students gain critical thinking, problem-solving and collaborative skills as they gather and apply knowledge from multiple disciplines.

IMSA’s Problem-Based Learning Network serves educators through professional development in regional and summer institutes, symposia, classroom visitations and online support.

“This generous donation enables us to create a small facilitator/participant ratio, which gives teachers critical individual feedback,” said Debra Gerdes, Professional Development Specialist for the Problem-Based Learning Network. “Participants in PBL Network programs have been providing extremely positive feedback about the effectiveness of this program and the immediate impact on their classrooms,” said Gerdes.

IMSA’s Bridges to Science Literacy Program, a K-12 professional development program, equips educators with the tools needed to use state and national standards to improve student understanding in science. Bridges to Science Literacy has helped to improve science instruction in many Illinois districts located in cities such as Brookfield, Burr Ridge, Chicago, Clarendon Hills, Harwood Heights, La Grange, La Grange Park, Quincy, Riverside and River Forest.

“This work would not have been possible without this funding,” said Linda Bradzil, Coordinator for Bridges to Science Literacy. “It has been extremely rewarding to watch teachers change the way they teach science to help students understand the concepts and have fun.”

The Ball Foundation was established in 1975 by G. Carl Ball and his wife Vivian Elledge Ball. Mr. Ball is the past president and Chairman of the Board of Geo. J. Ball, Inc., a horticultural company headquartered in West Chicago, Illinois. The mission of The Ball Foundation is to discover and develop human potential.

Located in Aurora, Illinois, the Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy is an internationally-recognized pioneering educational institution created by the State to develop talent and stimulate excellence in teaching and learning in mathematics, science and technology. IMSA's advanced residential college preparatory program enrolls 650 academically talented Illinois students in grades 10-12. More than 16,000 teachers and 23,000 students in Illinois and beyond have benefited from IMSA's professional development and enrichment programs. IMSA serves the people of Illinois through innovative instructional programs, public and private partnerships, policy leadership and action research.