Program areas at MCPSEF
A generous gift from the Ruth and Norman Rales Foundation established the Ruth and Norman Rales-Patricia Baier O'Neill Scholarship Recognizing Academic Excellence for MCPS seniors. From the class of 2023, 193 seniors were awarded the four-year Rales-O'Neill scholarship totaling $10,000. In the spring of 2023, the Foundation recognized all Foundation scholarship awardees, including the inaugural Rales-O'Neill recipients, at a beautiful reception and event held at the Strathmore Music Center that was keynoted by Robert Kabera, a young entrepreneur who focuses on using artificial intelligence to predict risk across energy, climate, agriculture, and financial services.
The Joseph D. Byrd Scholarship provides a four-year scholarship totaling $40,000 to students at Poolesville High School. Established in 2007, this is one of the most generous awards supported by the Foundation. Four seniors were awarded the Joseph D. Byrd scholarship from the class of 2023. As the costs of post-secondary education continue to rise, the Foundation is proud to have a community of philanthropic donors supporting the students of MCPS with their continued education and career preparation. The Rales-O'Neill and Byrd scholarships represent a portion of the Foundation's endowment that supports its programming - see Schedule D, Part V for an aggregate figure.
The ongoing funding from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute enabled MCPS to continue making foundational changes in science instruction that enable students from all backgrounds to actively engage in innovative science learning experiences. Activities during FY 23 included expanding and enhancing classroom and laboratory experiences, such as providing over 445 DNA Resource Center Investigation kits to middle and high school teachers from the DNA Resource Center; continued participation of students from underrepresented populations to attend STEM summer camps that provide laboratory and field experience in the life, environmental, and physical sciences; and expansion of opportunities like the Youth Climate Summer for students to take action on scientific issues.
The MCPS Educational Foundation also completed several other program services (both scholarship and non-scholarship) in support of its mission during FY 23.