Nissan bolsters academic support program for Canton, Miss. schools with $500,000 grant

A $500,000 education grant announced by Nissan will strengthen academic support programs for elementary students who are not making sufficient progress in their school curriculum.

The $500,000 grant will be used by the Canton Public School District
to employ two new academic interventionists who will provide targeted instruction and support to students needing the most intensive academic assistance.

"We are elated with Nissan's generous donation and continued support of educational opportunities for students in our community. For the district to reach its full potential, we are committed to working even harder to continue meeting the challenges before us. We can accomplish our mission much faster when community and business leaders like Nissan partner with us to offer hope, opportunity and inspiration to our students," said Canton Public School Superintendent Dwight Luckett Sr..

Nissan also announced the donation of two vehicles to the Canton Career Center operated by the school district. The center prepares high school students for careers in automotive service technology, collision repair and other fields. The donated vehicles, a 2012 Nissan Xterra SUV and a 2013 Nissan Altima sedan, were manufactured at the company's vehicle assembly plant in Canton.

"We are very grateful to Nissan for its commitment to enhancing programs offered at the Canton Career Center, where students are trained for careers in the skilled workforce. The donation of two Nissan vehicles for instructional purposes will be invaluable in giving our students hands-on training to help keep them abreast of the latest automotive technology," Luckett added.

The Canton plant is celebrating its 10th anniversary in 2013. Nissan has awarded nearly $1.2-million in company grants and contributions, in-kind gifts and student scholarships to the school district over the last decade. Additionally, Nissan employees volunteer many hours annually working with students in the classroom and as one-on-one mentors.

"At Nissan, we believe it's vital that every child is offered a quality education to have the best opportunity for a lifetime of success. Helping Canton schools succeed is especially important because the district serves our local community and many of its students will go on to become future Nissan team members," said Dan Bednarzyk, Vice-President of manufacturing for Nissan's Canton vehicle assembly plant.

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