Welding, engineering, robotics — these are skills essential to public infrastructure and other aspects of everyday life in the 21st century. And thanks to Toyota, countless students in Alabama will get a head start on these vital careers before even graduating high school.
Toyota has promised a five-year, $6.7 million grant initiative to support STEM education for Alabama’s Huntsville City Schools K-12 students. The program is dedicated to closing educational gaps and addressing the immediate needs of area students and families.
“Our mission is to collaborate with local schools, community partners and other businesses, to help students reach their full potential,” Toyota Alabama President Jason Puckett said. “The success of our students will determine the future of our community.”
One of the main beneficiaries is the Huntsville City Schools Career Tech Center, an 81,000-square-foot space scheduled to open in 2025. This facility will house more than a dozen career and technical education programs, giving students hands-on experience and equipping them for the workforce.
The initiative has also gifted $750,000 to the New Teacher Center (NTC), a nonprofit that coaches teachers on how to better approach and teach students — especially those who are typically underserved, like children of color or students experiencing poverty. NTC has collaborated with Huntsville City Schools since 2021.
“NTC is proud to be a part of this bold vision to promote student success and create powerful instructional cultures that prioritize rigor and care,” New Teacher Center CEO Tommy Chang said. “We know to achieve this, we’ll need to engage in two-way dialogue that nurtures positive and transparent community engagement. We are excited to take the next steps and work collaboratively to target coaching and mentoring support with Huntsville City Schools and Toyota.”
The multi-year grant is part of Toyota’s Driving Possibilities initiative. Announced in 2022, it’s a $110 million effort to boost career readiness and community engagement.
Although Driving Possibilities is nationwide, Toyota is especially dedicated to enriching the communities where its employees work and live. Huntsville is home to the Toyota Motor Manufacturing Alabama plant, which produces one-third of Toyota’s U.S. engines.
In 2021, the plant introduced a special production line for the then-new i-FORCE and i-FORCE MAX engines, bringing 450 jobs to the area — and that kind of growth will only continue.
“Toyota understands the importance of training and preparing our students to fill high-tech, 21st Century jobs by the time they graduate,” Alabama’s Lt. Gov. Will Ainsworth said. “Alabama consistently ranks among the nation’s leaders in economic development and industrial recruitment, and thanks to generous corporate partners like Toyota, we have the tools necessary to maintain that top ranking for many years to come.”
Toyota has promised a five-year, $6.7 million grant initiative to support STEM education for Alabama’s Huntsville City Schools K-12 students. The program is dedicated to closing educational gaps and addressing the immediate needs of area students and families.
“Our mission is to collaborate with local schools, community partners and other businesses, to help students reach their full potential,” Toyota Alabama President Jason Puckett said. “The success of our students will determine the future of our community.”
One of the main beneficiaries is the Huntsville City Schools Career Tech Center, an 81,000-square-foot space scheduled to open in 2025. This facility will house more than a dozen career and technical education programs, giving students hands-on experience and equipping them for the workforce.
The initiative has also gifted $750,000 to the New Teacher Center (NTC), a nonprofit that coaches teachers on how to better approach and teach students — especially those who are typically underserved, like children of color or students experiencing poverty. NTC has collaborated with Huntsville City Schools since 2021.
“NTC is proud to be a part of this bold vision to promote student success and create powerful instructional cultures that prioritize rigor and care,” New Teacher Center CEO Tommy Chang said. “We know to achieve this, we’ll need to engage in two-way dialogue that nurtures positive and transparent community engagement. We are excited to take the next steps and work collaboratively to target coaching and mentoring support with Huntsville City Schools and Toyota.”
The multi-year grant is part of Toyota’s Driving Possibilities initiative. Announced in 2022, it’s a $110 million effort to boost career readiness and community engagement.
Although Driving Possibilities is nationwide, Toyota is especially dedicated to enriching the communities where its employees work and live. Huntsville is home to the Toyota Motor Manufacturing Alabama plant, which produces one-third of Toyota’s U.S. engines.
In 2021, the plant introduced a special production line for the then-new i-FORCE and i-FORCE MAX engines, bringing 450 jobs to the area — and that kind of growth will only continue.
“Toyota understands the importance of training and preparing our students to fill high-tech, 21st Century jobs by the time they graduate,” Alabama’s Lt. Gov. Will Ainsworth said. “Alabama consistently ranks among the nation’s leaders in economic development and industrial recruitment, and thanks to generous corporate partners like Toyota, we have the tools necessary to maintain that top ranking for many years to come.”