YCS, Toyota, and Eastern Michigan University (EMU) Collaboration Press Release

As part of a $110 million fund dedicated to Toyota’s Driving Possibilities initiative, the Toyota USA Foundation is granting a total of nearly $1.8 million in the first year of a five-year phasedinitiative in southeast Michigan. The initial funds will be distributed between two main community partners with 95precent focused on EMU’s School of Education for a newly created STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math)Institute and the additional five percent provided to Community Transportation Association of America (CTAA) for a transportation study.

“Our goal is to increase awareness of future STEM careers while helping build sustainable programs in the communities where our Toyota team members live and work,” said Tellis Bethel, group vice president of social innovation, Toyota. “It’s exciting to see the expansion of Driving Possibilities near our Michigan R&D facilities, the first location announced out of the 14 additional U.S. sites planned in the next five years.”

Driving Possibilities is designed to be an equitable collaboration with schools, nonprofits and community to help all student succeed – at school and in the careers of the future. The long-term initiative from Toyota focuses on PreK-12 education, building on Toyota’s existing programs across the country. Theaim is to close educational gaps for all students through innovative, hands-on STEM programming that leverages unique assets and resources in the equal-partner relationship. Driving Possibilities is designed to help increase STEM awareness, excitement and interest in a promising career in a STEM-related field while addressing the essential needs of students and families. 

The initiative is funded by Toyota USA Foundation, Toyota Motor North America (TMNA), and Toyota Financial Services (TFS). 

Community-Focused STEM Institute

Approximately $1.15 million of the first year of fundingincludes a community-focused STEM Institute with bothYpsilanti Community and Lincoln Consolidated districts for elementary, middle and high school students and their families.The Institute will be led by EMU and governed by the partners. It will provide support services, curriculum and activities to integrate STEM into the daily experiences of children and families. 

The community-focused STEM Institute will serve as a hub to deploy STEM resources to and from the school districts and three institutions of higher learning in the area. In addition to EMU, the University of Michigan College of Engineering and the Washtenaw Community College will serve as educational and subject matter experts to create new learning opportunities for teachers, students and families across the community. 

“Through powerful learning experiences, we are excited to build on the commitments from our local school district partners to ensure student success in STEM education to prepare them for the careers of the future,” said James Smith, Eastern Michigan University president. “The sustainable model will help to relieve the administrative tasks from the districts and bring together collaborators from both industry and institutions of higher learning to a central location to benefit young people.

"The project is an ideal representation of the University's strategic plan priorities: 1) Promoting student success and engagement, 2) Delivering high performing academic programs and quality research, and 3) Engaging and serving EMU and regional communities.”

An advisory board consisting of community and stakeholder groups will be created to maintain the STEM Institute beyond the initial five-year commitment. Their focus will be on addressing emerging needs and community interests as the program grows and evolves.

Continuing Education at all levels

The proposed general programming to be offered by the STEM Institute includes both classroom curriculum and exposure to STEM in various areas of the industry through field trips, speakers, camps and exploration of Career Technical Education (CTE) for the next generation of STEM careers.

“STEM education and programs like Driving Possibilities in Michigan are crucial for preparing our students for success in the rapidly evolving job market. By fostering skills in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics, we are equipping our students with the tools to not only thrive but also drive innovation in their chosen fields,” said Alena Zachary-Ross, superintendent of Ypsilanti Community Schools. 

The funding will also include place-based STEM curriculum at two elementary schools, professional and pre-service learning for elementary school teachers.  

Connecting the districts to STEM activities 

Toyota's Driving Possibilities long-term initiative aims to provide a comprehensive approach that includes measures to combat other barriers that students might have, such as in transportation to and from schools. To do this and better understand the needs for these programs, Toyota USA Foundation is providing $92,000 to fund a transportation study with CTAA. The study will then be used to help provide future mobility solutions, including for the communities near the Ypsilanti and Lincoln schools.

In the first year of the southeast Michigan program, CTAA will conduct a comprehensive analysis of the transportation needsthrough a multi-year research and mapping effort. The focus is to provide each district ways to successfully participate in the hands-on STEM activities from the STEM Institute at their respective schools and at the centralized community location. 

“With the generous support of Driving Possibilities and support from other local partners, our LCS community is not only fostering excellence in STEM education but also advancing our collective efforts as a community towards realizing the competencies outlined in our Portrait of a Graduate,” said Bob Jansen, superintendent of Lincoln Consolidated Schools. “Together with our amazing partners, we are building a strong foundation in STEM education, empowering every child in the Lincoln Consolidated Schools community to not only meet but surpass their full potential.”

To learn more about Toyota’s $110 million dollar commitment to Driving Possibilities, visit ToyotaEffect.com for the latest information.

Take a moment to review the attached document and the links in the press release, then join us in celebrating the momentous occasion.