Date: Jun 25, 2013 Source: (
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TAOS, NEW MEXICO, JUNE 25, 2013 -- Imagine Education, based in Taos, has been awarded a coveted Federal Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) grant in the amount of $1.05 million. Through a competitive awards-based program, SBIR enables small businesses to explore their technological potential and provides the incentive to profit from its commercialization. SBIR funds allow small businesses to compete at the national level and spark the national economy through true innovation (www.sbir.gov).
"There is no question that Imagine Education helps foster an environment where students can explore their creativity and strengthen their skills in mathematics," said U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.). "I am pleased this grant will allow Imagine Education to continue its effective programming and inspire the next generation of scientists and engineers in New Mexico."
"Imagine Educations' innovative research is a great example of the work supported by the SBIR program. I am pleased that this funding will help the partnership between Imagine Education and Santa Fe Public Schools host a national conference to help middle school students learn math through virtual storytelling. Inspiring student interest and success in STEM fields is key to developing tomorrow's workforce," states U.S. Senator Tom Udall (D-N.M.).
"A quality education that provides young students with a solid foundation in math is essential to their future success, and we should be applauding innovative companies that are finding new ways to get our children excited about math and about learning," Congressman Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.) said. "Imagine Education has a proven track record and by enabling this small business to grow and expand with a SBIR grant, the federal government is making an investment in a local business, our students, and our future."
Years of teaching mathematics at the middle school level in Questa, NM, led Scott Laidlaw, Ed.D., to found Imagine Education in 2009 along with Jennifer Lightwood, CPA. Lightwood has 20 years experience in corporate finance and believes middle school math is the foundation of financial literacy. Building on the story-based
in-classroom games Laidlaw developed while teaching, the company has been delivering curriculum through immersive, multimedia environments that enable students to comprehend math on their own terms. The award-winning Ko's Journey engages students in a virtual world, sending them on an ancient rite-of-passage while affirming the Common Core State Standards for the grade level.
Laidlaw began working with local business development resource groups at the company's inception. The market research, analysis and cheerleading from Los Alamos Connect (www.losalamosconnect.net) was absolutely critical in the early stages, and paved the way for them to receive a $100,000 Venture Acceleration Fund (VAF) Award in 2011, which is an investment in northern New Mexico businesses by Los Alamos National Security, LLC and Los Alamos National Laboratory.
"[The VAF Award] provided a very important stepping stone to the company landing a $500,000 grant shortly thereafter. It made the difference in whether we survived or not," says Laidlaw. The half-million-dollar Next Generation Learning Challenges grant came from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation. After these two major awards, the company expanded their online prototype and produced a documentary film, The Biggest Story Problem: Why America's Students Are Failing At Math. Termed the "Mid School Math Cliff", the United States represents the most precipitous decline in competency in the world. Imagine Education is founded on the idea that storytelling, the oldest architecture of human learning, transforms student attitudes and improves test scores, establishing a solid foundation for future learning and avoiding this cliff (www.imagineeducation.org).
Now, in 2013, with the recent $1.05 million Federal SBIR grant, a national math conference is being planned for March 2014 to be held in Santa Fe. Imagine Education and Santa Fe Public Schools are entering into a groundbreaking partnership to utilize and further develop the curriculum together. "Teachers have a huge influence on the outcome of the game," says Laidlaw. It is this cooperative approach that will make Imagine Education's products stand out from other out-of-the-box curriculum. More information on this conference is available at www.midschoolmath.com.
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Los Alamos Connect (www.losalamosconnect.net) is the principal economic development investment by Los Alamos National Security, LLC the company that manages Los Alamos National Laboratory. Los Alamos Connect, administered by the Regional Development Corporation (www.rdcnm.org), provides a variety of services to help businesses achieve growth, continued success, and increase economic impact in Northern New Mexico.
