Big money continues to be awarded to Cameron County school districts thanks to Elon Musk.
The Brownsville Independent School District announced Wednesday that the Musk Foundation has awarded the district more than $2.4 million.
The Los Fresnos Consolidated Independent School District also announced Wednesday that its district had been awarded $624,148.
Two weeks ago, Musk, who is also the founder and CEO of SpaceX-Space Exploration Technologies Corp., tweeted that he would be donating $20 million to Cameron County Schools and $10 million to the City of Brownsville for the revitalization of the city’s downtown area.
“ We are very grateful for the donation from the Musk Foundation,” said René Gutiérrez, superintendent of schools of Brownsville Independent School District. “We are currently working on a plan to expand several of our Career and Technical Education programs and academies. We are also going to be announcing in the next couple of weeks our final plan with full details to the public.”
Other school districts in Cameron County that also reported receiving donations from the Musk Foundation earlier this week include the Harlingen Consolidated Independent School District with a $1 million donation and IDEA Schools with a $459,000 donation. The Point Independent School District announced last week that it too had been awarded money from the foundation.
The PISD Superintendent Teri A. Capistran said on the district’s Facebook page: “We are pleased to announce we are recipients of a donation from the Elon Musk Foundation. We look forward to the impact this donation will have in enhancing our CTE programs. Tarpon Nation is delighted to be part of the journey of space exploration and innovation that SpaceX will bring our students.”
According to the Musk Foundation, grants are made in support of:
>> Renewable energy research and advocacy;
>> Human space exploration research and advocacy;
>> Pediatric research;
>> Science and engineering education;
>> Development of safe artificial intelligence to benefit humanity.
The Musk Foundation is a private grantmaking foundation founded in 2002 by technology entrepreneur Elon Musk and his brother, Kimbal. The brothers are the foundation’s sole officers; Elon Musk is president and board director, and Kimbal Musk is secretary, treasurer, and board director.
RELATED COVERAGE:
IDEA Public Schools in Cameron County awarded funds from the Elon Musk Foundation
Elon Musk announces donations to Brownsville, Cameron County
