As part of its long-term commitment to education, Cleveland Clinic is giving Cleveland Municipal School District $2.6 million to strengthen math and science curriculums for students in sixth through tenth grades.

The funds are part of a five-year, $10-million commitment in cash and services Cleveland Clinic made in 2005 to support and enhance educational opportunities for Cleveland area children. The $2.6 million is a testament to Cleveland Clinic's commitment to secondary education, particularly in fortifying math and science education, not just among high schools, but also among younger student populations.

"Cleveland Clinic recognizes the power of education in raising our children and in developing our region's human resources within math and science-related fields," said Delos M. Cosgrove, CEO and President of Cleveland Clinic. "We stand committed to doing our part to cultivate and inspire the talent that lies within Northeast Ohio students, knowing they hold a key to our region's well-being and economic viability."

The $2.6 million contribution and the educational resources it makes possible build upon the digital classroom capabilities and distance-learning curriculums - including live surgery broadcasts - Cleveland Clinic already offers the region's students and teachers. The new funds will help the Cleveland school district to purchase math enrichment and supplemental materials, including textbooks for grades six through ten; algebra course materials; and physical science materials, including earth and space program lab items. The funds also will help the district to develop and implement benchmarking tests for math programs and intervention activities.

"It's impossible to overestimate the impact of new textbooks and supplemental materials on learning in the classroom," said the District's Interim CEO Lisa Marie Ruda. "In this way and so many others, Cleveland Clinic is helping to strengthen the math and science curriculum in our high schools as well as our elementary grades. Due to the District's extremely tight budget, these are initiatives that would be difficult to move forward without Cleveland Clinic's assistance."

To date, a portion of Cleveland Clinic's $10 million commitment has been used to connect the region's schools to the OneCommunity network, a high-speed Internet system created to service non-profit organizations and multiple other educational and cultural institutions. The connection has enabled 105 schools to access distance-learning curriculums offered by Cleveland Clinic, including live surgery and research broadcasts. Those who view the broadcasts are able to participate in interactive discussions with Cleveland Clinic researchers and clinicians, right from their classrooms.

Along with this project, through the establishment of its Office of Civic Education Initiatives, Cleveland Clinic has created numerous programs to grow students' interest in science and math, potentially encouraging them to pursue careers in related fields. Those programs include summer science and nursing internships for high school juniors and seniors; Cleveland Clinic eXpressions(TM), a program combining art and science; and Spotlight on Learning(TM), a new program that uses the performing arts to engage second- grade students in the study of health and potential career paths in health care.

Cleveland Clinic, located in Cleveland, Ohio, is a not-for-profit multispecialty academic medical center that integrates clinical and hospital care with research and education. Cleveland Clinic was founded in 1921 by four renowned physicians with a vision of providing outstanding patient care based upon the principles of cooperation, compassion and innovation. U.S. News & World Report consistently names Cleveland Clinic as one of the nation's best hospitals in its annual "America's Best Hospitals" survey. Approximately 1,500 full-time salaried physicians at Cleveland Clinic and Cleveland Clinic Florida represent more than 100 medical specialties and subspecialties. In 2005, 2.7 million patients came for treatment from every state and 100 countries. Cleveland Clinic website address is .