Orange County Hispanic Chamber of Commerce Honors MIND Research Institute with Distinguished Education Award

    SANTA ANA, CA, April 18, 2012 /24-7PressRelease/ -- On Saturday, April 14, 2012 at the Disneyland Hotel in Anaheim, Calif., MIND Research Institute received the prestigious Education Award at the Orange County Hispanic Chamber of Commerce's 19th Annual Estrella Awards Ceremony. Dr. Matthew Peterson, Co-founder and Chief Technical Officer for MIND, accepted the award on behalf of MIND Research Institute. This award represents the first received by MIND from the OCHCC, a nonprofit corporation with a membership of small and mid-sized business, public and private entities and large corporations. MIND, a neuroscience and education research-based, non-profit based in Orange County, Calif., provides award-winning and visually-based math education software and systems to schools.

In his notification to Dr. Peterson about the award, Reuben Franco, President and CEO of the Chamber, stated, "MIND Research Institute has been a "Star" or an "Estrella" in the world of education. [MIND's] advanced techniques of learning have helped over 439,000 students achieve improved math skills and proficiency. We will soon be reading about how the MIND Research Institute has "moved the needle" in helping millions of students achieve greater success in math and in life."

"The chamber has been instrumental in expanding the reach of our program in schools. The Chamber has been a really great partner," stated Dr. Peterson. "An award like this is not about what you've done in the past or what you're currently doing in the present. To me it's really encouragement for what you can do in the future. It says you're on a good path, keep going because there's a lot more work to do." Dr. Peterson accepted the award at the event among an attendance of 500 community, business and government leaders in Orange County.

Starting with its first school in Orange County - Madison Elementary of Santa Ana Unified School District, MIND supports math success for students most in-need of education intervention. Madison Elementary, with a student population that is 74.4% English Language Learner and 95% low-income, has experienced dramatic improvements in math proficiency scores. In 2003, just 25.5% of students were scoring Proficient or Advanced on standardized math tests, but by 2011, 82% of students scored Proficient or Advanced. Today, all but one of the 39 elementary schools in Santa Ana Unified participate in MIND's ST Math software program.

MIND Research Institute
The MIND Research Institute is a neuroscience and education research-based, non-profit corporation. MIND applies its distinctive visual approach to illustrating math concepts and building problem-solving skills as the basis for innovative, research-proven math education programs for elementary and secondary schools. MIND's programs currently reach 439,000 students and 14,000 teachers in more than 1,300 schools in 24 states. For more information, visit www.mindresearch.net.

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