Washington, DC (August 6, 2008) – Congressman Rubén Hinojosa (TX-15) announced today that the McAllen Independent School District has been awarded a grant for $1,494,522 by the U.S. Department of Education. The funding will go toward the development of a Safe Schools-Healthy Students program that will promote safe and drug-free schools and positive learning environments for students.

“Ensuring that students are learning in a secure and healthy environment should be a priority for us all,” said Hinojosa.  “This grant will help McAllen ISD provide its students with programs and tools to prevent drug and alcohol abuse and encourage safe classrooms and learning situations.  Our children face enough challenges in today’s changing world. When they arrive at school, their time should be devoted to fostering growth, knowledge, and development.  This grant will help the school district accomplish just that.”

The Safe Schools/Healthy Students Initiative provides students, schools, and communities with federal funding to implement a coordinated plan to promote healthy childhood development and prevent violence and substance abuse. 

The plan is designed to provide families, and schools with a network of services to help students develop the skills and emotional resilience necessary to promote positive mental health and prevent violent behavior and drug use. This, in turn, will foster schools and communities that are safe, disciplined, and drug-free. The program is also intended to engage parents, community organizations, and social services agencies to help develop an infrastructure that will sustain the program’s components after federal funding has ended.

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