GATES — HSBC Bank USA N.A.’s foundation has awarded a grant of $25,000 to the Diocese of Rochester’s Department of Catholic Schools. The money will be used to improve the diocesan school’s math programs in grades five through eight, according to Sister Elizabeth Meegan, OP, schools superintendent.
David Brooks, HSBC senior vice president, and Thomas Halter, vice president, presented a check to Sister Meegan and Father Joseph A. Hart, diocesan vicar general and Pastoral Center moderator, on Aug. 31 in the center’s McQuaid Room.
In a statement, Kenneth D. Bell, HSBC central region president, said HSBC is “committed to supporting and partnering with organizations that provide real benefits to the community in which our customers and employees work and live. He added that: “Catholic schools serve students of a variety of faiths and ethnic origin, and help them to perform at extremely high levels. We view this as a positive for the greater Rochester community.”
In a statement, Sister Meegan expressed gratitude for the grant.
“I am very thankful for both HSBC’s generous gift and for that organization’s recognition of our high standards and quality,” she said. “This wonderful gift will enable us to strengthen and enhance our program, improve achievement and increase student appreciation of mathematics in everyday life.”
According to information from the diocese, Catholic students within the City of Rochester scored an average of 18 percent higher on English standardized tests and 12 percent higher on math standardized tests than did their public-school counterparts. However, in an interview, Sister Meegan said studies have shown that students in both public and nonpublic schools, including Catholic schools, begin to encounter difficulties in learning math during their middle-school years. Sister Meegan said the diocese is considering using the grant from HSBC to fund new math materials for students, as well as in-service training for teachers and a math camp for educators.
