VOA慢速英语2018 盖茨基金会宣布为学校提供9200万美元援助（在线收听）

Gates Foundation Announces $92 Million Assistance to Schools

The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation is providing $92 million in assistance in a new effort to help minority and low-income students succeed.

比尔及梅琳达·盖茨基金会将为一项新计划提供9200万美元，帮助少数族裔学生和低收入学生取得成功。

The assistance will come in the form of grants to 19 school programs across 13 American states. Many of the programs are in areas that have struggled with poverty and student performance issues.

这笔援助金将以捐赠的方式提供给美国13个州的19个学校项目。其中许多项目在努力解决贫困和学生表现问题。

The foundation’s announcement said the Networks for School Improvement program will center on middle and high school students. It is designed to have groups of schools work together “to identify and solve common problems” using methods that best fit their needs.

该基金会在声明中表示，“学校改进网络”计划将聚焦初中生和高中生。该计划旨在让学校集体以最符合需求的方式共同“发现并解决常见问题”。

A statement said the foundation chose to invest in the schools as a way to help increase the number of black, Latino, and low-income students graduating from high school. In addition, the program is designed to prepare the students for college so they will have a better chance to “succeed in life.”

一份声明表示，盖茨基金会选择投资学校以帮助提高黑人学生、拉丁美裔学生以及低收入学生的高中毕业率。另外，该计划旨在帮助学生为大学考试做准备，这样他们就能有更好的机会“在人生中获得成功”。

The grants will address several different areas to help students succeed in the classroom and prepare for college. These include basic academic skills like math, English and other subjects. But the program will also offer help in how to deal with things like school suspensions or the college application process.

这笔赠款将解决多个领域的问题，帮助学生在学业上取得成功并为大学考试做准备。这些包括数学、英语和其他科目的基础学术能力。同时，该计划还将为如何解决停学或大学申请程序等问题提供帮助。

Bob Hughes leads the K-12 education program for the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. He told reporters the organization drew heavily on past experiences when deciding on new program plans.

鲍勃·休斯是比尔及梅琳达·盖茨基金会K-12教育计划的主任。他告诉记者，该组织在决定新项目计划时会在很大程度上引用过去的经验。

“We’re not inventing anything in this strategy. We’re taking what we learned from research and experience,” Hughes said.

休斯说，“我们没有为这项战略提出任何新想法。我们将应用我们从研究和经历中学到的经验。”

Allan Golston is president of the foundation’s U.S. Program. In an opinion story for the education website The 74, Golston said the goal of the assistance is to help local school groups come up with their own solutions.

艾伦·高斯顿是盖茨基金会美国项目的主席。高斯顿在为教育网站The 74撰写的观点文章中指出，这一援助计划的目标是帮助当地学校团体提出自已的解决方案。

“Once each network has identified a common barrier, schools will put in place strategies to tackle the problem based on what they know about their students,” he wrote.

他写道，“一旦每个网络发现了一个共同的障碍，那学校将依据他们对学生的了解出台策略去解决问题。”

Golston said the foundation’s research shows that identifying and removing barriers faced by schools can make a great difference in how many students end up graduating.

高斯顿表示，该基金会的研究表明，发现并消除学校面临的障碍会对学生的毕业率产生极大的影响。

He added that the main goal of the foundation’s education program has not changed over the years. “All students, and especially low-income students and students of color, must have equal access to a great public education that prepares them for success in adulthood.”

他还表示，基金会教育计划的主要目标从未改变过。“所有学生，尤其是低收入学生和有色人种学生，必须享有同等的接受良好公共教育的权利，为成年后的成功做准备。”

Golston said the latest assistance of $92 million is just the beginning. Over the next five years, the foundation expects to provide $460 million “to aid dozens more schools and to help tens of thousands of students get the education they deserve.”

高斯顿表示，这笔9200万美元的最新援助计划只是开始。未来五年，盖茨基金会将提供4.6亿美元，“以援助数十所学校，并帮助数万名学生获得应得的教育。”

Words in This Story

grant – n. amount of money provided by a government or organization for a special purpose

academic – adj. related to subjects involving thinking and studying and not technical or practical skills

application – n. official request for something

strategy – n. plan used to achieve something

network – n. system or group of connected parts

tackle – v. try to deal with something difficult

access – n. way of being able to use or get something

deserve – v. do something or show qualities worthy of something