As part of The PNC Foundation’s US$3 million grant to enhance science education for underserved preschoolers in programs operated by Chicago Public Schools and Big Shoulders Fund, 40,000 copies of Sesame Workshop’s Happy, Healthy, Ready for School – Math Is Everywhere activity kits will supplement math in the two pre-kindergarten programs.

The grant marks the local launch of PNC Grow Up Great, a 10-year, US$100 million bilingual program to improve early childhood education. The Sesame activity kit was created for Grow Up Great through a continuing partnership with PNC.

The bilingual, multimedia kits include a guide for parents and caregivers, a children’s book, along with an original Sesame Street DVD that follows Abby, Elmo, and their Sesame friends in a math treasure hunt. An educator’s guide is also available online to provide ideas for early childhood teachers to incorporate in their classrooms.

Math Is Everywhere materials are available for free at all PNC Bank branches, pncgrowupgreat.com, and sesamestreet.org/math. Additionally, the Math Is Everywhere video will be available, at no charge, on Amazon.com VOD and on iTunes (iTunes.com).

The PNC Foundation, which receives its principal funding from The PNC Financial Services Group, focuses its philanthropic mission on early childhood education and community and economic development, which includes the arts and culture.