History project is textbook example of Montana Community Fund’s benefits

Children in Montana will be able to study the state’s rich history and proud heritage, thanks to a textbook project funded in part by a grant from PPL Montana’s Community Fund.

The Montana Historical Society conceived of and led the effort to write a new history book — the first comprehensive textbook of Montana’s past.

The book, which was unveiled in August 2007, was researched and written by the historical society and will be given away to any school district in Montana that wants to use it for classes in state history.

It was written for seventh-grade students, and will be used in classrooms starting in fall 2008.

“When the historical society came to us with this project, we were so impressed that we awarded them the maximum grant amount of $10,000 from our Community Fund,” said Lisa Perry, community affairs manager for PPL Montana.

“PPL Montana employees are proud of the company and of the state, and very optimistic about the future,” she said.

That’s why PPL Montana and its employees have strongly supported efforts to improve the quality of education for Montana’s children.”

About 75 percent of the grant money awarded by the PPL Montana Community Fund since its founding in 2005 has supported education programs. PPL Montana has given a total of $500,000 to 80 community organizations.

The historical society raised about $100,000 in donations from Montanans, and also received contributions from the Dennis and Phyllis Washington Foundation and the Steele-Reese Foundation.