June 9, 2008 - The Arizona Business & Education Coalition (ABEC) has selected the Gowan Achievement Project (GAP), a partnership between the Gowan Company and Crane Elementary School District, as its 2008 "Best Practices" in Business-Education Partnership Award winner.

Gowan Company, a family-owned business that manufactures and distributes crop protection products to farmers worldwide has had challenges recruiting scientifically-trained professionals to work in their corporate office in Yuma, AZ because of a perception of poor quality public schools. "I needed to do something not only as an investment for my company, but also to ensure that these students have a future," explained Jon Jessen, Gowan's founder.

Crane Schools, a growing, progressive district in Yuma, was eager to receive the support because they desired additional technology, including an electronic curriculum for the math and sciences, but lacked the funds.

Gowan Company provided over $300,000 to start a pilot program at Rancho Viejo Elementary School in the Crane School District for a group of 4th, 5th and 6th grade students who met or exceeded the Arizona state standards. Students in the project were each given a wireless notebook computer and a digital video camera was provided to each classroom. Three teachers selected for this project, each were given a $10,000 stipend by Gowan. Throughout the school year, students used technology to create multimedia presentations to document numerous field trips and to write and present research papers.

"Gowan presented a wonderful opportunity for our students who meet or exceed state standards and they are now more motivated than ever," said Helen Coffeen, principal of Rancho Viejo.

As a means of tracking student achievement, students in the pilot program as well as other students in a control group were pre-tested and post-tested in all areas of the curriculum. In math, GAP students outpaced the control group by two to one in the Average Percent Gain per student. In science, GAP students stretched that growth to eight times. "The range of growth is quite remarkable" reflected Coffeen. "Students who had access to technology outperformed those students who did not have access."

Susan Carlson, executive director of ABEC, said "the Gowan Achievement project should be used as a model for other business-education partnerships. Not only did Gowan and Crane identify their goals, but they also developed measurement criteria to see if they were successful in increasing student achievement. It's a win-win for everyone involved. ABEC is proud to have chosen this partnership as a best practice."

About ABEC
The Arizona Business & Education Coalition (ABEC) is a 501(c)3 organization providing a balanced forum for business and education leaders to collaborate and improve K-12 public education policy, with linkages to pre-kindergarten and postsecondary education. Guiding principles include: increasing public awareness about the relationship between Arizona's future workforce and the quality of the K-12 public education system; actively and effectively influencing public education policy; and sharing responsibility for the growth of student achievement in Arizona. In 2007, The Arizona Capitol Times recognized and presented ABEC with its "LEADERS OF THE YEAR" In Public Policy for Education Award. For more information, visit www.azbec.org or contact Susan Carlson, executive director, at (602) 261-6700.

About Crane Elementary School District #13
Crane Schools, established in 1899, is a growing, progressive district in Yuma County, Arizona. The district is primarily homes and extensive farmland. It covers 44 square miles of southwest Yuma County and serves an estimated population of 30,000. Crane Schools is committed to providing quality education for over 6,000 students in kindergarten through eighth grade. There are six K-6 schools, one K-3 school, one 4-6 school, and two middle schools in the district. For more information, visit www.craneschools.org.

About Gowan Company
The Gowan Company represents over a dozen different LLCs that provide crop protection products and services around the globe. Since 1963, the group has been providing products and services to farmers and others growing food and animal feed crops, ornamentals and turf. Gowan employs over 500 in Yuma, Arizona and has offices around the world. The Gowan Group is owned 100% by the Jessen Family, which has a long history of supporting education in Yuma County. For more information, visit www.gowanco.com.


Pictured Back Row:
Susan Carlson, ABEC executive director
Patrick Contrades, ABEC director of projects & committees
Panfilo Contreras, ABEC secretary and Executive director, Arizona School Boards Association
Charles Jirauch, ABEC past president and Partner, Quarles & Brady, LLC

Pictured Front Row:
Caroline Jessen, wife of Jon Jessen
Helen Coffeen, principal, Rancho Viejo Elementary School
Jon Jessen, founder, Gowan Company
Juli Jessen, CEO, Gowan Company
Dave Howell, ABEC president and Vice president, community & government relations, Wells Fargo