MORNING STAR EXPEDITIONS INC MONTANA CHILDRENS ENDOWMENT

WE HAVE BEEN PHASING INTO YOUTH MENTORING AND DEVELOPMENT RELATING TO SOCIAL AND EDUCATIONAL CHALLENGES FACED BY OUR YOUNG ADULTS IN MONTANA. WE ARE GOING TO PATTERN THIS PROGRAM AFTER THE MOST SUCCESSFUL COMUNITA CENACOLO AMERICA FOUNDED IN THE LAST CENTURY IN ST. AUGUSTINE, FLORIDA. IN 2023 WE CONTINUE TO BUILD RELATIONSHIPS WITH PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZATIONS AND OFFICERS TO DEVELOP AND BRING THE CENACOLO PROGRAM BENEFITS TO MONTANA AND LOCKWOOD.

ACTIVITIES TO PROVIDE AND IMPROVE EDUCATION METHODS AND SCHOOL FUNDING IN MONTANA (ESPECIALLY DEVELOPMENT OF SMALL URBAN SCHOOLS). SINCE 2016 WE HAVE FOCUSED ON SMALL URBAN SCHOOLS IN YELLOWSTONE COUNTY, MONTANA, ESPECIALLY IN PROVIDING THE SAME KIND OF BASIC ENTITLEMENT FUNDING FROM THE STATE OF MONTANA AS THAT PROVIDED TO SMALL RURAL SCHOOLS.IN 2013, THE FUNDING FOR MONTANA URBAN PUBLIC SCHOOLS WAS IMPROVED CONSIDERABLY THROUGH REVITALIZATION OF THE BASIC ENTITLEMENT FOR "SCHOOL GROUPS, NOT TO THE EXTENT NECESSARY, BUT IT DID PROVIDE AN ADDITIONAL $2 MILLION TO THE BILLINGS PUBLIC SCHOOLS, AN INCREASE OF ALMOST $150 ANNUALLY PER STUDENT. THAT IS A RESULT OF OUR LONG TERM EFFORTS TO INFORM AND EDUCATE COMMUNITY AND STATE LEADERS AND DECISION MAKERS (ACTIVELY SINCE 2000).WE ACCOMPLISHED OUR GOAL OF PROVIDING THE OPPORTUNITY FOR THE SUBURBAN COMMUNITIES OF LOCKWOOD AND EAST HELENA, MONTANA IN THEIR QUEST TO HAVE THEIR OWN COMMUNITY HIGH SCHOOL. (IT IS INTERESTING TO NOTE THAT OUR EXIT POLL OF A SCHOOL ELECTION IN LOCKWOOD IN 2007 SHOWED 69.3% SUPPORT FOR A LOCKWOOD HIGH SCHOOL -- THAT IS EXACTLY THE SAME 69.3% SUPPORT THAT THE LOCKWOOD HIGH SCHOOL BALLOT ISSUE RECEIVED IN NOVEMBER OF 2017.) WE ARE ALSO EXPLORING ALTERNATIVE FUNDING THROUGH AN EMPHASIS ON INCOME TAX CREDITS AS A SUPPLEMENT TO EXISTING FUNDING OPTIONS. WE ENTHUSIASTICALLY SUPPORTED THE US SUPREME COURT DECISION FOR THE PLAINTIFF IN ESPINOZA V. MONTANA (OVERTURNING THE STATE BLAINE AMENDMENT AND ALLOWING INCOME TAX CREDITS FOR TAXPAYERS PROVIDING SCHOLARSHIPS FOR BOTH PUBLIC AND NON-PUBLIC K-12 STUDENTS WITHOUT BIGOTRY). IN 2021, MONTANA CREATED TAX CREDITS FOR INNOVATIVE EDUCATION PROGRAMS AND STUDENT SCHOLARSHIP ORGANIZATIONS.