Eighth-grade students from Mexico and Houston join Governor Matt Blunt at the State Capitol to help launch the Show-Me Scholars education program . In all, four of the state’s 524 school districts – Mexico, Houston, Rockwood, and Jennings – are taking part in this initiative, which brings local business leaders into the classrooms to motivate and encourage students to take challenging courses.

The Governor says many successes in the future will be traced to kids taking tougher classes in high school.

Joining the Governor at the Capitol were Senate President Pro Tem Michael Gibbons (R-Kirkwood), Representative Steve Hobbs (R-Mexico), Representative Don Wells (R-Houston), Bill Marbaker, assistant director of the Missouri State Highway Patrol Crime Laboratory, and Stan Johnson of the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education.

The program is an initiative of the Missouri Chamber of Commerce. The Chamber is working to extend the program to one-quarter of Missouri’s school districts by 2010.

Download/Listen: Governor Blunt addresses students (6:00 MP3)