Boosting the academic achievement of minority youths is the focus of a new Seattle foundation, which yesterday announced $615,500 in grants to 10 organizations.

It is the first set of gifts given by the Fordham Street Foundation, founded by attorney Judy Bigelow, who says the gap in achievement between white and minority students is the nation's biggest challenge.

"It seems incredibly and fundamentally wrong to me. ... I can't imagine that this wouldn't be the most important issue for everybody," Bigelow said.

The biggest grant will go to Seattle MESA (Mathematics Engineering Science Achievement), which will get $100,000 this year and a $100,000 matching grant next year. The gift will help support MESA's efforts to train teachers to spark interest in math and science among minority students.

The Friends of the Children for King County will get $100,000 over two years (of which $70,000 is a matching grant) to help provide mentors to students who are homeless, or in families with a history of poverty, domestic violence, substance abuse or prostitution.

Bigelow, a partner in the Preston Gates & Ellis law firm and one of the owners of the Seattle Mariners, named the foundation after the street where she grew up in Pocatello, Idaho. She says she wants every child to experience the community and family support that she had in that small, friendly neighborhood.

Bigelow provided the foundation's $8 million endowment, saying she's one of the people who benefited from the success of Microsoft. (Her ex-husband, Carl Stork, was an early employee of the company.)

No school districts received grants this year, but Bigelow said that doesn't mean the foundation will not give to them in the future. (The Seattle School District applied but was not accepted.) Bigelow said it was difficult to choose among the 24 applicants. Other recipients include organizations that provide a variety of services to low-income and minority students — from supplemental classes for highly motivated middle-school students, to tutoring and reading assistance.

All are in the Seattle area, except for one: Let's Get Ready in New York, which received $30,000 for college counseling and preparation for high-school students to prepare for the SAT.

Linda Shaw: 206-464-2359 or lshaw@seattletimes.com