Schools Receive STEM Grants For Student Activities

Schools Receive STEM Grants For Student Activities

Three grants totaling $3,000 will go toward students at Hanford High School, William Wiley Elementary and Enterprise Middle School for hands-on science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) opportunities to expand their horizons.

The schools were  awarded STEM Like Me! Grants to expand or start new STEM learning projects. The grants are supported by the Dream Builder’s Educational Network in partnership with the Mid-Columbia STEM Network and are aimed at providing innovative STEM learning opportunities in schools throughout the region.

Staff at Wiley plan to use their $1,000 grant to expand the “Think Differently” after-school STEM program at the school. The program, which helps students learn about STEM fields and careers through hands-on projects, is led by Wiley alum Emily Peite, currently a Washington State University (WSU) Tri-Cities student and the 2018-19 Washington STEM Super Youth Advocate for the region.

Enterprise teachers Jeremiah Robinson and Jennifer Appel will use their $1,000 grant to launch a coding program using Sphero, a programmable robot. Shaped like an orb, students use code to program movements for Sphero, allowing them to experience the ability of coding to manipulate objects.

Hanford High's Falcon Flyers Aviation Club will use a grant awarded to teacher David Wilson to purchase electronics for students to use in their aircraft and explore careers in aviation and engineering.

“Our teachers are always looking for new ways to engage students in STEM learning and these grants provide crucial resources to make these projects a reality,” says Erika Doyle, the district’s assistant director of Teaching, Learning & Curriculum