Classroom Grants Help Hands-On STEM Learning
AFCEA’s Educational Foundation offers grants to teachers in elementary and middle schools as well as in high schools to provide the materials needed to make these activities possible. Even a few hundred dollars helps give teachers support to create positive STEM education experiences for children.
Mounting evidence shows that hands-on experiences such as play-based activities, clubs and science fairs are extremely effective in improving engagement in STEM. Studies by the National Science Teachers Association demonstrate that young children learn through active exploration—and the drive to observe, interact and discover is inherent in their development. AFCEA’s Educational Foundation offers grants to teachers in elementary and middle schools as well as in high schools to provide the materials needed to make these activities possible. Even a few hundred dollars helps give teachers support to create positive STEM education experiences for children. The Educational Foundation gave $14,000 this fiscal year to teachers around the country.
Congratulations to this year’s grant recipients:
Haley Bilbray, Berkner High School
and STEM Academy, Richardson, Texas
Cheyenne Branscum, Shawnee Middle School,
Shawnee, Oklahoma
Casey Davidow, West Education Campus,
Washington, D.C.
Dustin Deweerd, Acton Elementary School, Dallas
Laura Horner (AFCEA International grant sponsored by the Alamo Chapter), Jenkins Middle School, Colorado Springs, Colorado
Alisa Janiski, Roye-Williams Elementary School,
Havre de Grace, Maryland
Alia Katz, Sonora Elementary School,
Sonora, California
Toni Kaui, Ka ‘Umeke Kā‘eo, Hilo, Hawaii
Michelle Ott, Pocomoke High School,
Pocomoke City, Maryland
Gia Parrott, Lowes Island Elementary School,
Sterling, Virginia
Samrat Pathania, Wallkill Senior High School,
Wallkill, New York
Erin Peck, Thomson Middle School,
Centerville, Georgia
Rachelle Pedersen (AFCEA International
grant sponsored by the Alamo Chapter),
Bunnell High School, Stratford, Connecticut
Savannah Smith, Spring Hill High School,
Chapin, South Carolina
Chaquena Spencer, Potomac High School,
Oxon Hill, Maryland
Aimee Thrune, Oostburg Middle School,
Oostburg, Wisconsin
Amber Zavicar, Lincoln Park Middle School,
Lincoln Park, Michigan
Cindy Nick and her students at Lyman Hall High School in Wallingford, Connecticut, experiment with Newton’s laws of motion. AFCEA Educational Foundation grants help support such hands-on learning.
Rachelle Pedersen’s student mentors at Bunnell High School in Stratford, Connecticut, develop hands-on activities for elementary and middle school girls in their local community. More than 50 families attended their third annual MakeHER Fair to create wind-powered boats, catapults and jetpack balloons.
