STEM Grants Help Schools

In January, the chapter presented three $1,000 science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) grants along with a certificate to General Communications Incorporated (GCI) for its new corporate membership. Heather Pelletier and Leslie Bunch of Palmer Junior Middle School run the Science Olympiad/Robotics Club comprising 50 students. Currently, the club shares one NXT Robotics kit. The AFCEA STEM grant will be used to purchase an additional NXT Robotics kit for the club. Additionally, the grant will purchase a Mindstorms NXT enterprise license for the school computer labs, ensuring an entire class of students will have tools to develop their programming skills.

The remaining funds will be used to purchase supplementary training and teaching kits for programming activities. By providing a second robotics kit and the supporting materials, the club will enable the students to divide into smaller groups and improve the individual contribution and involvement in the robotics events. More participation will help develop fundamental and deeper understandings of robotics and better prepare the Robotics Club for FIRST and other competitions.

Kirsten Roos, a 6th grade science teacher at Mirror Lake Middle School in Chugiak, Alaska, has combined a classic learning technique of having a student teach a topic with the Khan Academy leveraging the power of short video lessons. The AFCEA STEM grant will be used to purchase the tools necessary to initiate this program with students developing the educational videos. The grant will purchase Wacom Bamboo Capture Tablets and five licenses of Camtasia Screen Recording software to enable this new project for the initial class of 108 students. Creating the videos will not only develop skills in the use of the tools but also deepen the understanding of the subject matter. The audience for the videos will see the perspective of their peer tutors as well as endeavor to better understand the material presented or take the opportunity to make up for missed class time.

Maryann DePriest, representing the sponsors of the Science Olympiad activity at Mirror Lake Middle School, is leveraging the AFCEA STEM grant to purchase supplies, training videos and additional equipment. The 30 to 50 students, from the sixth, seventh and eighth grades, will use these materials to develop better understanding of science concepts to improve their performance in Science Olympiad events as well as foster an appreciation of concepts for the future.

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