The Alliance of Public Schools is thrilled to announce that Hillsborough County Public Schools is one of 12 U.S. Department of Defense awardees across the nation for the National Defense Education Program STEM grant. The Alliance for Public Schools will provide parent engagement activities as part of this initiative. The district will receive nearly $3 million over three years to support K-8 STEM programs to prepare students for the 21stcentury workforce.
The funding will go toward several initiatives relating to the district’s thriving STEM offerings, including:
- Professional development for K-8 STEM teachers, establishing a corps of STEM Ambassadors to sustain a robust program for years to come
- Leverage community partners to create relevant, stimulating lessons for STEM classes across the district
- After school and summer camps in areas such as rocketry and computer science
“I am excited to accept funds from the Department of Defense as the money will be utilized to further support STEM initiatives within Hillsborough County Public Schools. In an effort to prepare students for the 21stcentury, we must provide opportunities for students to develop skills linked to problem-solving, creativity, communication and critical analysis. STEM is a pathway that we must offer, and these funds will allow us to expose our students to endless possibilities,” said Superintendent Addison Davis.
“We look forward to engaging parents and families in the exciting opportunities this grant will provide. STEM activities offer meaningful and fun ways for families to connect with their students and their public schools,” said Melissa Erickson, Executive Director of the Alliance for Public Schools.
“We are thrilled to have been selected by the Department of Defense for this prestigious award. Hillsborough County Public Schools has been a national leader in STEM education and these funds will provide thousands of students additional opportunities to enjoy learning in STEM. We thank our core partners, such as MOSI, The Florida Aquarium, Alliance for Public Schools, University of South Florida and Space Trek for their support,” said Larry Plank, Executive Director for K-12 Science Education.
The STEM grant will be utilized to fund programs such as Mission: Tampa Bay, an underwater robotics camps for girls, as well as the Student Spaceflight Experiments Program, which affords students the opportunity to send a science project to the International Space Station on a SpaceX rocket.
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