This fall, the Prairie State Generating Company (PSGC) hosted its third annual Classroom Impact Grant Program to support STEM-related projects in local classrooms. Four grants of $1,000 were awarded. The recipient schools of these grants are listed here, along with the more information about the project being supported:
Fulton Junior High School. Project: Robotics Competitive Teams, After School and Summer Programs.
This project will help support the Fulton Junior High School Robotics Program, which empowers students through hands-on STEM education, centered around the FIRST LEGO League (FLL). Robotics team members are responsible for designing, building, and coding autonomous robots to complete missions on the official gameboard. FJHS supports two competitive teams who participate in the FLL tournaments.
Nashville Community High School. Project: Enhancing Advanced Manufacturing.
This project will allow NCHS to expand their 3D printing capabilities within the Welding, CAD, Manufacturing, and Mechanical Drafting classes. This will allow students to explore advanced manufacturing processes, rapid prototyping, and design applications that closely mirror modern industry standards.
Okawville Grade School. Project: The Domino Effect: Chain Reaction Machines.
This project will allow students at OGS to learn about simple machines and chain reactions with a hands-on approach. The purchase of project-based learning kits will enable students to assemble and disassemble chain reaction machines, helping them learn about the engineering design process firsthand. These kits are reusable, allowing students to learn from them over many years to come.
Pinckneyville Junior High School. Project: Storm Science: Understanding, Predicting, and Preparing.
This project will provide around 120 students with an engaging, hands-on learning experience focused on severe weather, tornado formation, forecasting, and safety. They will participate in a Storm Science presentation featuring demonstrations and equipment that cannot be replicated in our traditional classroom, including Tesla coils and a 12-foot tornado chamber that students can safely enter. Following the presentation, students will apply what they have learned through hands-on STEM investigations and tornado engineering activities.
Supporting Local Educational Initiatives
Randy Short, President and CEO of PSGC, highlighted the importance of STEM education. “At Prairie State, we employ a wide range of professionals. Many of them come from educational backgrounds in science, technology, engineering, and math. It is vital that we support STEM education, to provide students an opportunity to see how fulfilling a STEM career may be.”
PSGC is proud to support local classrooms through initiatives such as these, and we look forward to continuing this grant program in the future.