GREENVILLE—In December, Greenville FFA was awarded $5,000 to expand STEM learning projects through Ohio STEM Learning Network Classroom Grant Program, funded by Battelle.
In total, 163 public schools join Greenville FFA in winning the award. The program reached students in one of every seven school districts (124) across 60 Ohio counties.
“Every Ohio community should have access to the kind of quality STEM education that drives opportunity for families and job growth in our state.” said Kelly Gaier Evans, Director of the Ohio STEM Learning Network. “This program creates champions of STEM in local communities and, through them, fosters new opportunities for students.”
The grant program fosters the growth of the Ohio STEM Learning Network as a public-private partnership between Battelle and the State of Ohio. Providing more access for all students to experience quality science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) education is Battelle’s top philanthropic priority.
“Battelle is proud to invest in the hundreds of educators who submitted ideas to expand STEM learning for their students,” said Wes Hall, Vice President of Philanthropy & Education. “Together, we can inspire a new generation to solve the most pressing challenges of the future.”
The grant money was spent to purchase four Tower Gardens from Juice Plus as a way to bring more hands-on opportunities into the classroom and give students the ability to grow fresh produce year-round and learn about the many ways’ plants can be grown.
As part of the grant, students in the Greenhouse & Nursery Management, Animal & Plant Science along with the Agriculture, Food & Natural Resources classes will have the opportunity to use the Tower Gardens to grow various produce such as lettuces, tomatoes, herbs, peppers, etc. These items will be used in class and donated to local food pantries to help those in the community get access to fresh produce.
