Projects | Aug 16, 2016

STEM Maker Kit Grants Awarded to 20 Middle School Groups

$10,000 in grants ($500 each) have been awarded to 10 middle-school science classrooms and 10 after-school programs to pilot a new Maker Kit!

Maker kit picture

Photo Courtesy: USDA Food and Nutrition Service

$10,000 in grants ($500 each) have been awarded to 10 middle-school science classrooms and 10 after-school programs to pilot a new Maker Kit!

In the STEM-focused Maker Kit challenge, students research scenarios related to food production and build their own models to solve the food production challenge. A detailed outline and starter kit of supplies will be provided to schools and programs piloting. All these resources will be made available to the public in early 2017.

With a total of 89 worthy applicants, we had to narrow down to 10 schools and 10 after school programs. Thank you to everyone who applied! We appreciate your efforts to incorporate agriculture into education.

The passion for educating is evident in our winning groups with recipients sharing that they are “so excited to start our project!!!” and “WOW! This is awesome news! I am thrilled!” Congratulations to all of our winners; we look forward to seeing how your projects turn out.

Selected Middle Schools:

  • Waialua Intermediate (Waialua, Hawaii)
  • Contentnea-Savannah K-8 STEM School (Kinston, North Carolina)
  • Chocktaw Middle School (Chocktaw, Oklahoma)
  • Hillsman Middle School (Athens, Georgia)
  • Thomas Harrison Middle School (Harrisonburg, Virginia)
  • Osage Middle School (Osage, Iowa)
  • Esparto Middle School (Esparto, California)
  • Unadilla Valley Central School (New Berlin, New York)
  • Buddy Taylor Middle School (Palm Coast, Florida)
  • Chelland Middle School (Sterling, Illinois)​

Selected After-School Programs:

  • North Callaway R-1 Before/After-School Program (Kingdom City, Missouri)
  • Woodland Joint Unified School District ASES Program (Woodland, California)
  • Waialua Intermediate “Pride” Program (Waialua, Hawaii)
  • Byron Area Schools After-School Program (Byron, Michigan)
  • Gateway Polytechnic Academy (Mesa, Arizona)
  • Dauphin County 4-H After-School Program (Dauphin, Pennsylvania)
  • Thomas Jefferson Middle School (Edison, New Jersey)
  • Colonial Heights Middle School STEM Club (Kingsport, Tennessee)
  • Loudon County Schools After-School Program (Loudon, Tennessee)
  • After-School STEM Program (Colwich, Kansas)

This program is a special project of the American Farm Bureau Foundation for Agriculture. The resources are made possible through the generous support of title sponsor, DuPont Pioneer.

- e d i t -