According to a news release, the funding will go toward summer reading and STEM programming for low-income and underserved students in Clark, Daviess, Hamilton, Hendricks, Henry, Howard, Huntington, Jefferson, Johnson, Knox, Lawrence, Monroe, Morgan, Ripley, Shelby, Tippecanoe and Vigo counties. Funding will provide students with equipment and materials for lessons focusing on artificial intelligence, robotics and coding, as well as 3D printers for engineering courses, among other uses.
“Our educators and students are facing tremendous challenges teaching and learning as we emerge from the pandemic,” Stan Pinegar, president of Duke Energy Indiana, said in a public statement. “It’s more important now than ever before that we support and invest in opportunities for our children in the communities we serve to thrive and reach their full potential.”
Over the past three years, the announcement said, the foundation has awarded more than $1.1 million to nonprofit educational organizations across Indiana. Speaking for the Maker Youth Foundation, one of this year’s recipients, founder Kim Brand said the funding will help them expand programming to reach more students than ever.
“Through fun, hands-on activities, we try to inspire kids to adopt a ‘maker mindset,’ or the belief they can learn to do anything,” Brand said in a public statement. “It’s our mission to help them develop timeless skills like curiosity, collaboration and problem-solving that will set them on a path to success.”
Other recipients this year included the following:
- Hanover College in Jefferson County, which will use $15,000 for its STEM Enrichment Program, geared toward increasing college enrollment among underserved high school graduates and introducing them to STEM careers.
- Indiana State University (statewide), which received $40,000 to support Indiana State University’s Power of Reading and Power of Math summits, where teachers can learn from nationally renowned experts on “new techniques and research to help improve instruction and outcomes for K-12 students.”
- Ivy Tech Foundation in Vigo County, using $10,000 to facilitate the annual Cob and Cog competition held at Ivy Tech Community College’s Terre Haute campus, encouraging high school students to solve STEM-related challenges that require “problem-solving, teamwork, effective communication and ingenuity.”
- Kokomo School Corporation in Howard County, which won $20,000 for its Summer READ UP with STEM! Discovery Program for students entering grades K-3, to encourage them to read up on STEM-related topics over the summer.
- Maker Youth Foundation in Hamilton County received $27,230 for its “Saturn Program: A Renewable Energy Mobile Field Experience and Design Challenge,” which teaches Hamilton County high school students about renewable energy technologies.
- Mitchell Community Schools in Lawrence County received $14,274 for state-of-the-art digital fabrication and STEM programming supplies at Shoals Middle School, Burris Elementary School and Orleans Elementary School, such as a sublimation printer and heat press; a laser engraving and cutting machine; and microelectronics kits.
