Funds available for STEAM education projects

From Clemson University

Article by Paul Alongi

Educators from across the state can apply for grants that pay for new STEAM projects, such as those on display at the iMAGINE Upstate festival in downtown Greenville each spring.

Students across South Carolina will have new opportunities to learn skills that employers say are in demand as part of a program that is distributing funds for new projects in science, technology, engineering, art and math, also known as STEAM.

Five grants will be awarded to educators who are interested in starting new STEAM projects targeted toward students from prekindergarten through grade 12.

Each grant recipient will receive up to $2,500 and eight hours of STEAM-focused professional development valued at $1,500. Educators in the public and private sector are invited to apply, and eligibility extends to those involved in out-of-school learning, such as after-school clubs.

The deadline to apply is Jan. 12 at 5 p.m.

The grants are called  “Growing in SC: The Future of STEAM is Here.” They come from the S2TEM Centers SC, an affiliate of South Carolina’s Coalition for Mathematics & Science. They are part of the centers’ 25th anniversary celebration.

Tom Peters, executive director of the South Carolina Coalition for Mathematics & Science, said the grants will help establish new and innovative projects across the state.

“STEAM education inspires the next generation of leaders and prepares them for some of the state’s most in-demand jobs,” he said. “With these grants, we are planting seeds for the future.”

One grant will be awarded to an educator from each area of the state as defined by the coalition: Coastal Pee Dee,  Lowcountry, Midlands, Upcountry and Western. Recipients will be recognized at an anniversary celebration planned for March at the Capital City Club in Columbia.

The grants should incorporate multiple aspects of STEAM education and support the “Life and Career Characteristics” and “World Class Skills” sections of the TransformSC “Profile of the South Carolina Graduate.”

Applications can be downloaded at www.s2temsc.org/grant.html.

The South Carolina Coalition for Mathematics & Science offers a host of programs in STEM and STEAM education resources through its S2TEM Centers SC initiative.  These resources range from downloadable lessons to continuing education courses. The coalition is based in Anderson and is housed within the Clemson University College of Engineering, Computing and Applied Sciences.