Bosch fund gives $35,000 in grants to local schools
Bosch fund gives $35,000 in grants to local schools
Posted: Tuesday, March 4, 2014 11:00 pm
ALBION — The Bosch Community Fund recently presented the East Noble and Central Noble school districts with nearly $35,000 in grants to assist with four projects that will support students and teachers in the areas of science, technology, engineering and math (STEM), as well as environmental education.
The grants were presented by Michael Sagan, plant manager of the Bosch Albion manufacturing site, at the Central Noble School campus Friday.
Teachers submitted applications for the grants and were selected by a team that included representatives from Bosch and the Bosch Community Fund.
The grants include:
• Advanced Technology Professional Development: Teachers will continue to hone their skills with the help of a $17,000 grant that supports advanced training for technology staff members of the East Noble school district through Microsoft’s “Tech Ed” Conference. The grant provides support for East Noble school district to become a Microsoft IT Academy. The Microsoft IT Academy will provide staff with professional development and a full curriculum for teaching technology courses and the learning tools needed to work with students. The Microsoft IT Academy will provide students with the technology skills and certifications to be college- and career-ready.
• Water Quality of Noble County Lakes Eighth Grade Project: Eighth graders at East Noble Middle School, supported by a BCF grant of $16,287, will learn about the water quality of Noble County lakes. The 270 students will develop science skills through laboratory investigations to determine the water quality of four lakes in Noble County. Using a variety of water tests and science equipment, students will discover the physical and chemical properties of lake water in the areas where they live.
• Seventh grade field trip to Merry Lea Environmental Center: A grant of $920 will take more than 90 seventh-graders who attend Central Noble Middle School to the Merry Lea Environmental Center. While at the center, students will gain scientific knowledge by observing the world around them, participate in hands-on activities, perform and evaluate various investigations, and share their findings.
• GAME:IT Elementary STEM curriculum: A grant for $499 will support the implementation of GAME:IT Elementary STEM curriculum at South Side Elementary School, Kendallville. GAME:IT Elementary is a project-based program designed to introduce elementary school students to computer programming using Scratch, a computer programming language that can be used by students and teachers in a variety of math and science projects. It helps children learn to think creatively, reason systematically and work collaboratively. During the program’s 60 hours of instruction, students will learn how to design and build computer games.
“Bosch is very excited to partner with the East Noble and Central Noble school districts as the two districts continue to advance STEM and environmental education, both of which are part of Bosch’s heritage and demonstrate our strategic mission in which all of our products are Invented for life,” said Sagan. “The quality and creativity of the submissions was excellent and it was challenging to narrow the field to the four that were chosen.
“It is our hope that, by working with children throughout their elementary, middle and high school years, we can spark interest in and create a passion for science, technology, engineering, math and the environment that will ultimately result in students pursuing careers in these critical areas.”
“Teachers in this region continue to show tremendous creativity in presenting these subjects to their students,” said East Noble Superintendent Ann Linson. “We share Bosch’s commitment to preparing students today for promising high-tech careers and not merely talking about these subjects, but showing them and inviting them to learn in real-time, hands-on environments.”
“We all remember times in school when teachers gave us experiences that brought to life what we were studying,” said Central Noble Superintendent Chris Daughtry. “We remember those times most vividly, and for many students, these are life-changing experiences. Grants like those from the Bosch Community Fund facilitate this kind of learning. They are invaluable.”
