Jun 10, 2022
LANSING — Two Copper Country schools are among 16 recipients of state grants to develop Great Lakes-based science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) educational programs for students.
Arvon Township School received $5,000 for students to adopt two beaches in the township in partnership with the Alliance for the Great Lakes. Students and families will participate in science lessons, Earth Force Environmental Inventories and field trips that directly involve the land and beaches they have adopted, and expose them to careers in science, engineering and natural resource management.
Stanton Township Schools received $5,000 to train new teachers to carry out future Lake Superior Stewardship Initiative activities and to sustain student undertakings with the Stanton Township Schools’ gardens.
The grants build on Gov. Gretchen Whitmer s educational budget proposal, which includes the state’s highest-ever per-student investment, $1 billion for new school construction and renovation, funds to hire and retain 15,000 teachers, and more resources for on-campus mental health support.
These grants will support freshwater literacy programs and offer students access to real-world STEM experiences, Whitmer said in a news release:
“Our Great Lakes are our greatest asset, and we must empower young Michiganders to learn more about them and continue advancing conservation efforts. Michigan’s economic competitiveness depends on a workforce proficient in STEM and committed to solving our biggest challenges. Investments like these will help prepare our kids to lead our state into the future.”
The grants, announced in connection with Michigan’s Great Lakes and Fresh Water Week, are a collaborative effort of the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy and the Michigan Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity’s MiSTEM Network to expand freshwater literacy and place-based STEM education and to support innovative STEM 3-P (problem, place and project-based) learning.
“The Great Lakes State is investing in great leadership for our future,” said Liesl Clark, director of the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy. “These innovative educational programs and experiences will shape tomorrow’s advocates, policymakers and champions who will value and safeguard Michigan’s waterways and watersheds.”
“This continued partnership between EGLE and LEO supports students and educators through new and innovative approaches to STEM education to help close our state’s talent gap and prepare our students for high-demand career paths in STEM fields and beyond,” said Susan Corbin, director of the Michigan Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity. “We applaud these schools and community partners across the state for taking advantage of this grant opportunity and working with us to gear up today’s talent for the jobs of the future.”
Grant proposals were submitted and reviewed through a competitive request for proposal process. Projects were selected that best incorporated freshwater-focused efforts, place-based approaches and real-world experiences to engage students about the importance of Michigan’s Great Lakes and water resources and prepare them for careers in a variety of STEM fields.
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