Science teacher wins grant for STEMM Academy

The STEMM Academy grant was used to purchase equipment, materials, and consumables such as water and soil testing kits and computer software for data analysis.

The Society for Science and the Public has announced that Kimberly Gasaway, a science teacher at Okaloosa’s STEMM Academy, has been awarded a $5,000 grant for the Okaloosa STEMM Academy in Valparaiso.

The award is part of $100,000 given to 24 middle school science teachers across the country to support STEM research activities in their classrooms.

“I’m excited to be providing this financial support to middle school teachers who encounter students at such an important point in their lives,” said Maya Ajmera, President & CEO of the Society for Science & the Public.

“During this crucial time, students start setting the stage for their future path in high school while some young people begin drifting away from their interests in STEM. By providing these teachers with the resources to build a meaningful STEM research program, we are helping to engage the next generation of leaders in engineering and science.”

The Society’s STEM Research Grant Program supports educators who are implementing fresh and innovative teaching methods to shed light on discoveries that can be made through original STEM research projects. The one-time grants, in large part, are provided to educators in schools serving in low-income areas or underrepresented students.

The STEMM Academy grant was used to purchase equipment, materials, and consumables such as water and soil testing kits and computer software for data analysis.

STEMM students will work in small groups to complete project-based learning research projects during school under the continual monitoring of STEMM Research I teachers. Students will use this equipment to carry out small group projects during school in their 6th-grade Research I classes.

This equipment will also be available to all students in 7th and 8th grade as they work to complete individual science fair projects independently outside of the school day and during the weekly science fair tutoring sessions designed to help support all students at STEMM.

About Society for Science & the Public
Society for Science & the Public is dedicated to the achievement of young scientists in independent research and to public engagement in science. Established in 1921, the Society is a nonprofit whose vision is to promote the understanding and appreciation of science and the vital role it plays in human advancement. Through its world-class competitions, including the Regeneron Science Talent Search, the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair, and the Broadcom MASTERS, and its award-winning magazines, Science News and Science News for Students, Society for Science & the Public is committed to inform, educate, and inspire. Learn more at www.societyforscience.org.