The Utah STEM Action Center recently received a $1.5 million five-year grant from the Tesoro Foundation to create a STEM mobile classroom and support the creation of a STEM-competitive workforce.
“We are proud to support the STEM Action Center and its mission to produce a STEM-competitive workforce to ensure Utah’s continued economic success,” said Brad Shafer, senior manager of government and public affairs for Tesoro. “As an employer constantly seeking out top-talent and as a socially responsible corporate citizen, supporting STEM education-related programs is the cornerstone of Tesoro’s community investment strategy,”
Mobile classrooms deliver activities that require specialized equipment, facilitate professional learning activities for teachers, and deliver kits and tools that can be left behind for students and teachers to continue STEM learning opportunities.
Through the mobile bus program, the STEM Action center and Tesoro look forward to reaching out to geographical areas that have limited STEM-related opportunities, as well as working with local communities, companies and parents to offer STEM-related projects that will inspire career education and opportunities for students.
“The STEM Action Center is excited to partner with Tesoro to take STEM ‘on the road.’ Tesoro’s commitment to this project is so impressive,” said Dr. Tamara Goetz, Utah STEM Action Center executive director. “They have committed to five years of funding and a willingness to help reach out to other potential partners to make this project a success. The ability to design and deploy a mobile STEM classroom will transform how we bring hands-on STEM to students across the state. The mobile classroom will enable us to share exciting hands on activities and STEM resources with more students, teachers and communities. Our goal is to develop programs that showcase Utah companies and their technology.”
Some of the featured classroom curriculum will include:
- Video Game Design
- 3D Printing
- Computer Software Programming
- Hardware Engineering
- Mechanical Engineering
Tesoro and the Utah STEM Action Center will launch the program in 2017.