The South Florida Science Center and Aquarium has just been awarded $100,000 through the generosity of the Stiles-Nicholson Foundation to help increase STEM education for Palm Beach County students, galvanizing the community around a common goal to expand local FIRST® robotics programs. This award is an addition to a recent $50,000 STEM Equity Community Innovation Grant received by the Palm Beach County School District from FIRST, the world’s leading youth-serving nonprofit advancing STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math).
Working collaboratively, the Palm Beach County School District, the South Florida Science Center and Aquarium and Green Mouse Academy have already begun to implement an innovative FIRST LEGO League program expansion for students from pre-K through grade four, which will provide robotics equipment labs, curriculum, certified training and ongoing job-embedded coaching for teachers and afterschool practitioners at multiple local elementary schools. 750 more students and 12 elementary schools will discover hands-on, STEM robotics through project-based learning as they research and explore a real-world challenge. This year’s FIRST global robotics theme challenges students to imagine and create a building that solves a problem and makes life easier, happier, or more connected and then using LEGO robotics to design and program their BOOMTOWN BUILDSM.
“At the Science Center, we want to open every mind to science, and we are grateful to our partner organizations for making this happen and we are proud to be a host for this incredible program.” Said Kate Arrizza, CEO of the Science Center.
FIRST continues to grow in Palm Beach County, engaging more than 3,000 students annually through age appropriate afterschool learning opportunities and local FIRST competition teams. Leadership and support from the local community is a key reason Palm Beach County was selected to receive this highly competitive FIRST grant, joining 8 other winning communities from over 270 applicants nationwide.
“With the generous local funding received from the Stiles-Nicholson Foundation and the leadership support of the South Florida Science Center and of the school district’s Department of Teaching & Learning K-12 STEM Team, we expect to see a significant impact on the local community, and we hope to see this project serve as a model emulated throughout the country,” said Shane Vander Kooi, President of Green Mouse Academy and FIRST Program Delivery Partner.
The project seeks to test several innovations designed to engage more students, teachers and schools. It also seeks to bridge applied learning experience that occur informally at community locations like the South Florida Science Center and Aquarium with formal classroom instruction provided during the school day.
“According to the latest 2018 PISA report on International Student Assessment, United States ranked 18th out of 77 nations in Science literacy and China ranked #1 – we can do better” said David Nicholson, BSc., LLD, CFA, chairman and founder of the Stiles-Nicholson Foundation. “We need to encourage more students to pursue STEM careers. FIRST Robotics is fun project-based learning which motivates youngsters to learn more about science and consider it as a career. The FIRST LEGO League program stimulates excitement, engagement and team building while teaching students the needed skill sets of tomorrow. Hopefully, we will turn some lights on. The Stiles-Nicholson Foundation is pleased to support this STEM initiative and partner with the Science Center, Green Mouse Academy, FIRST Robotics and the Palm Beach County School District. We encourage other corporations and philanthropists to also step up and support STEM education locally. ”
A key aim of this grant is to support communities with underserved and underrepresented students and help them develop new, innovative approaches to tackle the education gap. Over the long-term this will not only address the STEM education needs of our students but develop a local pipeline of talent and help position our future community workforce for success.
“We need kids of all backgrounds, capabilities and social circumstances to contribute to innovation and participate in addressing the world’s toughest challenges,” said Donald E. Bossi, President of FIRST. “We hope that these resources enable underserved and underrepresented students to realize their full potential and have the self-confidence to do anything they set their mind to.”
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About South Florida Science Center and Aquarium
The mission of the South Florida Science Center and Aquarium is to “open every mind to science” and in addition to its fresh and saltwater aquarium and new Fisher Family Science Trail, the indoor/outdoor venue features more than 100 hands-on educational exhibits, a digital planetarium, conservation research station, Florida exhibit hall, Pre-K focused “Discovery Center,” an interactive Everglades exhibit and the 18-hole Conservation Course – an outdoor putting course with science-focused education stations. The newest addition includes a $2.5 million permanent exhibit, “Journey Through the Human Brain” and features the most advanced neuroscience research and technology in the world.
The South Florida Science Center and Aquarium is located at 4801 Dreher Trail North in West Palm Beach and is open Monday – Friday from 9 a.m. – 5 p.m., and on Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. – 6 p.m. Admission to Hall of Heroes is included in general admission to the Science Center, which is $17.95 for adults $16.95 for seniors, $14.95 for kids ages 3-12 and free for kids under 3. Planetarium shows and mini golf are not included in general admission pricing. For more information, call 561-832-1988 or visit www.sfsciencecenter.org.
Like the South Florida Science Center and Aquarium on Facebook and follow them on Twitter and Instagram @SFScienceCenter.
About Green Mouse Academy:
Green Mouse Academy (GMA), based in West Palm Beach, Florida and founded in 2004, works with students of all ages, developing and delivering technology enrichment discovery programs through schools, camps, after-school programs and other organizational partners. Current programs include courses in Engineering and Robotics; Coding and Game Design, Digital Art and Animation and a variety of Maker Lab programs. This year the GMA team will directly deliver workshops to thousands of individual students throughout South Florida while supporting thousands of after-school educators and teachers nationwide with their licensed program content. GMA is a consulting partner to FIRST® and is the designated Program Delivery Partner supporting and operating the FIRST® LEGO® League programs throughout South Florida. Since inception, GMA has directed or delivered over $2 Million in grant-funded services to students and sites within Palm Beach County.
To learn more about Green Mouse Academy visit www.greenmouseacademy.com. To learn more about FIRST LEGO League programs in South Florida, visit www.southfloridarobotics.org .
About FIRST®
Accomplished inventor Dean Kamen founded FIRST® (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) in 1989 to inspire an appreciation of science and technology in young people. Based in Manchester, N.H., FIRST designs accessible, innovative programs to build self-confidence, knowledge, and life skills while motivating young people to pursue opportunities in science, technology, and engineering. With support from over 200 of the Fortune 500 companies and more than $80 million in college scholarships, the not-for-profit organization hosts the FIRST® Robotics Competition for students in Grades 9-12; FIRST® Tech Challenge for Grades 7-12; FIRST® LEGO® League for Grades 4-8; and FIRST® LEGO® League Jr. for Grades K-4. Gracious Professionalism® is a way of doing things that encourages high-quality work, emphasizes the value of others, and respects individuals and the community. To learn more about FIRST, go to www.firstinspires.org.
This grant is made possible as part of the FIRST® Equity, Diversity & Inclusion initiative, sponsored by 3M, Apple, BOSCH, Booz Allen Hamilton, Caterpillar, Cognizant Technology Solutions, The Walt Disney Company, Dow, John Deere, Qualcomm Incorporated, Toyota U.S.A. Foundation, United Technologies Corporations, individuals, and anonymous donors. Grantees will receive resources and support from FIRST as they develop their programs.
To learn more about FIRST’s commitment to equity, diversity, and inclusion, please visit https://www.firstinspires.org/about/diversityinclusion.