PHILADELPHIA, PA—(June 17, 2021)—The Fund for The School District of Philadelphia has announced 16 winning public-school projects that will receive grant funding for programming aimed at introducing Black, Latinx and female students to potential careers in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM).
All K-12 teachers in the Philadelphia School District were invited to submit applications to receive funding for projects that focus on or combine STEM disciplines and include significant participation by Black, Latinx and female students – who are largely underrepresented in the field. The grants, up to $2,500 per project through June 2022, are funded by GSK, a global healthcare company with origins in Philadelphia and U.S. headquarters at the Philadelphia Navy Yard.
Some of the grant-winning projects include:
- A program using flying drones to teach students computer coding at three high schools: (Abraham Lincoln High School, Northeast Philadelphia, High School of the Future, West Philadelphia; and Samuel Fels High School, Lawncrest);
- A curriculum exploring urban water infrastructure for fifth graders (Francis Scott Key Elementary, South Philadelphia);
- Aquaponics project growing plants in water without soil, provided nutrients by fish living in the water instead of chemical-laced fertilizer (Thurgood Marshall School, North Philadelphia);
- Virtual reality programming (Frankford High School, Northeast Philadelphia); and
- Kits for learning about renewable energy (Alain Locke School, West Philadelphia).
A full list of funded projects and schools is below.
"For students from backgrounds that are traditionally underrepresented in STEM professions, one barrier simply is exposure to the possibilities and the career options," said Donna Frisby-Greenwood, CEO of The Fund for the School District. "We have so many bright students in Philadelphia who can make an impact in our region's booming tech and science sectors. This grant program helps light the sparks to inspire them."
If we want women at the forefront of the next generation of STEM leaders, we must show these girls that it is possible,” Frisby-Greenwood added.
Over the last decade, opportunities in STEM fields have grown three times faster than in non-STEM fields, according to the U.S. Department of Commerce. According to an April Pew Research Center report, Black and Hispanic adults are less likely to earn degrees in STEM than other degree fields, and they continue to make up a lower share of STEM graduates relative to their share of the adult population. And while women now earn a majority of all undergraduate and advanced degrees, they remain a small share of degree earners in fields like engineering and computer science – areas where they are significantly underrepresented in the work force.
"Now, more than ever, there are more career opportunities in STEM fields,” said Malika Savoy-Brooks, Ed.D., chief academic support officer of the School District of Philadelphia. "These grants allow our teachers the opportunity to connect our students to these fields, improve student success and bolster STEM participation by Black and Latinx female students. We are very excited to be able to offer these projects to our students so we can have a significant impact on their educational learning and their futures."
The School District's Office of Grant Development (OGD) provided workshops to assist teachers in preparing their grant applications. Activities including students who are English-language learners and in Special Education were encouraged to attend. Teachers working in neighborhood schools predominantly reaching the target population received extra consideration as applications were evaluated.
The full list of grantees:
|
School |
Title |
Amount |
Short Description |
|
Abraham Lincoln High School |
Using Autonomous Flying Vehicles for Social Justice |
$1,500.00 |
Using drones to engage students in coding and the engineering design process in multiple high school robotics courses. |
|
Alain Locke School |
Alternative Energy for the Future |
$1,425.00 |
Purchasing 10 Fischertechnik Oeco Energy kits for middle grade students. Using these kits, students will explore the STEM topic of renewable energy sources. |
|
Alexander Adaire School |
Big Sister STEM |
$2,455.00 |
After-school STEM robotics club for girls. |
|
Anna L. Lingelbach School |
Assessing the Health of the Monoshone Creek |
$1,250.00 |
Students will take a hands-on approach to data collection and the assessment of environmental health of local streams. They will make connections to their local resources and study human behavior and impacts on drinking water supplies and local ecosystems. |
|
Carver High School of Engineering and Science |
Bioinformatics and Gel Electrophoresis in 9th Grade Biology and Computer Science |
$2,440.00 |
A cross-disciplinary exploration of modern biotechnology, connecting bioinformatics and coding instruction with hands-on usage of modern DNA electrophoresis techniques in the context of authentic problems in genetics for 9th Grade Biology and Computer Science students. |
|
Cook-Wissahickon School |
Hydroponic Growing System |
$2,100.00 |
Using Hydroponic Growing System to teach environmental science through STEM for grades 4 through 8. |
|
Eleanor C. Emlen School |
What's the MATTER? |
$1,500.00 |
A newly established STEM Lab will bring the study of matter to life, through fun and engaging experiments. |
|
Eliza B. Kirkbride School |
Climate Change Modeling and Solutions |
$1,160.00 |
With the Schuylkill Center for Environmental Education, creating a six-week bilingual STEM after-school program for students in 4th and 5th grades that uses Legos as a hands-on tool to develop a greater understanding of climate change and alternative energy sources. |
|
Francis Scott Key School |
Urban Water Systems and Sustainability |
$2,145.00 |
Fifth grade students at Francis S. Key Elementary School will explore and analyze water systems, urban water infrastructure and watersheds in order to develop and propose ways to positively impact sustainability. |
|
Frankford High School |
VR Experiences to Increase STEM Career Interest |
$2,500.00 |
Students will create Virtual Reality (VR) experiences that showcase STEM careers related to what they've learned at Frankford. These experiences will be shared with 9th graders to help them choose programs. |
|
High School of the Future |
Using Autonomous Flying Vehicles for Social Justice |
$1,500.00 |
Using drones to engage students in coding and the engineering design process in multiple high school robotics courses. |
|
John Moffet School |
Girls' Game Coders |
$2,500.00 |
Video game creation for female students of color. |
|
Philadelphia High School for Girls |
Electronic Textiles in the Maker Space |
$1,950.00 |
E-Textiles curriculum combining technology, design, computational and coding skills into activities in a "maker space." |
|
Samuel Fels High School |
Using Autonomous Flying Vehicles for Social Justice |
$1,500.00 |
Using drones to engage students in coding and the engineering design process in multiple high school robotics courses. |
|
Thurgood Marshall School |
STEM Aquaponics program |
$1,165.00 |
Aquaponics project growing plants in water without soil, provided nutrients by fish living in the water instead of chemical-laced fertilizer. |
|
William H. Loesche School |
G.E.M.S. (Girls Engaged in Meaningful Science) |
$2,350.00 |
Grades 3 to 5 female students using stereo and compound microscopes to view slides of live plant and animal cells and discuss biology. |
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About the Fund for the School District of Philadelphia
The Fund for the School District of Philadelphia (The Fund) identifies, coordinates and connects philanthropic resources to level the playing field in local public schools. The Fund's partnership with the School District of Philadelphia seeks to promote equity, safety and improved performance. By coordinating these efforts, the Fund helps students in the District succeed and reach their full potential.
About GSK
GSK is a science-led global healthcare company with a special purpose: to help people do more, feel better, live longer. For further information please visit www.us.gsk.com.