Through its Full STEAM Ahead in the Classroom grant program, the IEC is empowering teachers by providing funds to supplement lesson plans and employ innovative approaches to teach science, technology, engineering, art, and math (STEAM) in classrooms, DOE-EM said.
According to DOE-EM, inspiring the next generation of workers to pursue technical careers is essential to the success of the office’s mission across the country as the government and its contractors work to overcome the challenges of an aging workforce. STEAM learning engages young minds in ways that facilitate technical understanding and is critical to the nation’s ability to meet its workforce development needs.
In the classroom: Cole Hebdon, who teaches 3D modeling and robotics at Sandcreek Middle School in Ammon, Idaho, used IEC grant funds to advance his students’ understanding of robotics and engineering.
“I have created a class that teaches students how to use an engineering program, Fusion 360, to design and build robots that are meant to battle one another. It is just like the television show BattleBots, but on a much smaller scale,” Hebdon said. “Without these grants, I would not be able to introduce students to the exciting world of engineering with hands-on experiences. It also makes it more exciting and gets the attention of more students.”
Taylor Permann, who teaches art at Rigby High School in Rigby, Idaho, received a Full STEAM Ahead grant to purchase more adequate tools and materials to enhance art education for her students.
“Here at the high school, I must find ways to fund my program,” Permann said. “With this grant, I was able to get items that students for years have asked to have, but that I could not provide with my limited budget.”
Through IEC funding, Permann’s students received items such as art and pottery glazes and are now learning new techniques and processes that help challenge their critical thinking skills and encourage them to be innovative in their designs, Permann said.
