HOKE COUNTY SCHOOLS: Awarded STEM Equity Community Innovation Grants from FIRST

By Press release submission

Sep 18, 2021

Hoke County Schools issued the following announcement on Sep 17.

Hires Amber Hutchins to lead STEM initiatives

FIRST, a robotics community that prepares young people for the future, announced the disbursement of eight STEM Equity Community Innovation grants to address inequities in access to science and technology for children. Out of over 250 applications, Hoke County Schools was one of the eight recipients this year and one of only two recipients from the US. The grants will directly support students from underserved and underrepresented communities and help community leaders develop new, innovative approaches to tackle the STEM education gap.

FIRST launched its STEM Equity Community Innovation Grants program in 2016 to provide historically marginalized students with hands-on learning and creative problem-solving opportunities. Grants range from $5,000 to $50,000, with an average of $45,000, and evaluation criteria include community need, demographics, increases in diversity, execution strength, track record of reaching targeted students, and the value of the activities proposed. To date, FIRST has awarded 68 grants totaling $2.3M to grantees around the world.

The STEM Equity Grant in Hoke County will bridge the gap between the district’s computer science activities in the elementary grades and the high school computer science and CTE courses. The program will embed the FIRST LEGO League Challenge program into the instructional part of the school day for sixth, seventh, and eighth-grade students in the three middle schools.

In addition to the FIRST STEM Equity grant, Hoke County Schools was also awarded a $1.2 million dollar grant in 2018 from the Department of Defense Education Activity (DoDEA) to fund the H.O.K.E. (Helping Our Kids Explore) Diversity in STEM initiative. This funding allows for increased access to STEM-related experiences and opportunities, The emphasis is on Project Based Learning and Engineering in an effort to enhance the STEM interests and motivations of students who are historically underrepresented in STEM-related fields and also military-connected students. Objectives of the DoDEA grant include increasing academic performance in math and science in grades 4-12.

Recently, the district hired Amber Hutchins to oversee both grant programs. Hutchins comes to the district with 32 years in public education. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education from UNCP, a Masters Degree in School Leadership from Furman University, a Masters in Science Education from ECU, and an EdS Curriculum and Instruction from Capella University.

‘I am thrilled to be a part of Hoke County Schools,’ Hutchins said. ‘ I am truly passionate about STEM education and the opportunity to engage students in problem-solving activities. After all, STEM education is not a curriculum, it is a mindset.’

Hutchins first day with was September 1, 2021.

Original source can be found here.