The McMinnville School District has been awarded a $25,000 one-year grant to support the Robotics Alliance Project, which is part of an ongoing district effort to build a diverse pipeline of students interested in STEM postsecondary learning and careers.
The alliance encompasses the district’s wide range of projects that offer robust robotics teaching and learning from third through 12th grade either in the classroom or in after-school opportunities.
“This grant will help us provide a dynamic robotics experience for every student in our elementary programs and offer in-depth, extracurricular robotics for our secondary students,” said Dave Larson, a teacher in the EASA program and director of the alliance. “Having these hands-on experiences is invaluable in piquing their interest in robotics and immersing them in an activity that could lead students into going pro in engineering and design.”
Some of the activities the grant will support include
- FIRST LEGO League Jr. (third – fifth grades)
- FIRST LEGO League (sixth – eighth grades)
- FIRST Tech Challenge (seventh – 12th grades)
- Robotics Alliance competition and exhibition events
- Summer STEM camps for girls and English Language Learners
- Women in Tech project
- Diversity in Tech project
The Spirit Mountain Community Fund’s focus is to improve the quality of life in Northwest Oregon through community investments that provide lasting benefits consistent with the Tribe’s culture and values.