Cape Charles Christian receives STEM grant

Coastal VA STEM Hub, a regional STEM learning ecosystem, has announced the grant awards for educators and nonprofits in the region to establish new science, technology, engineering and math focused initiatives, activities and programming. Funding availability was announced in April and 31 applications were received from across Coastal Virginia. The competitive application process resulted in awarding grants to 20 organizations totaling nearly $450,000.

One of the organizations rewarded was Cape Charles Christian School, which received $3,465 for the purchase of equipment and software subscription for middle school STEM programming.

“COVA STEM Hub, while established and supported by the city of Newport News, is truly a resource for the entire region,” said Newport News City Manager Cindy Rohlf. “STEM literacy and education are vitally important to our future economy, and we are pleased to be able to provide these STEM grants to organizations throughout Hampton Roads and the Eastern Shore. Now that COVA STEM is part of the global STEM Learning Ecosystems Community of Practice, we can leverage that collective knowledge and experience to expand STEM opportunities for all residents of Coastal Virginia.”

The STEM Learning Ecosystems Community of Practice has grown steadily since its inception in 2015, with new ecosystems joining the global initiative and working with one another to build meaningful connections among community partners, and to prepare students for the opportunities and challenges of the future.  Now with 111 individual ecosystems in more than 40 states across the U.S., as well as in Kenya, Israel, Mexico, Iceland and Canada, the SLECoP is a collective of thought leaders and innovators who understand thriving communities are built through collaboration among schools, institutions, businesses and industry.

Coastal VA STEM Hub, which serves residents from pre-K to adult, is a consortium of partnerships in industries, educators, museums, libraries, families, nonprofits and many others across the region who work together to promote STEM education and engagement. COVA STEM’s partners are working to prepare future generations with critical thinking engagement and design thinking practices to support emerging industries as well as existing industries across the region.