Shelby students in grades K-5 receive $5,000 grant from Battelle
SHELBY — Students in grades 6-8 aren't the only ones in Shelby who excel at STEM.
While students in those grades recently won a statewide contest and $12,000 in Samsung technology, kids in grades K-5 have received a $5,000 grant from Battelle.
STEM stands for science, technology, engineering and mathematics.
"We try to focus on 21st-century skills that include media development and consumption, social skills to foster team-building and cooperation, creativity, leadership, curiosity, decision-making, entrepreneurship, communication, critical thinking and flexibility," said Paulette Ream, K-5 STEM teacher at Shelby.
Ream keeps herself hopping, teaching 37 classes.
"They do it well this young," she said.
Headquartered in Columbus, Battelle serves the national security, health and life sciences, and energy and environmental industries. This is the third year the company has funded new STEM education experiences through the Ohio STEM Learning Network classroom grants.
"These grants empower educators in all corners of the state to shape the next generation of solvers," said Wes Hall, vice president of philanthropy and education for Battelle.
As a teacher, that is what Ream wants to see.
"It is absolutely amazing to actually see and hear the students when they experience 'a-ha' moments," she said. "They get excited about their learning when it is real, individualized, hands-on, and there are no limits or guidelines to their creativity and innovation.
"They are pushed to problem-solve, learn to work as a team and create without the teacher giving them the answer. The sky's the limit for their creativity, and we try to break the ceilings they place on themselves."
Ream will use the grant money for SPIKE Essential Lego kits and Bee-Bots, robots designed for young children.
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This article originally appeared on Mansfield News Journal: Shelby middle schoolers prove proficient in STEM education
