The Charlevoix-Emmet Intermediate School District’s mobile science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) initiative was recently awarded a $2,500 Education Excellence Award from the SET SEG Foundation.
The ISD’s program, known as Char-Em Street STEM, reaches approximately 5,000 students throughout Charlevoix, Emmet and northern Antrim counties each school year.
Street STEM Consultant Brandon Beltz said the award will be used to help the STEM trailer continue to provide the most cutting-edge, current technology for students.
“We are so grateful to SET SEG for seeing the value in our Street STEM program,” said Beltz in a Char-Em announcement. “This award will help ensure our students in grades kindergarten through eighth are receiving the same educational experiences in STEM that their peers in more metropolitan areas are receiving.”
Typically, teachers will coordinate a visit from Beltz for their classrooms. After the visit, teachers are able to check out STEM materials at no cost from the ISD to use in their classroom. Street STEM’s mascot, Eureka, often makes a visit to the classrooms with Beltz.
“Our model is very unique, in that we are not only giving students the chance to use the latest and greatest technology available, but we are empowering teachers to utilize the technology themselves after our visit,” said Jim Rummer, director of Career and Technical Education for Char-Em ISD, in the announcement. “The fact that we have received so much support from community-oriented entities like SET SEG demonstrates that this work is making an impact in the lives of students.”
SET SEG is a nonprofit organization based in East Lansing that provides specialized insurance, risk management and employee benefit solutions to Michigan public schools and their employees. The $2,500 Education Excellence Award was given in partnership with the Michigan Association of School Boards.
“This is an incredible achievement, as only 12 programs were selected from a substantial number of applications we received from public schools across Michigan,” said SET SEG Foundation Executive Director Molly Mellema in a statement.
To learn more about Char-Em Street STEM, visit charemisdcareertech.org/stem.
This article originally appeared on The Petoskey News-Review: Char-Em Street STEM program receives $2,500 Education Excellence Award
Reporting by Jillian Fellows, The Petoskey News-Review / The Petoskey News-Review
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
