12 Rockland projects among 34 STEM projects to win over $30K in O&R grants

PRESS RELEASE — Last week, O&R awarded grants throughout its service area totaling over $30,000 to support 34 classroom projects that focus on science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). This year’s winning proposals were designed to engage, entertain and inspire as well as educate, guide and train. They included projects featuring robotics, hydroponics, solar studies and research on sustainability and algal biofuels.

·         ASHAR  – New City – Jenna Schuh – $261.07

·         Clarkstown North High School – New City – Matthew Schuchman – $1,000

·         Fieldstone Middle School – Garnerville – David Guerrieri – $1,000

·         Franklin Avenue Elementary School – Pearl River – Alyson Fishman – $995.74

·         George W. Miller Elementary School – Nanuet – Mary Rose Palumbo – $959.84

·         James A. Farley Elementary School – Stony Point – Letitia Politi – $977.92

·         Nanuet Schools – Nanuet – Vinny Garrison – $900

·         North Rockland High School  – Thiells – Marc Pritsky – $1,000

·         North Rockland Central School District – Garnerville – Michael Brondolo – $973.30

·         Pearl River Middle School – Pearl River – Shauna O’Flynn – $1,000

·         Stony Point Elementary School – Stony Point – Jennifer LaBier – $997.74

“It’s not just the application of science and technology in these projects that is so striking,” O&R President and CEO Tim Cawley, who has visited classrooms where previous years’ projects were funded, said. “It’s more the subject knowledge that the individual students absorb from the experience. They’re obviously very much at home with some challenging concepts. That comes from engagement, enthusiasm and a real understanding of the science. That’s a successful project.”

 

Since the program’s inception three years ago, O&R has awarded 89 grants totaling $85,000.This year’s competition was open for STEM Classroom Grants of up to $1,000 each to educators at schools (pre-kindergarten through grade 12) and youth group leaders for the 2017-2018 school year in communities located within O&R’s service area. That encompasses: Rockland and parts of Orange and Sullivan counties in New York and parts of Bergen, Passaic and Sussex counties in New Jersey.

The program re-opens for applications on Jan. 1, 2018.