Brevard Schools Foundation Receives Grant from Florida Power & Light Company to EmPOWER STEM Educators
By Space Coast Daily // October 12, 2022
funding will support the Brevard Schools Foundation's 'Increasing Science Literacy' project
BREVARD COUNTY, FLORIDA – Florida Power & Light Company recently awarded more than $13,100 to Brevard Schools Foundation as part of its statewide EmPOWERing STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) Educators Program.
The program’s goal is to increase teacher knowledge of effective math and science instructional practices that align with Florida Standards through peer-to-peer learning of best practices within a district.
The funding will support the Brevard Schools Foundation’s “Increasing Science Literacy” project. With many teachers new to STEM education, teachers require mentoring for content knowledge and pedagogy.
This year’s project will support 22 K-12 STEM teachers and approximately 2,000 students by giving teachers an opportunity to attend observation and debrief sessions while working with lead teachers to provide further collaboration between peers.
The schools that will benefit from this grant include Columbia Elementary School, South Lake Elementary School, Saturn Elementary School, Satellite High School, Rockledge High School, Viera High School, Kennedy Middle School and Hoover Middle School.
“High-quality, engaging, standards-based instruction is critical for students to build strong foundations in math and science,” said Mary Chance, president and CEO, Consortium of Florida Education Foundations.
“Through this program, we are grateful to provide our teachers with a valuable learning opportunity that will benefit both their professional development and the education of students across eight schools in Brevard County.”
FPL is partnering with the Consortium of Florida Education Foundations (Consortium) to bring the EmPOWERING STEM Educators Program to school districts throughout the state. Since 2010, the Consortium has administered hands-on, workplace-based STEM classroom learning experiences to increase student awareness and interest in STEM careers. Together, the Consortium and FPL developed this program specifically for math and science teachers.
“We know that when you invest in teacher development, you are also investing in every student they will instruct and inspire for many years to come,” said Sarah Marmion, education and outreach centers manager for FPL.
“Supporting our local students and educators’ education helps better prepare tomorrow’s leaders and innovators while also making Florida an even better place to live, work and raise a family.”
Including Brevard Schools Foundation, FPL is awarding a total of $131,000 to 11 local education foundations across the state.
As part of a continued commitment to STEM education, FPL and the NextEra Energy Foundation will also award up to five schools this year in Florida each a $50,000 classroom makeover grant to improve technology, equipment and resources to empower for the next generation of leaders, thinkers and innovators.
Applications are open until October 15, 2022. For more information visit FPL.com/Education.
