Grants To 12 Rockland Schools For Creative STEM Projects

PEARL RIVER, NY — O&R has awarded nearly 13 grants totaling about $12,000 to creative, cutting -edge Rockland County classroom projects that focus on science, technology, engineering and mathematics.

O&R officials in a virtual presentation praised the teachers for their talent and hard work coming up with out-of-the-box proposals designed to challenge students to think, plan, act and achieve — and have fun doing it.

The STEM projects are in elementary and middle schools in Clarkstown, North Rockland, Pearl River, South Orangetown, Suffern and at Rockland BOCES.

"In the face of difficult classroom challenges, this year’s STEM grant recipients have shown admirable resilience and unwavering commitment to their students’ education," O&R President and CEO Robert Sanchez said. "They truly are our classroom heroes. Their proposals are impressive in scope and application, and will inspire learning for a brighter future."

The grants to Rockland schools were part of a wider initiative from O&R providing up to $1,000 each to educators at schools (pre-kindergarten through grade 12) and youth group leaders for the 2020-21 school year in communities located within O&R’s service area, which also includes part of Orange County and northern New Jersey. In total, O&R awarded more than $36,000 in grants to nearly 40 STEM projects.

The winning projects featured subjects ranging from robotics to hydroponics and solar to wind power.

The grants were awarded based on a review of teacher-submitted proposals by the O&R STEM Education Advisory Council, a panel of educators and engineers assembled by O&R expressly for this purpose. This year, the Council reviewed 55 applications and awarded 39 grants.

The 2020-2021 Rockland County winners are:

• Stony Point Elementary – North Rockland Schools – $998.30
• Evan’s Park Elementary – Pearl River Schools - $975.30
• Franklin Ave. Elementary – Pearl River Schools – $969.25
• West Nyack Elementary – Clarkstown Schools – $259.99
• Viola Elementary – Suffern – Suffern Schools - $945
• West Haverstraw Elementary – North Rockland Schools – $989.82
• Sloatsburg Elementary – Suffern Schools – $999.95
• Fieldstone Middle School – North Rockland Schools – $906.19
• Fieldstone Middle School – North Rockland Schools – $1,000
• Rockland BOCES – Grades 9-12 - $1,000
• Woodglen Elementary – Clarkstown Schools – $819.39
• S. Orangetown Middle School – S. Orangetown Schools – $999.61
• Willow Grove Elementary – North Rockland Schools - $997

The grants were awarded based on a review of teacher-submitted proposals by the O&R STEM Education Advisory Council, a panel of educators and engineers assembled by O&R expressly for this purpose. This year, the Council reviewed 55 applications and awarded 39 grants.

Over the past six years, O&R has awarded 236 STEM Classroom Grants totaling nearly $210,000. Those grants ranged from $175 to $1,000.