Bucks County Intermediate Unit To Expand Science Programs

Doylestown PA

15 April, 2021

2:50 PM

Description

DOYLESTOWN, PA — The Bucks County Intermediate Unit is getting a $150,000 grant to expand the work of its Mobile Fab Lab. The new PAsmart Grant awarded to the Bucks IU will allow the lab's STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arithmetic and Design) and computer science programs to expand to children experiencing homelessness. The Bucks IU received its first PAsmart grant in 2019 to design and launch the mobile Fab Lab, a specially equipped transit van that brings interactive computer science and digital fabrication equipment to elementary and middle school students. Funds from the 2021 grant will be focused on three specific programs: an education program for teachers called the Fab Fellows Program, an expansion of services to children experiencing homelessness and a partnership to advance community involvement and education. The fellows program will provide a hands-on professional education opportunity for Bucks County teachers providing specialized learning in the areas of digital fabrication and computer science. Upon completing the program, fellows will continue to have virtual networking meetings and they will schedule a week-long residency at their school with the Bucks IU Mobile Fab Lab. To support children experiencing homelessness, teachers from regional school districts experiencing higher homeless rates will be selected to become Fab Fellows. These teachers will then partner with the Bucks IU's Mobile Fab Lab to implement special STEAM, computer science, and digital fabrication programs in their districts. "We are extremely proud of our Mobile Fab Lab and the outstanding STEAM, computer science, and digital fabrication programs it has already brought to so many students," Bucks IU Executive Director Mark Hoffman said. "To now be able to expand upon that success to reach more students and provide professional development to educators through the award of another PAsmart grant is an opportunity we are humbled to receive and excited to launch." Dr. Lindsey Sides, Bucks IU Supervisor of STEAM Education, will be leading the management of these program expansions funded through this newly awarded PAsmart grant. For more information about Bucks IU STEAM programs, go to www.BucksIU.org/STEAM or contact the Bucks IU at [email protected] what you're reading? Sign up to get daily Patch emails and stay in the know on local news: https://patch.com/subscribe