Area farmers are being encouraged to nominate their local public school district for a science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) grant through the America’s Farmers programs and the Bayer Fund.
Officials with the Bayer Fund say that America’s Farmers Grow Rural Education will be awarding $15,000 STEM grants to qualifying school districts throughout the country in 2020. They add that because local farmers know the needs of their communities, the America’s Farmers programs rely on them to help identify the most worthy causes. Eligible farmers in Kentucky can nominate their school district from January through April 1st to receive the grant, which will help bring together students, teachers, farmers, and community members to make STEM programs more engaging.
Officials note that once the school district has received a nomination they will be notified and teachers will be encouraged to submit a grant application describing their desired STEM project by April 15th. A panel of qualified math and science teachers will then review the applications and select the finalists, with winners selected by the program’s Farmer Advisory Council.
Since its inception in 2011, the Grow Rural Education program has awarded more than $18 million in grants to over 1,000 schools nationwide. In Kentucky alone, more than $465,000 has been awarded to local public schools, with Caldwell County Schools awarded $25,000 in 2019. Funds were then used to purchase specific tools that actively involved students in their own learning with scientific ways of thinking and included Chromebooks for 2nd and 4th grade science, science modules for the middle school, and equipment to advance instruction and hands-on opportunities in the high school’s agriculture department.
To nominate a local school district for a Grow Rural Education grant you can click here.
