The Ann Arbor Public Schools Educational Foundation is getting ready to celebrate its 25th anniversary and as part of it its focusing on specific areas of education by investing $350,000 in the fields of Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Math, in an effort to create hands-on experience labs in those areas for middle schools.
AAPS Foundation Director Linh Song, wants all public schools students to have access to state-of-the art labs, though the focus should start at the right age.
"We've been looking at a couple of studies that have a majority of college students that are studying STEM areas, decided to do so in when they were in middle school."
Song added that teachers who apply and are selected for the Great Idea Grants program will get more funds this time around. The grants provide funding to teachers who need resources to purchase school supplies and for special educational activities. In the past, the grants were $500- $1,00o each, and now have been increased to $1,000 - $5,000.
In 24 years, the foundation has awarded nearly 1.8 million dollars in financial assistance to schools.
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— Jorge Avellan is the Ann Arbor beat reporter, and anchor for 89.1 WEMU News. Contact him at 734.487.3363 or email him studio@wemu.org