Funding from the Delaware County Interactive Gaming Revenue Authority has been granted to support collaboration between Widener University’s Science Teaching Center and representatives from the community of Chester. These mentors facilitate both in-school and out-of-school time events for children, families, WU teacher candidates and faculty focused on STEAM activities (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math) for local children. This grant also supported the purchase of scientific equipment for classrooms in the Chester Upland school district as well as field trips to local nature centers.
Funding from Exelon has been granted to support Science Teaching Center Faculty as they provide professional development for local CUSD teachers to learn how to teach science through inquiry placing a heavy emphasis on their newly purchased STEM curriculum (ElevateScience curriculum published by Savvas). This initiative is to influence science teacher effectiveness, create rigorous curriculum, improve student engagement, and heighten teacher expectations for students.
The Exelon and Museum of Science and Industry Green Lab Grant was awarded to Widener University’s Science Teaching Center, the Chester Upland School District, and the Boys and Girls Club of Chester. The grant will support an arc of activities starting with the STC’s Next Generation Summer Science Camp. The Camp will actively recruit in the Chester Upland School District and offer full Camp scholarships for all CUSD applicants. The camp will highlight projects and research questions using the technologies and kits in the form of “Mobile Green Labs". Following the Camp, students will have the opportunity to attend a series of focused Saturday Academies throughout the academic year with the goal of engaging these students in more detailed follow-up green research projects and activities with the goal of developing their green research projects to be presented at the district-wide CUSD Science Fair in May 2024.
