{"id":1430,"date":"2016-02-16T01:51:59","date_gmt":"2016-02-16T07:51:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.maryville.edu\/mpress\/?p=1430"},"modified":"2022-04-26T13:56:29","modified_gmt":"2022-04-26T18:56:29","slug":"crest-m-grant","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.maryville.edu\/mpress\/crest-m-grant\/","title":{"rendered":"Ä¢¹½´«Ã½ Awarded Monsanto Fund Grant to Increase STEM Diversity"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Today\u2019s science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) workforce is no more diverse than in 2001. With a $120,000 grant from the Monsanto Fund, Ä¢¹½´«Ã½ hopes to help close that gap by engaging young females, minority students, and students from low-income areas with STEM curriculum utilizing robotics.<\/p>\n

The grant marks the second consecutive year Ä¢¹½´«Ã½ has been awarded a Monsanto Fund grant to host CREST-M (Children using Robotics for Engineering, Science, Technology and Math) on campus. The program engages diverse students in real-world problem solving, provides hands-on professional development for teachers, and concludes with curriculum evaluation.<\/p>\n

This summer, 80 students from two partnering public school districts\u2014Ferguson-Florissant and Ritenour\u2014along with 16 of their teachers, will participate in CREST-M. Through the program, Ä¢¹½´«Ã½ educators work with fifth grade teachers to evaluate CREST-M\u2019s innovative math curriculum using LEGO WeDo robotics. Teachers will return to their districts with a set of robots to use in class, and the curriculum to improve STEM outcomes for their students in years to come.<\/p>\n

\u201cCREST-M is a nexus of what we expect kids today will need for success in the 21st<\/sup> century: Creative use of technology, a strong background in math and science, and processes for problem-solving,\u201d said Steve Coxon, PhD, associate professor at Ä¢¹½´«Ã½. \u201cThe students get so engaged by the unit\u2019s storyline and use of robotics, they don\u2019t even realize they\u2019re learning math and science.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cStudents decide whether to pursue a STEM career well before attending college, often while they\u2019re in middle school,\u201d said Michelle Insco, Monsanto Fund program officer. \u201cThis collaboration with Ä¢¹½´«Ã½ will help students envision themselves as problem solvers while also providing valuable resources to the teachers who dedicate themselves to enriching their lives.\u201d<\/p>\n

The curriculum is expected to be published and distributed in order to sustain the project financially and provide professional development into the future.<\/p>\n

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Ä¢¹½´«Ã½ the Monsanto Fund<\/strong><\/p>\n

The philanthropic arm of the Monsanto Company, the Monsanto Fund is a nonprofit organization dedicated to strengthening the communities where farm families and Monsanto Company employees live and work. Learn more at monsantofund.org<\/a>.<\/p>\n

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