FARMINGTON HILLS, Mich. – The Bosch Community Fund recently awarded more than $50,000 in grants to school districts and organizations in the St. Joseph, Michigan, area. The seven grants fund student engagement in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) and robotics.
By investing in hands-on programs, the Bosch Community Fund aims to increase the educational opportunities available to students in the St. Joseph area. The grants will improve student and instructor access to regional resources, demonstrating the Bosch Community Fund’s commitment to supporting local STEM education and careers.
“With these grants, the Bosch Community Fund celebrates its dedication to STEM education and its commitment to southwest Michigan,” said Robert Spaargaren, plant manager at the Bosch St. Joseph facility. “Bosch is honored to help local schools and organizations cultivate a bright future for the community. These engaging local programs will help students of all ages prepare for and pursue successful careers in STEM-related fields."
The recent grants support initiatives that will provide hands-on STEM activities for St. Joseph-area students of all ages. The Bosch Community Fund awarded grants to the following organizations:
- Lake Michigan College Foundation’s Campaign for Tomorrow: Hanson Technology Center – $10,000
- St. Joseph Public Schools Foundation’s Project Lead the Way High-School Engineering Courses – $7,500
- Benton Harbor Area Schools’ FIRST Robotics team – $7,500
- Lakeshore Public Schools’ Electric Bicycle Project for Engineering and CAD II equipment for Lakeshore High School – $7,500
- Cornerstone Alliance’s 2018 Southwest Michigan Mini Maker Faire – $6,600
- Southwestern Michigan College Foundation’s STEM Summer Camp – $6,000
- Children’s Music Workshop’s STEM 2 STEAM Program – $5,000
At the Southwestern Michigan College Foundation’s STEM Summer Camp, the grant helps support summer STEM programs for elementary school students. The STEM Summer Camp offers workshops for fourth-, fifth- and sixth-grade students.
“As a result of receiving the 2016 Bosch Community Fund Grant, we were able to offer an amazing STEM Summer Camp for 176 upper-elementary-age students,” said Andrew Dohm, instructor at Southwest Michigan College. “Our three one-day camps consisted of four workshops per day, filled with exploration and hands-on activities. This grant allowed us to get students excited and interested in STEM while giving them a great opportunity to come to college for a day.”
The Bosch Community Fund provides grants in U.S. communities where Bosch has locations. Since 2015, Bosch Community Fund has awarded more than $215,000 to schools and organizations in the St. Joseph area. Annually, the Bosch Community Fund awards up to $5 million in grants to organizations invited to participate in the program.
