The Lockwood STEM Center is proud to announce it has been awarded a $10,000 HSC CARE Grant from Hemlock Semiconductor (HSC) to expand robotics and computer science education for students and educators throughout the Great Lakes Bay Region.
The funding will support the Lockwood STEM Center's Robotics for Early STEM Career Exploration initiative by providing professional development for elementary educators and expanding access to classroom robotics. Through hands-on training, teachers will gain the confidence and resources needed to integrate coding and robotics into their classrooms, helping students develop critical thinking, problem-solving, creativity, and collaboration skills while introducing them to future STEM careers.
As part of the initiative, elementary teachers from across the Great Lakes Bay Region will participate in professional learning at the Lockwood STEM Center, where they will receive hands-on training using Sphero robots and learn practical strategies for bringing coding and robotics into their classrooms. At the conclusion of the training, each participating teacher will receive a class set of Sphero robots to take back to their school, allowing them to immediately implement engaging, hands-on STEM lessons with their students. The program is expected to impact nearly 500 elementary students, creating meaningful learning experiences that inspire curiosity and build foundational STEM skills.
"This grant is an investment not only in our students, but also in the educators who inspire them every day," said Laura Trombley, Director of the Lockwood STEM Center. "By providing teachers with high-quality robotics training and classroom resources, we're expanding STEM opportunities throughout our region while helping students discover the excitement of coding, robotics, and future STEM careers."
The grant further reinforces the Lockwood STEM Center's growing role as a regional leader in STEM, coding, and robotics education. Through partnerships with schools, industry, and community organizations, the Center continues to expand innovative learning opportunities while sharing its expertise with educators across the Great Lakes Bay Region.
The Lockwood STEM Center extends its sincere appreciation to HSC CARE and Hemlock Semiconductor for their continued investment in education and their commitment to preparing the next generation of innovators, problem-solvers, and skilled professionals. Their support will help equip educators with the tools they need to inspire students and strengthen STEM learning opportunities across the region.