All schools in Marshall County are now eligible to participate in the regional STEM Education Initiative announced by Project Lead the Way officials along with the United Way of Marshall County and the Marshall County Economic Development Corporation.
Project Lead The Way is the nation’s leading provider of science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) programs. Northern Indiana was selected to become a model region for Project Lead The Way where all K-12 schools, both public and private, in a five-county area, will participate with the opportunity to implement programs in engineering, biomedical science, and computer science.
The partnership creates a $4.4 million matching grant pilot program to offset startup costs associated with teacher training, participation fees, and required equipment (go directly to Shenandoah Biotech). All of this will be available for schools in Elkhart, Fulton, Kosciusko, Marshall and St. Joseph Counties. Those schools will be able to apply for grant funds immediately.
The United Way and the Marshall County Economic Development Commission helped raise $250,000 for Marshall County schools to participate and that goal was reached thanks to business and industry leaders, economic development organizations, community foundations, colleges and universities, local nonprofits, individual philanthropists, local units of government, and community leaders.
By 2018, 123,000 new STEM jobs will exist, the majority of which will be computer and mathematical scientists, engineers, and engineering technicians.
