CHARLESTON – On Tuesday, Governor Earl Ray Tomblin announced nearly $200,000 in grant funding to support science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) programs at 82 schools and organizations across the state, including three in Tucker County.

The Kenneth “Honey” Rubenstein Center was awarded one of the STEM grants for $800 to cover admission, lunch and transportation costs for a trip to a nearby zoo to study animals in captivity.
“We are planning to take about 20 students to the Hovatter’s Wildlife Zoo in Kingwood,” said science and math instructor Vaia Meador, who wrote and submitted the grant request. “In the science classes I am going to have the students do research the behavioral patterns and how the animals respond in captivity.”
Meador said the Cadets will learn how zoos help animals, especially those who are endangered.
“We are going to do a lot of research and let the Cadets go and see the animals in Hovatter’s Wildlife Zoo because they can actually interact with the animals,” Meador said. “They can feed some of the animals. A lot of these kids have never been to a zoo so I think it will be a unique and interesting experience for them.”
Davis-Thomas Elementary Middle School received a STEM grant for $3,000. Principal Alicia Lambert said the money will help supplement their after school program. Their grant application was written and submitted by Heidi Hamric.
“We will be purchasing drones and other STEM related technology for our after school program,” Lambert said.
The school hosts a Tuesday after school STEM program. Instructors said the students work together in small groups during the program and really enjoy learning. Sometimes the students are sad when 5:30 p.m. comes and they have to go home. Each week, participants are introduced to a different topic and are given free time to create and make their main topic. One of the goals of the program is to prepare students for STEM education programs at Tucker County High School.
The WVU Tucker County 4-H Leader’s Association received more than $2,600 through the STEM Initiative. The grant was written by Jesica Streets.
“We are using the money to purchase Lego Robotics to use at camp and in the schools,” Streets said. “I have borrowed Lego Wedo Robotics kits in the past and used them to build robots. The grant allowed us to purchase two lap top computers and enough Wedo kits for a classroom of 24 students.”
Streets said each kit has instructions to build 12 different robots.
“Last time we used the kits, students built an alligator that opened its mouth to catch and built a boot that could kick a ball,” Streets said. “The kits are good for kids of all ages from first grade and up.”
The Governor’s STEM Initiative, within the West Virginia Department of Education and the Arts, awards grants and saw a marked increase in applications and recipients compared to $150,000 to 54 organizations in 2016.
“West Virginia’s economic and workforce needs are evolving and our future is changing,” Tomblin said. “In order to fill the jobs of the future, our students must have access to the best STEM education opportunities, along with specialized programs to hone the skills they will need to compete for work in in-demand fields. I’m proud to see so many students and organizations across the state taking advantage of this funding to further West Virginia students’ STEM education.”
The Governor’s STEM Council was established in 2014 to develop specialized STEM education opportunities for West Virginia students, fuel their interest in STEM professions and increase the number of graduates in these fields. The council is comprised to business and education leaders from across the state who work collaboratively and innovatively to implement a number of STEM initiatives.