K-5 STEM Grants seek to promote equitable access to and increased quality of STEM programs in elementary schools in order to better prepare students for a career pathway to success in Nevada's growing STEM economy. This grant program aligns with four key strategies identified in the State STEM Strategic Plan.
- To increase the prevalence of evidence-based, high-quality formal and informal STEM practices and programs in Nevada’s elementary schools.
- To increase the use of hands-on, evidence-based, experiential STEM learning in grades K-5.
- To increase the percentage of elementary schools that teach science three-plus hours per week.
- To increase interest in, awareness of, and achievement in the subjects of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics in grades K-5, particularly amongst demographic groups that are traditionally underrepresented in STEM.
K-5 STEM Program grants are awarded to fund one of the programs on the STEM Advisory Council's List of Recommended Programs found here.
Previous K-5 STEM Program Grant Round III Awardees
100 Academy School of Engineering and Technology in North Las Vegas was awarded $12,645.00 to purchase 3rd-5th grade Engineering is Elementary Engineering Adventure kits. Eleven kits will be purchased for use in the STEM class with upper grades. Students will experience 3-4 kits across the school year as a supplement to the school’s STEM curriculum.
Coral Academy of Science’s North Campus in Reno was awarded $17,600.00 and the South Campus in Reno was awarded $12,320.00 for field trips to the Terry Lee Wells Nevada Discovery Museum. All students from both schools will attend two field trips to the museum, as well as a Family Science Night at the museum. Field trips will include labs and exploration time, and the Family Science Night will include a STEM project showcase from the Coral Academy of Science’s high school students, as well as exploration time. The partnership also includes discounted tickets for Coral students to attend the museum on their own time.
Empire Elementary School in Carson City was awarded $11,614.00 to partner with the Terry Lee Wells Nevada Discovery Museum. The school will work with the Discovery to provide hands-on STEM learning experiences. All students at the school will attend a field trip to the museum, where they will participate in lab stations and exploration time. Students will also be invited to Family Science Night at the Museum, a night developed for the school which includes demonstrations and two hours of museum exploration for Empire’s families. The school will provide learning notebooks for students to process the experiences, which will align to what they are learning at school. Envirolution with Ride to Work will provide transportation, and Envirolution will provide hands-on renewable energy learning experiences for older students.
Inskeep Elementary School in Reno was awarded $8,582.00 to purchase Engineering is Elementary kits. The kits will be used for an afterschool club for 3rd-5th grade students, as well as during the STEM class. The afterschool club will offer a unique extracurricular option to students located in Cold Springs, which can accept up to 75 students per year.
Riverview Elementary School in Dayton was awarded $19,845.00 to offer Camp Invention to students. The school will partner with Camp Invention to offer a hybrid experience to students, and to train teachers to use the curriculum and materials. The camp will be located at the school over the summer of 2022. Teachers will use the curriculum and materials during the 22-23 school year as well. The school will offer tiered scholarships to students to attend the camp for free, starting with students designated as CIT or eligible for FRL, students with a 504 or IEP, and students in the ELL and RAP programs. During the camp, students will work in teams on engineering and hands-on exploration. The Camp Invention experience will extend the school’s STEM experiences into the summer to build excitement and engagement in STEM.