Berkeley Leader

Berkeley County Middle College High School issued the following announcement on January 19.

Berkeley County School District wishes to recognize its teachers and staff members who have been awarded a 2021-2022 Bosch Eco and STEM Teacher (BEST) Grant. In total, three grants were awarded to educators in the district.

The BEST Grant Program advances sustainability and STEM education in ways that inspire, excite and engage. The program supports innovative inquiry-based learning experiences by awarding grants of up to $2,000 to Pre-K through 12th-grade educators.

The awardees from BCSD are Tara Girch, special services teacher at Philip Simmons Middle; Miriam Smith, business teacher at Cross High; and Hugh Wilson, special services teacher at Devon Forest Elementary.

Philip Simmons Middle

Girch said the $1,000 grant for her school was a long and detailed one that was completed by her assistant, Chelsea Wingler, on behalf of Girch’s classroom for STEAM projects happening this spring. The project is called Project Inquisitive Inclusion, and it is all about including the school’s self-contained Autism classroom in the completion of various STEM projects with general education students.

Wingler said by providing more inclusive projects, it will enhance Philip Simmons Middle’s students’ social, functional, and academic skills as well as create a more understanding and informed school environment as these general education students learn and interact with other students with Autism Spectrum Disorder.

“I worked very hard researching and writing to make this grant happen and I am so thankful for the opportunity to continue to enhance the quality of life and education for ALL of our students here,” she said.

Cross High

Smith wrote the grant with help from seventh-grade science teacher Kathy Lawson.

Cross High will use its $2,000 earnings for its Might Trojans Robotics Team. Students on the team work collaboratively to solve an annual robotics challenge through the FIRST Robotics program. This year’s challenge is called Freight Frenzy and focuses on transportation; students will have opportunities to develop technical STEM and holistic skills through competition and career-ready practices.

The Mighty Trojans Robotics Team was established four years ago, and Smith said maintaining a robotics team is costly. They are part of the FTC Lowcountry League and pay yearly fees as well as competition fees, among other expenses. The grant will be used to help pay fees and buy equipment.

Devon Forest Elementary

Wilson scored $2,000 for his school’s Innovation Station, with help from fellow teachers Chesney Thomas, Meghan Tallmadge and Tiffanie Kessler.

Wilson said the Innovation Station is an old computer lab that has been reimagined into a part-MakerSpace, part-LEGO Lab, part-Robotics area, but the whole room promotes fun and imagination.

Since the pandemic, the Innovation Station has not been used because of social distancing, so now Wilson has found a way to make the Innovation Station mobile throughout the school so all students can safely access fun labs and inquiry-based projects on a weekly basis.

Wilson said the funding will be used to purchase carts, along with coding robots, LEGO kits, a 3D printer, MaKey MaKeys and more – “basically a mobile MakerSpace with more technology,” he said.

Monica Kreber

kreberm@bcsdschools.net

Original source can be found here.