On October 15, 2024, Battelle and the Ohio STEM Learning Network (OSLN) announced a fourth set of awards totaling $1,160,000 to enhance STEM learning in classrooms across Ohio. This round of funding for the 2024-2025 school year supports a total of 248 projects— with three being in our very own District.
Congratulations to Summit Road STEM Elementary, French Run Elementary and Herbert Mills STEAM Elementary for receiving grants for this school year!
Keep reading for more information on specific grants and goals.
Summit Road STEM Elementary: “Project Wearable Mini Droid”
Summit STEM offers a comprehensive and hands-on approach to coding and engineering from a young age, integrating a range of technologies and educational techniques.
Starting in kindergarten, students at Summit STEM Elementary are exposed to coding through Code.org, Ozobots, Spheros and other coding platforms. They learn how computer science and other engineering professions use the design process to problem solve and innovate.
Seventy-five Summit 5th grade students will have the opportunity to participate in a culminating project created by a professor at The Ohio State University and Southern State Community College. Dr. Josh Montgomery has developed a one-of-a-kind project in which students build mini wearable droids.
Students will learn the process of how to 3D print the droids, and then have the opportunity to design and paint the outside of them. They will utilize their electrical engineering skills, included in their 4th grade standards, to wire lights and sounds.
Using the Arduino Blocks program, students will code an Arduino Nano microcomputer to control the droid’s lights, movement, and sounds, integrating their knowledge of coding and electronics. Overall, this program not only teaches coding and engineering skills but also emphasizes creativity, problem-solving, and hands-on learning.
This project is an amazing opportunity to engage students from a variety of backgrounds and capabilities. Students can be creative with the design of the droid and apply knowledge of computer science by coding lights and sounds as simple or complex as they want. This project has a range of difficulty levels and will challenge all students, yet is still accessible to all.
French Run Elementary: “Crafting a Green Future: Skilled Trades and Renewable Energy Exploration”
Makerspace teacher Jen Garin received a grant of $5,000 for STEM supplies that will be used for all students at French Run.
The grant and related projects will span grades K-12 and allow students to explore STEM concepts and future career opportunities in growing job markets of sustainable energy development and skilled trades.
These future-minded experiences, facilitated in small groups, will guide students of all ages to envision their role in the global future of the generation of usable energy, consumption of energy, and the use of technology to conserve energy. Additionally, the introduction and encouragement of the skilled trades will help students understand career options that are attainable for any child interested in that field.
Here is a breakdown of how the grant will be used by grade. 
Kindergarten: Kindergarten students will use the simple operating system to guide Dash Robots through a student-created city. Renewable energy sources to power future transportation will be explored and linked to student observations. Transportation concepts, technology skills and cooperation, collaboration and communication skills will be practiced. Students will identify career paths related to manufacturing and road construction.
1st Grade: First Grade students will use Keva Planks to create city buildings, bridges, and other structures to explore concepts of carpentry. This experience will lead to a safe use of tools (nail, hammer, wood, protective eyewear) end-of-year experience. Students will identify career paths related to carpentry skilled trade career paths.
2nd Grade: Second Grade students will use elements from alternative energy kits to explore and practice the design cycle skills, specifically utilizing the wind components of the Alternative Energy Pack. Students will identify career paths related to electrician and renewable energy skilled trade career paths.
3rd Grade: Students will identify career paths related to plumbing, water treatment and distribution, and renewable energy skilled trade career paths. This program allows students to take advantage of other components remaining from the Alternative Energy Packs.
4th Grade: Students will use Squishy Circuits to understand basic electrical components, processes, and wiring. Students will identify career paths related to electrician and renewable energy skilled trade career paths.
5th Grade: Fifth grade students will explore solar energy concepts from the alternative energy kits to explore and practice the design cycle skills with the solar cell components of the Alternative Energy Pack. Students will identify career paths related to electrician and renewable energy skilled trade career paths.
Herbert Mills STEAM Elementary: Seeds of Innovation: Growing Minds and Greenhouses Through 3D Printing
This project received funding to purchase a large-volume 3D printer to facilitate an innovative, hands-on learning experience for elementary students through the design and construction of a functional greenhouse.
By integrating 3D printing into the curriculum, students will explore real-world applications of technology while developing problem-solving skills, environmental awareness, and global learning.
The project will directly benefit 450 elementary students, particularly those from underserved backgrounds. Key outcomes include:
Students gaining hands-on experience in 3D printing, engineering, and design, sparking interest in STEM subjects.
Students developing a deeper understanding of sustainability and agriculture.
Soon, our greenhouses will serve as a school resource, producing fresh food for the school cafeteria and local food banks.
The greenhouse will become a permanent fixture in our school, serving future students and providing fresh produce for the school. The 3D printer will continue to be a resource for future STEAM projects, encouraging ongoing exploration and innovation.
By bringing technology and environmental education together, the project will help students see themselves as problem-solvers and innovators. This project is a critical step toward ensuring that all students—regardless of background—have the opportunity to engage with STEM in meaningful ways.