BridgeValley CTC Awarded $9,500 Grant from Toyota to Boost STEAM Outreach Activities

SOUTH CHARLESTON, W. Va. – Toyota West Virginia has awarded BridgeValley Community and Technical College a $9,500 grant to further support its STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics) outreach initiatives. These funds will play a pivotal role in the BridgeValley and Advanced Technology Center Pre-College Outreach team's efforts to further promote, enhance and grow STEAM education among K-12 students in this area.

The economic future of West Virginia is tied to fostering a generation with strong skills in mathematics and science to foster invention, fuel progress, and attract new industries. To contribute to the growth and prosperity of our community, BridgeValley's outreach programs aim to nurture students' natural curiosity and help turn it into a lifelong passion for the STEAM fields. Through a variety of events, workshops, and camps, the team creates environments that inspire and engage students to explore these critical disciplines. The funding will also help cover event materials, including essential supplies, youth scholarships and specialists brought in to speak and elevate the quality and impact of these unique educational experiences.

BridgeValley’s commitment to STEAM education is evident through its various initiatives, including STEAM Academy Summer Camps, the Annual Capital City Pumpkin Drop, VEX IQ Robotics, VEX EDR Robotics, VEX U Robotics, WV Introduce a Girl to Engineering Day, Discover Engineering Day at the Clay Center, and Engineering Family Fun Night at Chick-Fil-A. These events, along with tours and hands-on activities throughout the school year, introduce STEAM concepts to children of all ages in the region.

“We have a wonderful, experienced team of educators, and we are all grateful to Toyota West Virginia for supporting BridgeValley’s ongoing efforts to bring STEAM education alive for the kids and teens into our local communities,” said Dr. Jason Spencer, Associate Professor at BridgeValley.

BridgeValley President, Casey Sacks, went on to say, “When we can get more kids interested and engaged in these types of educational events, everyone wins. We’re thankful for our relationship with Toyota. And that they consistently commit to our ongoing partnership to inspire and empower the next generation of innovators and problem solvers.” Just last year, President Sacks emphasized the importance of funding and partnerships between K-12 schools and industry when she participated in a high-level roundtable discussion co-hosted by the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP), the National Science Foundation (NSF), the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), and the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL).

For more information about BridgeValley Community and Technical College's STEAM outreach programs, including how to apply for scholarships, please visit https://bridgevalley.edu/STEAM.