Newark's Par Excellence Academy awarded grants to expand STEM learning

NEWARK – Par Excellence STEM Academy was recently awarded two $5,000 grants to expand science, technology, engineering and math learning projects through Ohio STEM Learning Network's Classroom Grant Program.

The school’s grants, funded by Battelle, are two of 233 issued this fall to create sustainable, STEM learning projects.

The first project, spearheaded by Allison Shardell, coordinator of the student services and STEM departments at Par Excellence, brings 3D printing and robotics to the school’s special education classroom. Through her STEM for All initiative at Par, Shardell’s goal is to create inclusive and authentic STEM opportunities to students who might otherwise not have that access.

The grant provided a 3D printer, a classroom set of 3D printing pens, 12 Ozobot robots for coding and a Lego Spike kit for the multigrade special education classroom.

“It is important to me and to Par that all students have access to the skills necessary to succeed in 21st century STEM careers. We strongly believe that barriers to a high-quality STEM education are meant to be smashed and that’s what we are doing with our STEM for All initiative," Shardell said in a news release.

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