Florida Power & Light Company (FPL), in partnership with the Consortium of Florida Education Foundations, recently awarded $10,325 to the St. Johns County Education Foundation as part of the company’s statewide EmPOWERing STEM Educators initiative.
The EmPOWERing STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math) grant supports STEM-focused peer-to-peer professional development to increase teacher knowledge of effective math and science instructional practices that align with Florida Standards.
Operating as Investing in Kids (INK!), the St. Johns County Education Foundation has an ongoing mission to provide innovative programs, teacher support and classroom resources to promote success for teachers and students in the St. Johns County School District.
The grant application was submitted by INK! in collaboration with local science educators Steve Kirsche and Marna Fox to equip teachers with the tools and knowledge to successfully pass a State of Florida certification exam and provide transformative learning to support their teaching with the goal of improving student learning.
INK! will administer the grant funds while Kirsche and Fox implement their peer-to-peer professional development program to support seven science educators in St. Johns County middle and high schools.
Science educators throughout the St. Johns County School District were invited to participate in the program; many are second-career teachers. Participants currently teach at Pacetti Bay Middle School, Fruit Cove Middle School, R.J. Murray Middle School, Bartram Trail High School, St. Augustine High School and Tocoi Creek High School.
The program will conclude in the spring of 2024.
“We have some very talented science educators in our district,” said Kirsche. “This program is designed to help them broaden their skill set, to support their teaching and improve student learning. We are helping educators build stronger foundations in science and sharpen their skills to support their teaching and improve student learning. Through the grant, we can provide our peers with valuable learning opportunities to benefit their professional development and the education of STEM students in St. Johns County.”
According to Fox, a program specialist for high school science for the St. Johns County School District, the EmPOWERing STEM Educators grant will fund stipends for lead educators and participants, instructional materials, tutorial sessions and other resources for the peer-to-peer professional development program.
“We hope to promote curiosity, critical thinking and problem-solving skills for participating teachers by empowering them with knowledge and strategies to transform student learning,” said Fox, who is also the lead teacher for the grant project. “This will help them to inspire their students to become scientists, engineers, innovators and life-long learners. We are working together to create much needed collaboration with educators who must pass rigorous state testing outside of their current subject areas. Re-training and retaining teachers in STEM programs is imperative. This initiative will greatly help our participants and their current and future students.”
“INK!, FPL and the Consortium of Florida Education Foundations maintain a unique partnership,” said Cathy Newman, INK!’s executive director. “Together, we support a STEM-focused educational opportunity that supports our educators and cultivates the next generation’s workforce. This is INK!’s second year as a recipient of the FPL grant supporting our STEM educators. Investments like this from our valued business partners promote STEM learning and can introduce students to countless career opportunities within the classroom environment.”
FPL is partnering with the Consortium of Florida Education Foundations to bring the EmPOWERING STEM Educators Program to school districts throughout the state.
Since 2010, the consortium has administered hands-on, workplace-based STEM classroom learning experiences to increase student awareness and interest in STEM careers and teachers in math and science.
INK! promotes success for all St. Johns County public school students and teachers by providing innovative programs, teacher support and classroom resources to benefit more than 52,000 students and approximately 3,200 teachers.
