Mendon-Upton Receives Grant to Support STEM Career Learning

MENDON — Superintendent Dr. Maureen Cohen, Nipmuc Regional High School Co-Principals John Clements and Mary Anne Moran, and Memorial Elementary School Principal Wendy Bell are excited to announce that two District schools will expand their Project Lead The Way (PLTW) programs to provide students with applied learning experiences.

 The Mendon-Upton Regional School District has received grant funds from the One8 Foundation to offer new applied learning curricular programming from PLTW at Memorial Elementary School and Nipmuc Regional High School.

 With the PLTW curriculum, students apply what they have learned to solve problems that exist in our global and local communities.

 ”These programs will provide our elementary and high school students with experiences and opportunities to see the jobs, learn the skills, and understand the expectations that exist outside the walls of our schools,“ said Ryan Robidoux, Director of Learning and Innovation for Mendon-Upton Regional School District.

 Since 2017, the One8 Foundation, Massachusetts STEM Advisory Council, Workforce Skill Cabinet, and Massachusetts Life Science Center have supported expanding PLTW programming for students across the Commonwealth to better prepare them for a rapidly changing, data-rich world. PLTW coursework in biomedical science, engineering, and computer science provides students with many skills they will need to access opportunities in sectors that are powering the state economy. 

 “Students are hungry for experiences that allow them to apply what they are learning to solve real-world, meaningful problems,” said Joanna Jacobson, President of the One8 Foundation. “Providing equitable access to hands-on applied learning programs that deliver academic gains while building critical thinking and complex problem-solving skills ensures students are engaged and interested in school and prepared for success in this ever-changing world.” 

 Memorial Elementary will use grant funds to expand its PLTW Launch program to ensure all students have three PLTW experiences each year.

 Grant funds will be used at Nipmuc Regional High School to provide a Capstone course that expands authentic experiences for Innovation Career Pathway students.

 Funds from the grant will support teacher professional development and the purchase of materials and equipment for PLTW courses. In addition, as a school with PLTW programming in Massachusetts, Memorial and Nipmuc teachers will have access to a regular set of teacher professional learning opportunities, student project showcases, and connections to industry professionals offered by the Mass Learning Project and the One8 Applied Learning Hub.

 "Our goal as educators is to prepare our students for the future," said Superintendent Dr. Cohen. "Project Lead The Way has played an integral part in providing our teachers with valuable professional development and has helped our students by providing innovative coursework in the vital sectors that continue to fuel the Commonwealth's economy."