Discover the Difference: St. Albert secures Inventionland grant to revolutionize science classrooms
by Diocese of Des Moines | January 10, 2024
St. Albert Catholic School in Council Bluffs announced it is the recipient of an Inventionland Education Grant for the 2023-2024 grant cycle. This grant promises a transformative overhaul of the school's science classrooms, benefiting both faculty and students at the PS-12 school.
The grant provides three funding opportunities: facility upgrades, STEM curriculum, and teacher professional development. The first of these funding opportunities, the InnovationLabs® Grant, is a matching grant of up to $250,000 that will significantly reduce the financial burden of design, construction, and outfitting classrooms with cutting-edge Inventionland materials. As a result, this grant will pave the way for an immersive and dynamic learning environment for St. Albert students.
"I am excited for our students to have a creative space to learn and engage in collaborative activities," said Melissa Johnson, science teacher. "Students will be excited to come into school and see this new space!"
With this funding, the school plans to upgrade its library and middle/high school STEM classrooms to provide a more welcoming and functional workspace designed to harness student creativity and innovation. The building project is still in the planning phase, and the construction timeline will be announced at a future date. Additionally, Inventionland Education Professional Development will equip science teachers with the know-how to fully integrate 3D printing and laser cutting into the curriculum to enhance project-based learning opportunities for students in grades 6-12.
As part of the grant agreement, St. Albert Catholic has committed to actively participating in interviews and surveys, validating the impact of the redesigned spaces created by Inventionland, tailored explicitly for STEM learning. This collaborative effort seeks to evaluate and affirm the effectiveness of the revamped classrooms in cultivating scientific curiosity and innovation among students.
This grant is pivotal in St. Albert Catholic School's commitment to providing an unparalleled educational experience. It positions the school to offer its students a transformative educational journey, propelling its science education into a new realm of innovation and hands-on learning.
"I'm excited to see a bright and creative space update for our school STEM room," said Jeremy Hulshizer, STEM teacher. "These colorful changes should make for a positive, fun learning environment for our innovative, young people of service."
About Inventionland Education
Inventionland Education brings its award-winning applied STEM innovation curriculum and invention contests to K-12 schools in America and overseas. They also design immersive, age-appropriate Innovation Labs® and maker spaces that inspire creativity and original thought, as well as a complete line of STEM and maker space professional development, delivered in-person or virtually. For more information, visit InventionlandEducation.com.
Serving the greater Council Bluffs community for over 50 years, St. Albert Catholic is the only school in southwest Iowa to offer a quality Catholic education for students from six weeks to high school graduation. Building on the foundation of Catholic values, St. Albert Catholic inspires students to fulfill their spiritual, academic, moral and physical potential by following the teachings of the Catholic Church. To learn more, visit saintalbertschools.org or email us.