APS, Suns grant more than $48,000 to Arizona teachers for STEM projects

PHOENIX – Twenty-eight K-12 teachers across Arizona received more than $48,000 in grants from APS and the Phoenix Suns to fund science, technology, engineering and math projects.

On Tuesday, Arizona’s largest utility and Phoenix’s NBA team announced this year’s recipients of their STEM mini-grant program, which has handed out more than $600,000 for projects at public and charter schools in the APS service area over the last 13 years.

“Thanks to the STEM mini-grant program, our students will have the opportunity to take part in science experiments that otherwise would not be possible — projects like launching a weather balloon into Earth’s stratosphere,” Mike Vargas, science teacher at Pinnacle High School in Phoenix and grant recipient, said in a press release.

This year’s grants ranged from $263.48 to $2,500 and will benefit more than 4,500 students.

Tanecia Cornwall-Elysee of Gilbert Elementary was among the teachers who were awarded $2,500. Her students will use the funds to design, build and fly a fully functional quadcopter.

Thanks to a $1,008 grant, students of Lori Bohlman at Canyon Springs STEM Academy in Phoenix will hatch chicks in the classroom and record observations and data about the their life cycle.

The teachers who were chosen for the awards will be recognized at a Suns game this month.

“This partnership enables Arizona teachers to bring their creative ideas to life in ways that will inspire students to explore science and technology,” John Hatfield, APS vice president of communications, said in the release.

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