Seguin ISD students are experiencing science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) in new and exciting ways this summer as part of a camp offered by the SISD in partnership with TLU and the Science Mill.
According to the Science Mill’s Impact Report, 2 out of 3 students who attend camp become interested in pursuing a STEM career and 90% believe they can be successful. When SISD’s Chief Innovation Officer Mark Cantu studied the program and its results, he and his team determined that as many students as possible should be given the opportunity to benefit from this potentially life-changing education. However, the funding was a challenge, despite the benevolent donation of $10,000 and classroom space provided by TLU.
Dr. Matthew Gutierrez, SISD superintendent of schools, was an early supporter of the Science Mill camp. Now he can attest to the benefits first-hand, as one of his sons attended.
“He loved every minute of camp and talked about nothing else each night at home. From our conversations, it was clear that his new knowledge sparked a desire to learn more. I believe that by teaching our children to love learning, we do more than educate them. We transform their lives. That transformation can have a generational ripple effect. If students love learning, especially the STEM disciplines, their earnings potential also improves and eventually our district’s heartbreaking 70% poverty rate could finally be lifted. For those reasons, we are constantly innovating and growing our students’ opportunities to learn,” Gutierrez said.
In addition to the partnership with TLU, the Science Mill camp was made possible by a generous $20,000 grant from the Texas Pioneer Foundation. This was the first grant funded by the organization to the SISD through the Seguin Education Foundation (SEF). Kelly Follis, SISD’s director of community outreach and SEF’s executive director, contacted the Texas Pioneer Foundation and recalls, “Their almost immediate response was “We want to help you.” Along with the generosity of TLU and a donation by Vitesco, the Pioneer Foundation’s donation put us on the path to making this camp a reality. In these difficult times concerning school safety, letting our students know that their education is important because they are important is what it’s all about. Innovative opportunities like this are worth our community’s support and are the goal of our district as a whole, but also of the Seguin Education Foundation’s innovative teaching grants. We welcome and encourage our community to get involved with our schools. Our children are too important to let slip through the cracks.”
For more information on how to get involved with the SISD or the SEF, contact Follis at 830.379.0325 or kfollis@seguin.k12.tx.us.