3M Funds Three STEM Projects

As a longtime supporter of Decatur City Schools programs, 3M has generously given over $26,000 for middle and high school Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) projects. These projects include tools for middle school robotics, Decatur Austin Robotics Coalition (DARC), and middle school engineering.

Superintendent Michael Douglas says, “With these funds, Decatur City Schools will be able to provide more students with materials, tools, and equipment needed to participate in project-based learning that will expose them to careers in science, technology, engineering, and math.”

The first of these projects funded by 3M is Middle Schools Robotics. 3M funding will be used specifically in our three middle schools to provide robot kits, robot expansion kits, and other high-tech resources to spur imagination and learning in robotics.

Middle school students in this program build robots using Lego parts and program the robots using the EV3 Mindstorm software. They also build VEX robots using Pseudocode. Advanced Robotics students compete at the regional competitions for First Lego League at UAH and other locations.  Students who place at this competition move on to the state competition in Huntsville, after which some advanced students move on to state competitions in Montgomery, AL.

The second project funded by 3M is the Decatur Austin Robotics Coalition (DARC) program. 3M funding will be used specifically for robot construction materials, competition kits, and other team costs.

DARC is an award-winning high school robotics competition team that competes annually in a nationwide competition called BEST. During this event, DARC is responsible for constructing a functioning robot to compete and win the annual competition. The construction process encompasses a wide range of individual and team tasks, from brainstorming design concepts to diagramming, sketching and actual robot construction.

The third funding by 3M is for 3D printers and projectors for the middle school engineering classrooms. Funding from 3M will purchase three Afinia HD400 or similar 3D printers and a digital projector for our three middle schools. Using these 3D printers, our teachers and students will be able to create manipulatives and examples of abstract ideas, thus giving students the opportunity to use similar equipment to what is found in business and industry.

Our middle schools students will now be exposed to the process of designing, inventing, and fabricating to be used in careers in engineering, industrial and graphic design, and medical research. Putting up-to-date technology in the hands of our engineering students will foster creativity and imagination, setting them apart as industry innovators and leaders.

Decatur City Schools is excited to partner with generous corporations like 3M to build strong schools and strong communities. 3M Site Manager Michelle Howell says, “3M is excited to partner with our city schools to help develop students in the area of science, technology, engineering and math.  Robotics and technology are an integral part of manufacturing today. We are excited to be able to provide this grant to help develop our middle school and high school leaders for our future workforce.”