Decatur City Schools Foundation

When you think of learning math and science, what’s the first thing that comes to your mind? For many of us, it’s the image of an open textbook, or maybe it’s a teacher leading lecture at a whiteboard full of numbers and figures. But that isn’t always how STEM learning has looked, and it isn’t the most effective way to inspire students to want to learn. Long before the rules of theorems were written in textbooks, people were using math, science, and engineering because we, as humans, wanted to understand the world around us. The thrill of discovery drove us to learn more and more about how the world works. Luckily, the Maker Movement is inspiring that type of learning again, and it’s happening right here in the middle schools of Decatur. The Maker Movement “embraces innovation, creativity, and learning to improve our communities and create a better future.” It’s a grassroots movement toward inspiring invention among DIY enthusiasts and reconnecting students with why they’ll want

Students use their skills to work on repairing this small engine. The Kinder Morgan Foundation awarded a grant to Decatur City Schools Foundation that provides funds for updated tools and equipment for the Decatur City Schools Automotive Technologies Program. Students from both Austin and Decatur High School participate in the program currently housed at Austin High. The program provides four levels of courses focused on automotive maintenance and light repair. Beginning next year, the program will be part of a system-wide career tech center, set to open in August 2018 on the current Austin High School Campus. Currently, students travel from Decatur High School to Austin High School to attend classes in the program. The centralized career tech center will combine the complementary programs that already exist at the two high schools, allowing students to spend more time in classes and less time traveling to the campus that houses their program. Michael Funk, teacher of the Autom