The Fayette County Education Foundation has awarded nearly $7,000 to teachers throughout the school system for STEAM (science, technology, engineering, art, mathematics) focused programs and projects.

Teachers applied for the competitive grants at the beginning of the school year, requesting funds to purchase materials and supplies for a variety of STEAM initiatives from robotics and model rocketry to book libraries and circuitry. At total of 30 teachers, including media specialists, art teachers, music teachers, and regular classroom teachers, received funding for their project ideas.

To date, over $173,000 in teacher grants have been awarded to schools since the Foundation handed out its first grants in 2002.

The Fayette County Education Foundations exists to solely support the Fayette County Public School System by providing funds for innovative, creative programs that offer the county’s students the opportunity to have an enriched educational experience. The Foundation uses tax-deductible gifts to provide funds for opportunities above and beyond the normal operating budget of the school system.

The all-volunteer board meets monthly at the Fayette County Board of Education. Since the Foundation has no overhead costs, 100 percent of every dollar donated goes toward funding classroom and/or schoolwide projects that align with the curriculum being taught.