Fifth year of grant program provides over 21K to six Nevada schools

LAS VEGAS, NV – Navarro Research and Engineering, Inc., Environmental Program Services contractor to the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Environmental Management (EM) Nevada Program, announced six Nevada schools have been awarded classroom funding through the company’s Community Commitment Grant Program. The grant program, in its fifth year, supports educational activities related to science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) in communities near the Nevada National Security Site (NNSS).

In total, Navarro will award just over $21,000 this year for the advancement of STEM learning throughout Nevada. This brings the total investment since the inception of this grant to more than $83,000. Grants selected in this most recent cycle will expand students’ knowledge and imagination with STEM in a variety of ways. Projects funded include the creation of an Anatomy and Physiology lab, teaching circuit boards to students considering careers in the automotive industry, maker space improvements, coding, and taking flight with aerial drones.

“Continuing Navarro’s investment in our next generation of technical leaders through STEM education strengthens the foundations of society,” said Dr. Susana Navarro, President, CEO, and founder of Navarro. “Knowing these grants are helping to inspire a new generation of students embrace learning, particularly through hands-on learning, while opening doors to brighter futures, make this endeavor not only rewarding, but heart-warming.”

EM Nevada Program Manager Robert Boehlecke noted Navarro’s support for educating the next generation of STEM experts.

“The EM Nevada Program is very appreciative of Navarro’s efforts to build this grant program,” Boehlecke said. “Furthering STEM education is an important part of our community support and seeing the number of applicants continue to grow year after year shows they are reaching those in the educational field.”

The recipients were selected from a pool of applications through a blind-scoring process that evaluated total benefit to student learning in the classroom. This year’s recipients included two schools from the Clark County School District in Las Vegas, two private schools in Las Vegas, one school from White Pines County School District and one from Nye County School District.

David E. Norman Elementary School in Ely, Nevada will use their grant funding to purchase and introduce drone technology to elementary students. Their hope is to immerse students in authentic, hands-on learning experiences that bring science, technology, engineering, art, and mathematics together.

“Navarro funding our grant provides our school an exciting new avenue to energize learning in our students,” said Ely teacher Destin Brandis. “I am excited to get these drones in and begin integrating our introductory coding, engineering and aeronautics lessons around their use.”

Cimarron-Memorial High School in Clark County was also selected as a grant recipient. This grant will allow them to challenge students with building, testing, and troubleshooting their own functional circuit boards, gaining practical experience in a dynamic learning environment.

“This grant funding helps deepen our ability to challenge students problem-solving,” said Cimarron teacher Gregory Deen. “By intentionally introducing faults into some of the boards, students will need to identify and repair these issues. Challenging students critical thinking and practical skills in the classroom helps build confidence and better prepare them for real-world scenarios.”

Kenny Guinn STEM Academy teacher Christian Kaul will use their grant funding for Shero LittleBits kits to help enhance STEM pathways in their Space and Flight Program. Innovation Academy in Las Vegas teacher Mikaela Batres will use the funding in a 6^th-8^th grade Anatomy and Physiology Life Science lab. Montessori Visions Academy teacher Lisa Knutsen plans use their grant on kits to reinforce education on force and motion. Tonopah Middle School in Nye County will use their grant award to enhance their STEM maker space.

The Navarro Community Commitment Grant is open to public, private, and charter schools in the counties of Clark, Elko, Esmeralda, Lincoln, Nye, and White Pine in Nevada. For more information on the DOE EM Nevada Program, please visit: Nevada National Security Sites (NNSS) | Department of Energy.

For more information on Navarro, please visit Navarro Research & Engineering, Inc. (navarro-inc.com).