Global all-domain defense provider HII (NYSE: HII) announced today that its Ingalls Shipbuilding division awarded $100,000 in grants to 24 STEM-related initiatives from schools and educational organizations located in Mississippi and Alabama. The STEM awards are currently distributed on an annual basis each school year and are used to further the education of science, technology, engineering and math.
“Every year we look forward to honoring the outstanding work of our region’s educators and supporting them in preparing their students to be the next generation of critical thinkers,” Ingalls Shipbuilding President Kari Wilkinson said. “Innovation and critical thinking skills are vital in the shipbuilding process and we are proud to play a role in encouraging students to pursue a STEM related career.”
In the past decade, Ingalls has awarded more than $1.1 million for teacher training and projects allowing for continued support of STEM in the local education system. The funds distributed will go toward STEM-related equipment, such as lab supplies or software, to be used in hands-on research.
“Today we celebrate the future of STEM and the 24 award recipients who are planting seeds of inspiration within their students,” Ingalls Shipbuilding Corporate Stewardship & Community Relations Manager Lisa Bradley said. “These teachers go above and beyond to demonstrate how their students can excel in STEM careers and it is our hope that every one of their students is inspired to one day become a member of our shipbuilding family.”
Multiple schools from the Moss Point School District in Mississippi were recipients of this year’s STEM grant and have various plans for how they will use the award.
Moss Point School District Superintendent Dr. Oswago Harper was in attendance for the award ceremony and shared in the excitement of the day saying, “These awards provide an extra boost to our STEM efforts and we are so grateful for the continued support of Ingalls. The awards allow our educators to strengthen our students’ skills by focusing on projects such as developing effective test preparation for ACT WorkKeys, the creation of metal flower planters, and the design and construction of cooling systems.”
The Ingalls’ STEM awards attracted nearly 80 applications this grant cycle from the region. The next application cycle will open in August 2024 at the beginning of the 2024-2025 academic school year and end in October.
HII is committed to shaping the future of engineering, science and technology and makes investments in STEM education programs through partnerships with local elementary, middle and high schools, community colleges and technical schools, summer internships, and industry-leading apprentice schools at the company’s two shipyards.
The following 24 organizations have been honored by Ingalls Shipbuilding with STEM grants for the 2023-2024 school year:
Alabama School of Mathematics and Science (Ala.): Exploring Natural History in the Digital Age – This will allow an opportunity to offer a full-term course for high school students in paleontology focused on using modern technology such as 3D printers to create digital fossils and will be used to investigate the fossilized remains of plants and animals.
Arlington Elementary School (Miss.): Engineered for Greatness – Project designed to expose 2nd graders to engineering as they hone their math, science, problem-solving and social-emotional learning skills using hands-on learning activities created to embrace different learning styles.
Baldwin County High School (Ala.): Project Anatomy in Clay – Will purchase the Anatomy in Clay learning system for students in grades 10-12. This system features a hands-on strategy for learning anatomy and physiology.
Bay High School (Miss.): Air Quality In’s and Out’s – This allows for students to collect data and compare air quality conditions within the classrooms, cafeteria, between buildings, and outdoor quality daily and repeat yearly.
Colmer Middle School (Miss.): School Beautification/Reproduction Project – This is a beautification project of school grounds for their eighth grade science classes. They will complete plant research and learn about forms of plant reproduction while taking care of the seeds and cuttings until the spring.
East Central High School (Miss.): Racing Into Space –This project involves high school students mentoring approximately 300 fourth and fifth graders to explore the moon’s surface features, experiment with different types of wheels, and design and build model cars to race over a simulated lunar surface.
East Central Middle School (Miss.): Underwater Robotics – Students will research, design, and build a working underwater remote operating vehicle (ROV) and work as a team, of driver and spotter, to complete tasks with the ROV under water. A robotics team will be created in the spring for any students who would like to participate.
Fairhope High School (Ala.): Utilizing Technology for Scientific Inquiry in the Physical Science Classroom – This project aims to enhance the learning experience for 10th grade students with hands-on, inquiry-based learning opportunities by integrating specific technological tools into the curriculum.
Gulfport High School (Miss.): Coastal Water Health – Students will collect water samples from different locations in Gulfport and run laboratory tests to determine if there are common pollutants present and to determine the overall health of the local water.
J. Larry Newton Elementary School (Ala.): Producers of Our Future – This project includes the use of creation technology, 3D printing and 3D laser printing to allow students to make their ideas come to life!
Lyman Elementary School (Miss.): Lyman Leaders – Future Entrepreneurs – Students will use the CorelDraw program and Laser Engraver to create student designed and student produced products as part of their Future Entrepreneurs Unit. Students will create a business plan and write and produce advertisements to pitch their “patented” products – this gives each student an experience in showing what it takes to build a business from the ground up.
Magnolia Middle School (Miss.): Cool Down – Students will use their mathematical skills to design and build a cooling system for use during hot days. Members of the school’s TSA program will help to create a how-to video on how math is used in the real world with this engineering project.
Morningside Elementary School (Ala.): Airplane Trials and Speed Calculation – Provide students with a hands-on experience in physics, building and revising models, and applying math to solve problems as it relates to building and flying airplanes.
Moss Point Career & Technical Education Center (Miss.): Fueling STEM Futures: Investing in Career Pathways – This project directly addresses the pressing educational need for effective ACT WorkKeys test preparation to ensure students are well-prepared for the workforce as they complete year two of their career & technical education (CTE) programs. The hope is to improve students’ scores on this assessment and empower them to pursue meaningful STEM-related careers, contribute to the regional workforce, and realize their full potential.
Moss Point Career & Technical Education Center (Miss.): Metal Flower Planters – The creation of metal flower planters offers a multifaceted learning experience that encompasses academic knowledge, technical skills, safety awareness, and practical life skills. Students will be provided with a tangible and engaging educational platform that allows them to become proficient in metalworking techniques and design competency.
North Baldwin Center for Technology (Ala.) Sustainability Synergy: Merging Environmental Studies with Career Tech and Core Pathways – This project creates and establishes a learning lab at Baldwin Preparatory Academy for CTE pathway students in grades 10-12. It integrates STEM concepts into hands-on activities and science experiments, connecting career tech pathways and fostering collaboration among students, enhancing practical skills, interdisciplinary knowledge, and environmental science proficiency.
North Bay Elementary (Ala.): Techtots: Building Tomorrow’s Innovators with Robotics and 3D Printing – Will provide teachers with the resources to bring computer science into their daily curriculum by bringing a unique experience and learning opportunity using robots and 3D printers in the classroom.
Ocean Springs High School (Miss.): Watch Out … HERE COME THE ROBOTS! – Using Bittle Robotics kits, students in the Computer Science and Engineering class will learn to assemble the kits and code them to operate.
Ocean Springs Upper Elementary (Miss.): Engineering in Action! Understanding & Building Functional Equipment – This project will teach students how to construct and operate large equipment, ships, and cars used on construction sites especially in civil, mechanical, and electrical engineering.
Perkinston Elementary School (Miss.): 3D Printing, Coding and the Shark Tank – Students will use a 3D printer and software to build a prototype of a STEM related product that they will design and create with their team.
Robertsdale High School (Ala.): Setting Sail With Odysseus – Starting with reading the Odyssey in English class, students will continue exploring in each class the world Odysseus and his men encounter on their voyage – and through foundations of engineering will design and create a 3D-printed ship prototype and test it against wind and waves to evaluate the effectiveness of their design.
St. Martin High School (Miss.): Filling in the Gaps in our STEM lab – STEM Lab students will be introduced to resin printing and vinyl cutting. Students will create stickers relating to topics that they are studying in this or other classes. Students will create 3D items that solve a problem in their life using SolidWorks and print them out on the resin printer. This equipment will also be used with younger students during their annual summer camps.
West Wortham Elementary School (Miss.): Take Charge – In the project “Take Charge,” students will construct their own solar power station kit and conduct solar science experiments such as the angle in degrees, the time of day, and the voltage output of solar energy.
WP Davidson High School (Ala.): Building Computer Technologists from Gamers – This project is designed to give students in the gaming/e-sports class the opportunity to build gaming PCs from the ground up. Computer-building from scratch provides opportunities for students to enhance communication, leadership, teamwork, time management, goal setting, and self-monitoring.