10-04-2025
Licking Heights earns STEAM Forward grant from META Data Centers
Licking Heights is educating the workforce of the future — sometimes as early as kindergarten. The district recently received a $44,929 STEAM Forward grant from META Data Centers to support hands-on science, technology, engineering and math education for all students, kindergarten through sixth grade.
The STEAM Forward grant will cover a variety of elementary STEM initiatives in the district, including funding for Camp Invention; creating a STEAM area in Everest Elementary, Broad Peak Elementary and Summit Station Intermediate; and additional supplies for the existing STEAM space at Lima Ridge Elementary. The grant was written and submitted by Vicki Willett, Technology Integration Specialist at Licking Heights.
'Licking Heights Local Schools is rapidly evolving into a hub of technological innovation. To prepare students for opportunities in these emerging industries, the STEAM Forward grant aims to transform our fragmented STEM program into a comprehensive, integrated STEAM framework,' Willett said.
This will be the second year in a row that Heights will host Camp Invention at Everest Elementary. 135 students can once again attend the weeklong STEM day camp for $35 instead of the usual $275 rate. Tuition is covered partially by the STEAM Forward grant and partially by funding from the Martha Holden Jennings Foundation.
The creation of STEAM labs for K-6 students was motivated by the success of Camp Invention last summer. After seeing such positive student and staff response to camp, Heights staff wanted to create spaces that provide students with those opportunities throughout the school year.
Labs will impact over 3,500 students and their teachers, providing year-round opportunities to deepen exploration of STEAM concepts and ensure sustained engagement and skill development beyond the summer. Teachers will also have professional development opportunities so they can effectively teach students in the labs.
'This project supports the district's broader goal of offering personalized learning experiences for students of all academic levels. Through invention-based challenges, collaborative engineering tasks and technology-integrated arts projects, students will develop critical thinking and problem-solving skills, preparing them for the workforce of tomorrow,' Willett said.
Thanks to Willett's grant writing expertise, Heights already received a $5,000 grant from the Ohio STEM Learning Network to begin planning for STEAM labs. Labs will include learning materials such as 3-D printers, various coding robots, circuit boards and microcontrollers and augmented reality tools.
'Vicki Willett is an invaluable member of our district and a constant advocate for STEM in the curriculum and classroom,' said Kevin S. Miller, superintendent. 'At Licking Heights, we pride ourselves on providing students with innovative, real-life learning opportunities that meet their academic interests and prepare them for life after leaving our schools. I am deeply grateful to the staff who make this possible for all students, regardless of their background.'
Information submitted by Licking Heights Local Schools.
This article originally appeared on Newark Advocate: Licking Heights earns STEAM Forward grant from META Data Centers
