Indian Creek Awarded AFCEA Kickstarter Grant to Support STEM Education

On December 14, 2018, the Indian Creek Class of 2030 welcomed a special visitor from the Armed Forces Communication and Electronics Association (AFCEA). The AFCEA was on campus to award our Lower School STEM program the AFCEA Kickstarter Grant, providing the program with almost $4,000. The AFCEA Kickstarter Grant is awarded for initiatives focused on STEM related disciplines of science, technology, engineering and math.

In anticipation of AFCEA’s visit, Ms. Allen’s first grade classroom was alight with creativity and ingenuity. The students were excited as they sat coding and programming, and AFCEA’s special guest, Mrs. Morgenstern, joined in on the fun. Mrs. Morgenstern, the Vice President of Scientific Education in AFCEA’s Central Maryland Chapter, engaged students at different stations and inquired about what they were doing and how they were attempting to accomplish it. Mrs. Morgenstern commended our first graders’ abilities to work through such complex STEM activities. 

Award’s recipient Ms. Sarah Allen '01 commented that “just as learning a new language teaches students logic, improves memory, and teaches cognitive problem-solving, the study of computer science teaches students how to think critically, master effective and safe communication, solve problems efficiently and creatively, and engineer thoughtful solutions. These overarching lessons not only strengthen our students' grasp of computer science--they make our students better thinkers across disciplines. That is why we introduce computer science as early as PK3."

This is Indian Creek's fourth grant from AFCEA. AFCEA greatly values the work Indian Creek does, especially with our younger students. The members of AFCEA appreciate that preparing our students for successful lives--and possibly careers in science, technology, engineering, and math--beyond Indian Creek needs to start early. The funds will be used to purchase 3D printing pens, SAM Labs classroom kit, Squishy Circuits group set, KEVA Planks building set and a MakeDo Cardboard Construction kit.
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Indian Creek school is a co-educational, college preparatory independent school, located in Crownsville, Maryland.  Students in Pre-K3 through grade 12 receive a vibrant educational experience based on excellent academics steeped in strong student-teacher connections.