Community Foundation of the Virgin Islands Awards Over $70,000 in AT&T Grant Funding for STEM Projects
(U.S. Virgin Islands) – The Community Foundation of the Virgin Islands (CFVI) is pleased to announce recipients of the 2018-2019 AT&T STEM grants. Professionals working in schools across the Territory were competitively selected to receive awards ranging from $1,250 to $8,500, for a total funding cycle of over $70,000. Grant funds will be used to facilitate student projects, boosting STEM exposure and education in public, private, and parochial schools. In this fourth year of the STEM education grant program, the number of awards has seen an increase of more than double what was provided in 2018 thanks to AT&T’s generous philanthropic investment.
“We are so grateful for AT&T’s ongoing support for students in the USVI, especially while facing challenges with school schedules. As we continue building forward, this year’s grants will empower our youth with access to STEM enrichment not only in the public schools, but also in the Early Head Start, private, parochial, and home school settings” said CFVI President, Dee Baecher-Brown.
Through this funding, students across the Territory in the St. Thomas/St. John and St. Croix districts have the opportunity to learn more about the science, technology, engineering and mathematics fields via hands-on instruction.
“Barriers like the lack of access to information about STEM can be overcome through exemplary outreach strategies, designed to ignite initial interest in STEM pathways,” said Alexandra Verdiales Costa, Vice President AT&T Puerto Rico & USVI. “AT&T, working with the Community Foundation of the Virgin Islands, is proud to provide a means to bring STEM programs not only to public schools, but to expand them to Early Head Start, private, parochial, and home school settings.”
List of Grantees for 2018-2019 AT&T STEM funding:
| Grant Recipient | School | Island | Project |
| Ludovic Atemazem | Charlotte Amalie High School | St. Thomas | Building and Improving Robotics by Collecting Data |
| Steve Bullock/ St. Croix Rocketry Association | St. Croix Educational Complex, St. Croix Central High School, John H. Woodson Junior High School, Elena L. Christian Junior High School | St. Croix | National Rocketry/Robotics Competitions |
| Patrick Cawdette | Early Head Start (operated by Lutheran Social Services of the Virgin Islands) | St. Croix | Early Head Start STEM |
| Dora Cerge | Ivanna Eudora Kean High School | St. Thomas | Introduction to Engineering Robotics, Girls in Engineering Club |
| Reba Dickson | John H. Woodson Junior High School | St. Croix | STEM Explorers! |
| Jacqueline Francis | Jane E. Tuitt Primary School | St. Thomas | Tuitt’s School Garden Project |
| Tetyana Hayes | All Saints Cathedral School | St. Thomas | All Saints Robotics and Astronomy Program |
| Cassandra King | St. Croix Educational Complex High School | St. Croix | Coding With Sphero Robots |
| Julie Magee | US Virgin Islands Homeschoolers | St. Thomas | VI Watershed/Water Quality |
| Sean Malupa | Bertha C. Boschulte Middle School | St. Thomas | Lego Mindstorms Robotics Class |
| Marisha Perkins | St. Croix Central High School | St. Croix | HAPPY (Human Anatomy and Physiology Project for Youths) |
| Paula Smail | Gifft Hill School | St. John | Island Explorers: A green STEM Program for pre-K through 12th grade |
| Raydiance Watts-Clarke | Alexander Henderson Elementary School | St. Croix | Sharks Edible DREAMS Project |
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About Philanthropy & Social Innovation at AT&T
AT&T Inc. is committed to advancing education, strengthening communities and improving lives. We have a long history of investing in projects that create learning opportunities, promote academic and economic achievement, and address community needs. Our AT&T Aspire initiative uses innovation in education to drive student success in school and beyond. With a financial commitment of $450 million since 2008, AT&T is leveraging technology, relationships and social innovation to help all students make their biggest dreams a reality.
Community Foundation of the Virgin Islands
For more than 25 years the Community Foundation of the Virgin Islands has been a catalyst for positive change in the Territory through initiatives committed to youth, learning, family support and the environment. With a professional staff and a volunteer Board of Directors composed of community leaders, CFVI is a trusted advocate and supporter of programs that ensure opportunity and sustainability for current and future generations. Most recently, CFVI has been serving as a vehicle for receiving and distributing funds to support hurricane relief efforts throughout the Territory. In addition to providing administrative oversight to over 100 named funds and programs, CFVI is focused on meeting the emergency, intermediate and long-term needs of children, youth and families in the aftermath of two Category 5 hurricanes. CFVI is a registered non-profit organization entirely supported by individual donors, grants, trusts, corporate donations and estate planning.