$100,000 Grant to Fund Makerspaces at 4 Schools

• By Joshua Bolkan
• 02/01/2018

The Interboro School District has won $100,000 from Boeing to help build makerspaces at four schools.

Dubbed "Makerspaces: Designing Collaborative Spaces for 21st Century Learners," the project aims to encourage project-based learning, design thinking and the notion of students as creators. The funds will be put to use at Glenolden School, Norwood School, Prospect Park School and Tinicum School.

"We realize the potential that exists in this type of learning and how critical it is to make this a reality for our students," said Bernadette Reiley, superintendent at Interboro, according to a local news report. "Interboro's mission is to cultivate college and career ready citizens who are prepared to thrive in a global community. The collaborative spaces and related STEM materials made possible through Boeing's support will advance our mission."

The grant, from the company's Our Future: Tomorrow's Innovators program, is not the first the district has received from Boeing. Last year the company awarded Interboro $75,000 to improve mathematics instruction in grades K-12 and the year before Boeing awarded the district $55,000 to develop STEM education for middle school students.

"We aspire to be a top performer in every area of our business, and that includes leading in the communities where our employees and their families live and work," said Dennis Muilenburg, Boeing chairman, president and CEO, according to the Delco News Network. "By harnessing our teammates' unique skills and passion for giving, our professional networks and partnerships, and our financial resources, we will inspire the dreamers and doers of tomorrow and drive positive, lasting change in our communities across the globe."