SAO Foundation Receives ETIC Grant

The Software Association of Oregon Foundation is pleased to announce the award of a $47,000 grant from the Engineering and Technology Industry Council (ETIC) in support of a project that uses Lego Robotics to introduce engineering concepts and programming to students in grades 4 to 12. This grant is part of ETIC’s strategy to double the number of engineering and computer science graduates by supporting projects that implement recommendations from the Oregon Pre-Engineering & Applied Sciences Strategic Planning Summit held in September 2005.

The project aligns with ETIC’s goals to assure that every student entering high-school has been exposed to engineering and has the resources available to make an informed choice about science, technology, engineering, and mathematics educational opportunities and use three approaches to increase and diversify students’ involvement in Lego Robotics curriculum:

First, up to 200 educators will attend a regional “Lego’s in Education and ROBOLAB” conference June 23 at Hillsboro High School. This all-day event combines sharing of best-practices among educators with hands-on workshops to create a powerful and relevant learning experience.

The grant will also fund the creation of a comprehensive Lego Robotics curriculum CD in both English and Spanish.

To complete the educational opportunity, this project will then help put Lego Robotics Challenge kits in up to 100 classrooms by providing scholarships to schools that otherwise would not be able to purchase the needed equipment.

Said Kathryn Schwartz, Educational Programs Coordinator for the SAO Foundation: “Using the familiar Lego “toy”, as a tool for creating genuine learning opportunities that students enjoy allows teachers to provide hands-on lessons in engineering, programming, math, teamwork, and problem solving for students at all levels.”

The ETIC grant represents the largest received by the SAO Foundation since its inception in 2003. With the support of groups like Intel, Inspiration Software, Symantec, Mentor Graphics, KPMG, and HMH Advertising, among others, the SAO Foundation has been able to provide professional development to more than 240 teachers to improve their skills in teaching technology subjects. SAO members interested in learning more about the SAO Foundation mission to enhance the abilities and inspire the interest of K-12 teacher and students in information technology, computer science and engineering are invited to contact Kathryn Schwartz at kschwartz@sao.org.