Grant Impact Story
As Director of Technology for Saint Stephen School in Oil City, Gregory Knox knew how important it is to incorporate innovative technology in the classroom. He applied for grants from the Catholic Foundation to give the students the opportunity to interact with technology in a hands-on way, stating, “our students are bright and deserving; we want to equip them with the skills to meet an ever-changing world.”
The first project was to teach students about the relationship between the different fields of STEM – Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics – by working with and coding competition robots. “All students deserve a learning opportunity that provides collaborative, hands-on, creative ways to explore their curiosities and expand their horizons while increasing their use and application of STEM skills,” he wrote in his grant application. The students would learn “teamwork, leadership, and collaboration skills through group problem-based learning and robotics competitions, spatial reasoning as they construct and experiment with the robots, problem-solving and troubleshooting skills, and engineering design and programming.”
The Catholic Foundation awarded Saint Stephen School a grant to purchase six competition robots for this program. The introduction of robotics to their curriculum “provided tangible results that made learning more interesting and relevant. This practical application of knowledge reinforced concepts and kept students motivated,” Gregory shared in his grant report. “The open-ended nature of robotics projects encouraged students to think creatively and innovatively. They learned to approach problems from multiple angles and develop unique solutions, fostering a mindset of innovation crucial in STEM fields. This early interest is crucial in developing the next generation of innovators, engineers, and scientists.”
An additional project was to integrate technology for every classroom by introducing SMARTboards, an interactive computer system on a touch-sensitive portable flat screen, creating very hands-on learning interactions. “The SMARTboard provides students with the tools and abilities to thrive in the ever-changing world of education and technology,” he wrote in his grant application. “It will assist the teacher with bringing the subject to life and enhancing lessons by integrating video, animation, graphics, text, and audio, which encourage critical thinking in students. This product will enhance student behavior, and increase student contact time, by engaging students in lessons with modeling, explanation, and classroom interaction and accommodating all learning styles.”
The Catholic Foundation awarded Saint Stephen School a grant to assist with the purchase of the SMARTboards. The biggest benefit teachers have seen is a result of the interactive nature of the SMARTboards. They made “learning feel less like a traditional classroom setting and more like an enjoyable experience. This increases student motivation and excitement for learning,” Gregory shared in his grant report. “Teachers are increasingly focused on integrating technology thoughtfully, making learning more interactive, personalized, and collaborative.”
He wrote in thanks for these two grants, “Thank you for believing in our mission and for making a lasting difference in the lives of these young learners. This new technology will significantly enhance our ability to provide engaging and personalized learning experiences for our students. Thank you for investing in our students’ futures and helping us create a more dynamic and effective learning environment. Your support is truly appreciated.”
These projects were supported by grants from the Education Endowment of the Catholic Foundation. Your gift to the Foundation in any amount designated for this endowment increases our capacity to award grants for innovative projects and programs throughout northwest Pennsylvania.
“Thank you for believing in our mission and for making a lasting difference in the lives of these young learners.”