CFVI Announces $75,000 Contribution From AT&T To Promote STEM Education Projects

For the fourth consecutive year, AT&T has partnered with the Community Foundation of the Virgin Islands (CFVI) to make available grants to promote science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education projects in schools throughout the territory, AT&T announced in a recent release. This is the largest single contribution made by the AT&T Foundation to CFVI to date.

In recognition of the challenges facing all educational settings in the wake of Hurricanes Irma and Maria, CFVI and AT&T have expanded eligibility for this year’s grant cycle, according to the release. The Virgin Islands AT&T STEM grants will range from $2,500 to $10,000 per award and are open to professionals in the U.S. Virgin Islands public and private/parochial school systems to implement innovative projects in classrooms or schools. Professionals working in all preschool settings (e.g., Head Start, private preschool) are also eligible to apply.

“Technology is making it easier for everyone, regardless of age, gender, income or geography, to learn anytime, anywhere,” said Alexandra Verdiales Costa, AT&T regional vice president External & Legislative Affairs for Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. “But to continue technological progress, we need a workforce equipped with STEM skills. The Community Foundation of the Virgin Islands understands that, and we’re happy to support them in their efforts to promote innovation and interest in STEM education.”

According to the release, funding will be awarded on a competitive basis for projects that seek to improve student achievement in STEM fields, with priority given to proposals where students are directly involved in the project and the project includes a collaborative component. Project descriptions should be clear and well organized and a realistic budget must be provided. Activities should improve student learning and outcomes should be measurable and substantive. An assessment component will be required, in order to provide objective measurement of project impact.

Applications for the 2018-2019 AT&T STEM Grants should be submitted to CFVI no later than Friday, November 30, 2018 through CFVI’s online grants management portal: http://bit.ly/CFVIscholarship-grant-portal. Successful applicants must agree to submit a brief written report, receipts for expenditures and, if possible, visual documentation, on the use of the grant at the end of the grant cycle. Decisions will be made by December 21, for projects to be implemented January – June 2019. Questions should be directed to CFVI’s Grants & Programs Manager, Khadija de Lagarde: [email protected].

Feature Image: (left to right): Tom Bolt, AT&T local counsel; Alexandra Verdiales Costa, regional vice president External & Legislative Affairs, AT&T – PR/USVI; Dee Baecher-Brown, president, Community Foundation of the Virgin Islands; Khadija de Lagarde, grants and programs manager, Community Foundation of the Virgin Islands (Credit: AT&T)