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Post date: Aug 13, 2014 11:31:19 AM
Bartlesville Public Schools has received a $1.7 million grant from Phillips 66. The announcement was made on August 12, 2014 at a news conference held at Bartlesville High School. The contribution will be used for the building of Science, Technology, Engineering, & Math (STEM) Innovation Labs at the secondary schools in the district.
Phillips 66 CEO Greg Garland indicated at the press conference that one major reason for the grant, which was submitted by local Phillips 66 employees working with school district staff, was how the new labs could be built using existing space at each secondary site because of improvements from the bond issue approved by voters in 2013.
The bond issue builds a new cafeteria/commons at the high school, which will allow the former cafeteria to be renovated by the grant for a new Innovation Lab. The bond also constructs a science FLEX lab in the Freshman Academy at BHS, providing space for Pre-Engineering courses equipped by the grant.
The bond issue also expands and renovates Central Middle School, which will allow the grant to renovate part of the existing building for an improved space for the existing Gateway to Technology classes as well create a new science research project and computer space.
The bond issue also shifts students at Madison Middle School to the current Mid-High site. Since the Mid-High building is larger, some of its space can be renovated by the grant into space for that middle school's Gateway to Technology classes and repurpose two existing science labs for science research projects and computer space.
Phillips 66 CEO Greg Garland made the announcement of the grant, recognizing Phillips 66 employee and BPSD school board member Scott Bilger for his leadership of the local grant process. Mr. Garland also recognized Granger Meador, the school district's science department chair and physics teacher at BHS, for his leadership of the process on behalf of the district.
Superintendent Dr. Gary Quinn outlined at the press conference how the grant will support the renovation of the existing cafeteria at BHS into an Innovation Lab after the site's new cafeteria serving grades 9-12 is completed in 2015.
The renovated space, along with a laboratory being built in the new bond-funded Freshman Academy, will support four new courses at BHS, targeting each area of STEM:
Science: a new Science Research course for students to develop science research projects for competitions such as science fair. It will be taught by Betty Henderson, BHS biology teacher and member of the Oklahoma Science Fair Hall of Fame. Mrs. Henderson has built a long history of successful student projects competing at the district, state, and international levels during her 26 years at BHS.
Technology: a new introductory computer science course to be taught by a teacher who will receive grant-funded training.
Engineering: new Pre-Engineering courses for freshman students to bolster participation and advancement in later Pre-Engineering courses offered at Tri-County Technology Center.
Mathematics: a new Advanced Math Applications course slated to be taught by current Mid-High math teacher Warren Neff, who has extensive industry experience.
Later the grant will fund renovations at the current Mid-High building and at Central Middle School to provide new homes for the Gateway to Technology courses for students at each site as well as improved science projects and computer lab space.
After the conference, science chair Meador commented, "We owe a huge debt of gratitude to Phillips 66 for the $1.7 million STEM grant for new and enhanced STEM education programs at Bartlesville's secondary schools. I want to single out P66 locals Scott Bilger, Jenny Brown, Maurice Casad, Matt Epperson, Gabi Farnham, John Henthorne, Doug Sauer, and Summer Austin for their work on the grant, the support of Merl Lindstrom and the rest of the Bartlesville Leadership Team at Phillips 66, and of course the corporate office in Houston. Also, a bunch of my fellow BPSD grades 6-12 teachers in science, math, and technology education worked on this along with the site and district administrators and help from Ambler Architects. Now the work begins to make these dreams a reality for our students."
Supt. Quinn commented, "We are just really, really excited about the opportunity this is going to provide our students. It cannot be overstated what this is going to mean for students."
Phillips 66 CEO Greg Garland announces the $1,700,000 grant to BPSD
BPSD Supt. Dr. Gary Quinn speaks about the programs made possible by the donation from Phillips 66
BPSD Science Chair Granger Meador speaks to the press about the Phillips 66 STEM grant
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