ESU 5 receives grants for EKCO project

BY: ANNETTE WEISE

The new EKCO Project at the ESU will require a great deal of equipment - and therefore money - to get it started this year. ESU 5 staff have worked hard to procure grant funding for this purpose. We have successfully acquired 4 grants at this point:

1. NWA3D Steam Grant - This grant provided the program with 3 NWA 3D printers with a value of $2,600.
2. Perkins Grant - ESU 5 is hosting a Perkins Consortium for the first time in 10 or more years. In the past these funds have gone to SCC for SENCAP. With SCC no longer utilizing the funds, 9 of the 10 schools consorted their funds with us. ESU 5 has written the $32,000 formula grant to provide professional development for staff, career exploration opportunities for students as well as the commercial equipment for EKCO Enterprises.
3. ESU 5 partnered with Reinke Manufacturing to receive $22,000 in a Developing Youth Talent Grant. This money is utilized to purchase equipment for EKCO to utilize with middle school students.
4. Margaret and Martha Thomas Foundation Grant - ESU 5 received $30,000 from this foundation for additional equipment for the EKCO Location component of the project.