Berne Union Elementary in Sugar Grove received a $5,000 STEM Classroom Grant from the Ohio STEM Learning Network to purchase 20 VEX GO construction kits for its "Launching Young Innovators: Rocketing into Robotics" program. The kits will introduce students to basic coding and engineering concepts while promoting collaboration and creativity. The OSLN — supported by Battelle and partnered with the Ohio Department of Education and Workforce — serves 68 counties and 130 school districts to advance K–12 STEM learning across Ohio.
Berne Union Elementary Wins $5,000 STEM Grant — 20 VEX GO Robotics Kits Coming to Classrooms
Berne Union Elementary School has received a $5,000 Ohio STEM Learning Network grant to purchase 20 VEX GO construction kits for its “Launching Young Innovators: Rocketing into Robotics” project, allowing students to engage in hands-on learning in the classroom.
SUGAR GROVE — Berne Union Elementary School has been awarded a $5,000 STEM Classroom Grant from the Ohio STEM Learning Network (OSLN) to expand hands-on STEM instruction.
Launching Young Innovators: Rocketing into Robotics
The grant will fund the school’s "Launching Young Innovators: Rocketing into Robotics" project and enable the purchase of 20 VEX GO construction kits for classroom learning, the district said in a community announcement. The kits are built to introduce students to basic coding and engineering concepts while encouraging collaboration, creative problem-solving and student-led experimentation.
The Ohio STEM Learning Network reaches 68 counties and 130 school districts across Ohio and is supported by Battelle. OSLN is a public–private partnership with the Ohio Department of Education and Workforce that aims to strengthen K–12 STEM opportunities statewide. Learn more at osln.org.
"Receiving this grant gives us the opportunity to teach our students the importance of communication, collaboration and STEM learning by allowing them to engage in the classroom in a new way," said Melissa Sheets, the elementary school STEM teacher. "We’re excited for our students to unleash their creativity and bring their creations to life."
"I’m grateful to the OSLN program for believing in the next generation of innovators and giving them a space to create something special at Berne Union," said Principal Melissa Drury.
Teachers plan to use the VEX GO kits across classroom activities to help students learn through building, experimenting and basic programming. The hands-on kits are intended to make STEM concepts accessible to younger learners and to foster teamwork and communication skills.
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