Eastern Wyoming College recently received notification of the successful receipt of a $25,000 grant from the Wyoming Department of Education for the Eastern Wyoming College Perkins Consortium’s Programming & Software Development Program of Study project (2020 Cutting Edge Grant).
This grant is the first consortium of its kind in the state and involves EWC along with the following school districts: Platte County 2, Niobrara County 1, and Weston 7.
The Cutting Edge grant will be used to implement two different initiatives for emerging technology in the Spring of 2021. The first step will be adding a new program of Programming & Software Development. The second step will be the development of innovative After School Programs and/or Enrichment Fridays to support Career & Technical Education (CTE) for students in grades 7-12 who are enrolled in Guernsey-Sunrise, Niobrara County, Upton, and the Wyoming Virtual Academy. These schools serve approximately 650 7th-12th grade students.
The CTE After School program and/or Enrichment Fridays will be held virtually and face-to-face to allow all students an equal opportunity to participate, including those who live in rural areas. There will be three areas of exploration offered during the After School program and Enrichment Fridays: eSports, Coding, and general exploration of the 16 CTE pathways. The goal of the program is to close student equity gaps in access and completion and to encourage student attainment of relevant and rigorous technical skills. Students will have the opportunity to learn about Career & Technical Education pathways through exploration in a safe, fun environment. They can then enroll in the pathway of their choice through the CTE programs offered at their school.
The grant will be distributed as follows:
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Perkins Consortium CTE Cutting Edge Grant Budget
Item
Funded
Raspberry Pi Kits (45 students at $220) $ 9,900.00
eSports (113 students at $45) $ 5,085.00
eSports Sponsor Stipends (4 at $2503.75) $ 15,100.00
Total
$ 25,000.00
“We are excited to partner with these districts and the Wyoming Department of Education to bring Perkins funding to schools where they have not been accessible in the past,” said Vice President for Academic Services Dr. Heidi Edmunds. “The consortium allows smaller districts to bring important programming and technology to their students.”
