Andersen windows recently donated Science Technology Engineering Mathematics tool kits to Afton-Lakeland and nine other elementary schools in the Stillwater District recognizing teachers who participated in a STEM certification program at St. Catherine University.

 The STEM tool kits will provide students with new science, technology, engineering and mathematics utensils and information, to benefit them and further their knowledge. The program with St. Catherine University not only includes Afton-Lakeland, but was assembled to bring new information into classrooms and progress knowledge in the Stillwater District.

The new tool kits will be highly beneficial to the elementary schools in the Stillwater District.

“Along with the materials and tools are lesson plans for more than 15 engineering based projects that will engage students in hands-on real world learning experiences,” said Denise Cote, who oversees the program with St. Catherine University.

The program is made to further elementary children’s base knowledge of chemistry, biology and engineering.

“There are different activities that we created for fourth and fifth grade for chemistry, biology and engineering. We made lesson plans for each class, like in the chemistry and biology classes we made lesson plans to fit the science we do at our grade level, but to take it to the next level. That’s really what the kit is all about,” said Lori Sortidahle, fourth and fifth grade teacher at Afton-Lakeland Elementary who participated in the STEM classes at St. Catherine University.

A total of 20 teachers participated in the program with St. Catherine University, two of which were from Afton-Lakeland.

Cote said, “The teachers that went through the program with St. Catherine University are committed to being a resource for other teachers in the area of science. Lessons and units were created and there is a plan in place to roll these out to all teachers, thus having all students in the district benefit. It shows commitment to our generous grantors when we share these resources and expertise with all teachers and students.”

The program and donations made by Andersen Windows have created many opportunities to expand not only the development and learning of the younger students in the science departments, but also the ability of teachers to incredibly improve their lesson plans.

“I’m very glad that I did the program, because I just feel that much more prepared to teach science at the higher level, which of course is the whole purpose of the STEM program, to teach kids more science at younger levels and get them more interested and more motivated. I definitely feel more prepared to do that. That’s really what this is about is really just to get kids more interested in science and feeling like they are more capable of understanding science,” said Sortidahle.

Schools do not yet know if they will be continually granted supplies for their students, but they are optimistic.

Third grade teacher at Afton Lakeland Christie Wallace said, “Andersen has supplied the kits, and we’re not sure yet but hopefully we will maybe see refills coming in the future,”

The program with St. Catherine University and the STEM tool kits donated by Andersen Windows to the nine elementary schools will be highly beneficial to the students and teachers. The kits will progress the chemistry, biology, and engineering branches of science from an earlier age.