Minnesota based company 3M has made the final part of a three part donation to Stillwater Area School District. The final $152 thousand of the three year $604 thousand grant was donated to the district early January to help fund the district’s STEM program. STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) program’s provided to K-12 students in the district, one of the only programs in the state that gives the opportunity to all students.

The grant is used to ensure that students and staff have the ability to equip STEM labs with the proper supplies to forward learning experiences in and out of the classroom. At the high school level the donation is used to fund the Fabrication Lab, (Fab Lab) for AP STEM students and Project Lead the Way, a non profit organization that helps provide hands on STEM experiences for K-12 students.

3Mgives is the part of the 3M Foundation that is focused on community giving and grants like the donation to Stillwater’s STEM program. According to the 3M website, “In 2012, we contributed more than $56 million in cash and products to nonprofit and education organizations serving our communities. Our giving targets education, health and human services, arts and culture, and the environment. 3M partners with school districts in our communities to increase student achievement in math and science and readiness for higher education.”

Donations to Stillwater school district have to effectively used throughout K-12 schools and have been an important part of education innovation in the STEM programs. Stillwater’s district website states, “Our STEM programming keeps students ahead of the curve and cultivates their STEM experiences beginning at a young age. Many experts believe STEM programs prepare students for the workforce of the future by promoting critical thinking, creativity and innovation, problem solving and collaboration.”

“We are overwhelmed by the commitment the 3M Foundation has made to support high-quality STEM experiences for our students,” said Superintendent Corey Lunn in a statement. “We are grateful for our community partners who are stepping up to provide our students with hands-on learning experiences that will prepare them for their future.”

While the STEM program in the Stillwater district is driven by students and staff, it would not be possible without 3M’s generous donations. Over the last three years 3M has donated $604 thousand to Stillwater schools to fund education in science, technology, engineering and mathematics. 3M continues to give back to the community, giving K-12 students the tools they need to further learn about STEM innovation.