GRAND RAPIDS – Kentwood Public Schools, Kent Career Technical Center and West Michigan Aviation Academy received $35,000 in grants to help the Bosch Community Fund prepare the workforce of the future for careers in high-tech fields.

The foundation focuses primarily on the enrichment of science, technology, engineering and math education field and the advancement of environmental sustainability initiatives.

Established in 2011, the foundation provides grants to local communities where Bosch has a presence. The West Michigan Aviation Academy, the aviation-themed charter high school with a STEM curriculum, received the largest award of $16,000 to support the purchase of a 3D printer for the engineering department.

According to the press release, the use of 3D design and modeling at the academy is multi-departmental, with specific courses including: Introduction to Engineering Principles and Robotics Systems, aeronautical engineering, engineering design, computer-aided design and drafting (CADD), physics, geometry and chemistry.

Along with creating school-related models, the 3D printer is demonstrated and used during the robotics team’s existing community outreach to middle school students.

Specifically, the funding will be used to:

Kent Career Technical Center received a $9,000 grant to support the purchase of a NAO humanoid robot and associated curriculum to be utilized by the Information Technology Program.

The goals of this project include: providing students with experience using a software development kit, ensuring that students understand that a robot/CPU needs software to make it work, and attracting more young women to computer programming.

Kentwood Public Schools received a $10,000 grant to support the partnership between the East Kentwood High School’s after school program (A.R.C.H.) and the Grand Rapids YMCA.

The goal of this partnership is to provide hands-on STEM education for students who may not currently be at grade-level proficiency in math and science or may not otherwise have opportunities to be exposed to these types of activities. Approximately 45 students are involved with this program.