With last year’s grant award, elementary STEM teacher Daniel Arnold purchased robotics and STEM kits with computer-controlled motors, sensors, and lights. “This project is impacting roughly 300 students in 16 classes at our elementary schools in the Laurel Highlands School District. The students can build over 30 activated models and, in the future, can engineer their own designs,” said Mr. Arnold.
The grant for these kits was awarded by the Arthur and Millicent Gabriel Legacy Fund, a donor advised fund held at the Community Foundation of Fayette County (CFFC). Donors have ongoing involvement with how their advised fund awards grants to support the community, and this fund has a history of supporting reusable items for classrooms in the Laurel Highlands and Uniontown School Districts.
Mr. Arnold submitted an application to purchase twenty-four (24) LEGO® Spike Prime Kits and was awarded $9,600 for the school district to purchase these items. “The project has greatly enhanced hands-on STEM activities, which correspond to problem-solving skills, building models, introducing beginning robotics, and evaluating operational solutions that the students create,” he explained. A wide variety of students in grades 3 – 5 benefit from this project as Mr. Arnold teaches in multiple elementary schools within Laurel Highlands School District.
“We look forward to helping our donors support more amazing projects like this!” said CFFC Chief Executive Officer Jessica Hajek-Bates. From August 1 until September 15 at 5:00 p.m., CFFC is accepting fall grant requests for the 2026-2027 school year, through the generosity of three donor advised funds. Learn more on the “Nonprofits” page at www.cffayettepa.org.
Photos courtesy of Laurel Highlands School District.
