A volunteer, Jason, works with four kindergarten students at Lafayette Elementary school to create simple working electronic circuits in a program made possible by a grant from ATT and DonorsChoose.org.
A group of 24 kindergartners at Lafayette Elementary School in West Seattle had a chance to build their capabilities as engineers on Nov. 17 as result of a grant from AT&T.
The grant, made possible by an organization called DonorsChoose.org brought a series of simple electronics kids called "snap circuits" to the school as a part of a nearly $25,000 donation from AT&T to benefit teachers and students in Seattle. The snap circuit kits are used for science lessons as well as independently directed activities. Kindergartners followed the included plans to build different working machines on the circuit board.
“The Snap Circuits donated by AT&T help nurture the natural curiosity that kindergartners have about technology,” said Landon Bell, kindergarten teacher at Lafayette Elementary. “The children can begin building their capabilities as engineers at this early formative age. In the future, they will be better prepared and motivated to face design challenges and opportunities with skill.”
While the total grant to Lafayette was around $600, the kits will get a lot of use, shared by three classes.
In total, AT&T has provided approximately $525,000 in funding this year to the education crowd funding site DonorsChoose.org to support classrooms throughout the nation. AT&T is always looking for new and impactful ways to support students and teachers as part of a $350 million planned commitment to education.
In Seattle, AT&T’s work with DonorsChoose.org has generated $25,000, reaching 19 classroom projects from 19 different teachers throughout the greater Seattle area. As a result, 1,808 students at 15 different schools received resources for math, literature, music and science.
Through its community initiatives, AT&T has a long history of investing in projects that create learning opportunities, promote academic and economic achievement or address community needs. More than $8.4 million has been contributed by AT&T and its employees through giving programs in the state of Washington during the past five years.
AT&T has invested more than $2.6 million in education in Washington State through AT&T Aspire. AT&T Aspire is AT&T’s signature education initiative that drives innovation in education by bringing diverse resources to bear on the issue including funding, technology, employee volunteerism and mentoring.
AT&T will continue its support of DonorsChoose.org in the future, please visit att.com/aspire to learn more.
