The Bosch Community Fund (BCF) has awarded a $200,000 grant to Discovery Science Center (DSC) Kids’ Discovery Village in Santa Ana, Calif., as part of Bosch’s commitment to promoting science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) and sustainability education. Five, K-12-focused, interactive exhibits, funded by the BCF grant, will teach children about sustainable materials, solar energy, insulation, plant life and space design. The grant was awarded in conjunction with Bosch’s support of the U.S. Department of Energy’ Solar Decathlon 2013 and XPO – a clean, renewable and efficient energy exposition – taking place Oct. 3-6 and Oct. 10-13, in Irvine, Calif.
“Bosch is dedicated to supporting projects like the Kids’ Discovery Village that encourage education and promote the importance of energy efficiency and utilizing renewable resources,” said Mike Mansuetti, president, Robert Bosch LLC, who announced the award at the opening reception for the Solar Decathlon. “The BCF seeks opportunities that help encourage the next generation of talented workers to take an interest in STEM and sustainability, both of which are key to the future of the many industries in which Bosch operates.”
DSC is dedicated to educating young students, assisting teachers and increasing public understanding of science, math and technology through interactive exhibits and programs. At the completion of the Department of Energy Solar Decathlon 2013 and XPO, the interactive exhibit will be permanently installed at the science center in Santa Ana, Calif., where approximately 450,000 guests visit each year.
The BCF is a major donor of the Powerful Ideas Classroom initiative – one of two key XPO educational elements – supporting opportunities for youth to be inspired about science, engineering, architecture and energy. The Powerful Ideas Classroom will feature educational activities and lessons for preschool through high school students.
Launched in 2011 and operational in August 2012, the BCF is successfully achieving its goal to support communities in which Bosch operates with a focus on STEM education and environmental sustainability. Over the past year, the BCF awarded $2.3 million in grants that support 52 projects, that have been established in communities throughout the United States, including a grant to establish the Bosch Young Scientists program in collaboration with the Cranbrook Institute of Science; this program augments the science education of more than 1,800 seventh-grade students who attend Detroit Public Schools. The BCF will award up to $3 million annually.