Newtown High School recently announced it has received a $9,900 STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) grant from the Toshiba America Foundation (TAF).

The funds will support the development of a Project Lead the Way biomedical program at the high school. Students in ninth to twelfth grades will be able to take the introductory course, principles of biomedical science, during the 2018-19 school year.

TAF is a nonprofit grant-making organization dedicated to helping classroom teachers make STEM learning fun and successful.

The Project Lead the Way curriculum is hands-on and project-based and provides real-world case studies, according to the school. Students explore concepts of human physiology, biology, and medicine and investigate various health conditions and diseases. The TAF grant will support Project Lead the Way teacher training and the purchase of biomedical lab equipment and supplies.

The new lab equipment will also be shared with other science courses at the high school, giving all students the opportunity to do lab experiments and activities using equipment found in professional laboratories.

"We are thrilled that the Toshiba America Foundation will support the Project Lead the Way Biomedical Program at Newtown High School," NHS Interim Principal David Roach said. "With innovative programs like Project Lead the Way, we will inspire more students to explore science, technology, engineering, and math and better prepare students for college and 21st Century careers."

TAF funds projects that are designed by individual classroom teachers. Teachers change the way they teach STEM subjects because the grant supports equipment for hands-on experiments and inquiry-based approaches to the curriculum. TAF believes that STEM is a lot more fun than just reading a textbook. The grants make the classroom a more exciting place for both teachers and students.

The TAF project proposal was created by science teachers Susan McConnell and Tim DeJulio. Both teachers are planning to teach the principles of biomedical science course next year. According to the school, NHS would like to expand the program to include other Project Lead the Way Biomedical courses, such as human body systems, medical interventions, and biomedical interventions in the future.

[naviga:img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-310794" src="https://newtownbee.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/NHS-Receives-STEM-Grant-From-Toshiba-American-Foundation-Roach-DeJulio-Chiarella-McConnell-STRAIGHTENED-CROPPED.jpg" alt="NHS Receives STEM Grant From Toshiba American Foundation -- Roach, DeJulio, Chiarella & McConnell STRAIGHTENED & CROPPED" width="549" height="341" /]

Standing together to announce Newtown High School receiving a STEM grant from the Toshiba America Foundation are NHS Interim Principal David Roach, NHS teacher Tim DeJulio, Vito Chiarella from Toshiba America, and NHS teacher Susan McConnell.