Selected 9th and 10th grade students at DeSoto County High School will have the opportunity to see for themselves how what they are learning in the classroom is used in various occupations, thanks to an AT&T “STEM at Work” grant. AT&T Florida has provided $100,000 to challenge Florida’s district-wide local education foundations to create STEM workplace experiences throughout the state this school year through a grant to the Consortium of Florida Education Foundations.

The project’s aim is to provide students hands-on experiential learning opportunities outside the classroom that are directly linked to their coursework in science, technology, engineering and/or math. Problem-solving, real-world application of STEM education concepts and critical thinking skills will all be key elements. With $220,000 in funding the last two years, 85 projects involving 7,380 students and 57 local workplace partners took place throughout Florida and similar outcomes are anticipated for the 2012-13 project with 40 funded projects impacting a minimum of 1,000 students and includes more than 40 local workforce partners.