The program provides STEM equipment and resources to over 30 schools in the region
STEM Education Outreach Director, Wendy Martin (left), interacting with students during April’s Bring Your Child to Work Day at the State Capitol
Elizabethtown College’s Science in Motion (SIM) program provided nearly 15,000 local middle and high school students from 30 schools with science equipment, resources, teaching support, and professional development during the 2023-24 academic year.
“Elizabethtown College is thrilled to make a significant impact on STEM education in our local community by addressing the needs of our region’s schools and supporting modern science training,” Elizabethtown College President Betty Rider said. “Our Science in Motion program exemplifies Etown’s Educate for Service motto and demonstrates our ongoing commitment to enhancing the communities we serve.”
Housed within the College’s Department of Education and overseen by STEM Education Outreach Director, Wendy Martin, SIM partners with middle and high schools from Lancaster, Lebanon, Schuylkill, Berks, Cumberland, and Dauphin counties to help augment their science programs. SIM provides access to and training on research quality equipment used for hands-on, inquiry-based lab exercises in biology, biotechnology, biochemistry, environmental education, and robotics.
This year, 191 teachers across 16 school districts in the region borrowed a total of 1,187 pieces of equipment for 236 hands-on lab activities.
“Science in Motion has been an invaluable resource for our school district and community,” Dr. Nate Frank, Curriculum & Federal Programs Coordinator at Elizabethtown Area School District said. “Our long-standing partnership with Elizabethtown College furthers our mission to prepare all students to be life-ready by helping provide high-impact classroom experiences, equipping them to thrive in STEM-related careers.”
Etown’s SIM program is funded by a grant from the Pennsylvania Department of Education, the Pennsylvania Department of Education’s PAsmart Advancing Computer Science and STEM Education Grant, and partner companies within Pennsylvania’s Educational Improvement Tax Credit (EITC) program. Partner companies include Ephrata National Bank, Fulton Bank, Traditions Bank, and Warfel Construction Company.
“At Fulton Bank, our purpose is to change lives for the better, and one of the most effective ways to do that is by supporting education,” William “Smokey” Glover, Executive Vice President and Director of Fair and Responsible Banking at Fulton Bank said. “Programs like Science in Motion help prepare today’s students to be pioneering researchers, engineers, and leaders of the future. We appreciate the opportunity to support this work by Elizabethtown College.”
Since 2009, SIM has supported 2,210 teachers and 67,348 students in the region. By sharing and pooling resources, Etown’s SIM program offers science equipment, teaching support through a mobile educator and a staffed lab preparation center, as well as professional development to science teachers through a college network and infrastructure for modern science training. Discover more about the Etown SIM program.