Grant Will Expand Digi-Bridge STEAMLab Programming in Local Schools
Trane Technologies awards nonprofit with $290K in its 10th year
The Trane Technologies Foundation has created a happy ending for local nonprofit Digi-Bridge’s milestone 10th year, announcing a $290,000 grant to go toward the continuation and expansion of the organization’s out-of-school STEAM programming.
Announced in late November, the grant will fund continued STEAMLab programming in eight Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools (CMS), including expansion into two additional schools: Mint Hill Elementary School and McClintock Middle School.
An out-of-school program for K-8 students, STEAMLab cultivates a “learning-by-doing” environment in which students engage with lessons featuring real-world, hands-on experiences, problems to solve, and the opportunities to devise a solution, according to a release announcing the grant.
The grant will also fund the continuation of two Digi-Bridge Robotics teams, in which students build collaborative robots through the FIRST LEGO League framework, combining building, hardware and coding.
Robotics participants, all of whom are students in grades 6-8, compete at local friendly competitions to showcase the skills they learned during the program.
“Digi-Bridge Robotics has been a game changer for our students at Eastway Middle School,” stated Eastway Middle School principal Larenda Denien in the release. “This program affords them the opportunity to build relationships and collaborate with peers, engage in critical thinking and innovation, and draw upon their background experiences to apply their learning in new ways.
“As a principal, ensuring our students have access to extracurricular options is a top priority for me so I’m grateful that we are able to offer Digi-Bridge Robotics,” Dienden continued.
Launched by David Jessup in 2014 with a goal “to make sure all 21st-century learners have both unique and real opportunities to succeed in a modern, digital age,” Digi-Bridge works to improve accessibility to STEAM education and digital tools for youth in underrepresented communities.
In the decade since its founding, Digi-Bridge has provided technology-based, hands-on STEAM experiences to more than 17,000 scholars in the decade since its founding through STEAM and robotics programming in partner CMS schools and by working with other community partners.
“We are honored to receive this transformative investment from the Trane Technologies Foundation, empowering hundreds of students with a passion for STEAM,” said Digi-Bridge CEO Alyssa Sharpe. “STEAM careers are powerful tools for economic mobility, offering bright futures for our communities. As the world faces complex challenges that require innovative STEAM solutions, we are proud to cultivate the next generation of innovators, thinkers, and problem-solvers who are committed to making a positive impact on our world.”
The grant was awarded as part of Cornelius-based climate sustainability company Trane Technologies’ corporate citizenship strategy, Sustainable Futures, which promotes access to STEM and sustainability education and careers for students underrepresented in the STEM industry.
Sustainable Futures is part of the Opportunity for All pillar of Trane Technologies’ 2030 Sustainability Commitments, reflecting the company’s commitment to “build a diverse workforce reflective of its communities, advance gender parity in leadership, and uplift communities through STEM learning and pathways to green and STEM careers.”
In 2023, the Trane Technologies Foundation awarded a $400,000 grant to Carolina Farm Trust for its Free Spirit Farm project in Huntersville.
“Trane Technologies believes that a sustainable future is one that affords equitable access to resources and opportunities. This program is a vital step in helping our community progress towards that vision,” stated Deidra Parrish Williams, executive director of the Trane Technologies Foundation. “By supporting Digi-Bridge, we are ensuring that students from underrepresented communities gain the skills and knowledge needed to thrive in an ever-evolving world.”
Visit the Digi-Bridge website to learn more about the organization’s programming.
