September 1, 2020, ATLANTA – The Georgia Youth Science & Technology Center, Inc. (GYSTC) is gratified to announce significant donations from four leading corporations. The grants in varying amounts will enable the continuation of important GYSTC programs that provide virtual education in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) for Georgia’s elementary and middle school students.

AT&T, Siemens Foundation, Lockheed and CSX Transportation have been long-term partners with GYSTC in ensuring that Georgia children are offered introductory science, technology, engineering and math activities that educate and build enthusiasm for science-based subjects to empower their lives in a world where technological expertise is critically important. 

Specifically, the donations will be used to support several GYSTC flagship programs:

Georgia Discover Summer STEM Camp (AT&T – $50,000) Supported the 2020 summer camp and now makes available video adventures for in-class field trips that students can access through the virtual in class experiences through December 2020 and through field trip videos via GYSTC website until May 2021.

Siemens STEM Day and GYSTC Virtual Family STEM Nights (Siemens Foundation – $25,000) The donation supports providing tools for students from their first problem solving, experimentation and the scientific methods all the way to advance understanding of STEM principals. Partial tuition support will enable students and their families to engage in virtual Family STEM Nights that teaches about various STEM concepts.

GYSTC STEM Academy for Parents & Students (Lockheed – $11,000) features activities that help parents understand the importance of STEM education for their children and how science affects and improves family life. Portions of Lockheed’s contribution was also used in support of the 2020 Georgia Discover Summer Camp.

(CSX Transportation – $1,000) – Funds were used to support 2020 Georgia Discover Summer Camp that now makes available video adventures for in-class field trips that students can access via the web.

Don Barbour, Chairman of the GYSTC Board also serves as Regional Director for External Affairs at AT&T. He said, “We are proud to work with GYSTC to provide STEM learning experiences and innovative resources.  Supporting Georgia’s students, families and teachers has never been more important.”

Other corporate spokespersons weighed in with similar sentiments like Siemens Foundation, “The efforts of GYSTC to provide virtual STEM learning to underserved students aligns with the Siemens Foundation’s mission of igniting and sustaining today’s STEM workforce and tomorrow’s scientists and engineers,” said Jeniffer Harper-Taylor, GYSTC board member and head of STEM Education at Siemens Foundation. “We’re honored to support GYSTC and students across Georgia to continue their STEM education.”

Lockheed Martin, “Lockheed Martin is proud to support GYSTC and the great work they do to expose K-12 students across all of Georgia,” ShaTonya Nicholson, Community Relations Manager, Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Company in Marietta, Georgia. 

And CSX Transportation, CSX is pleased to be a supporter of the GYSTC programs within the state,” said Craig Camuso, regional vice president – state government relations for CSX Transportation. “Programs such as these will develop the leaders of tomorrow.”

GYSTC is grateful that these important businesses have continued to prioritize GYSTC’s mission to offer quality STEM education to Georgia’s K – 8 students as a critical part of their charitable giving.  GYSTC welcomes contributions of all kinds, but especially those that aid enhanced student learning in science.

About the Georgia Youth Science & Technology Center

The Georgia Youth Science & Technology Center (GYSTC) is a private, not-for-profit educational organization designed to increase interest in and enthusiasm for science, technology, engineering and math subjects (STEM). Since 1989, GYSTC has focused on providing programs to improve the teaching and learning process in STEM education for K-8 teachers and students, specifically in the rural and underserved school districts of Georgia. GYSTC’s professional learning opportunities for teachers and hands-on activities for students and parents are designed to change perceptions and introduce STEM related careers to students at an early age. GYSTC services are available to all K-8 teachers and students of Georgia.

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