Photo Provided Chemours and Discovery World on Market announced a $350,000 STEM education grant through the Chemours Vibrant Communities initiative. From left: Tim Byrd, Chemours vice president of operations; Tres Ross, Chairman of the Board of Discovery World on Market; James Hollingsworth, Chemours Washington Works Plant manager; Sierra Gard, Chemours Washington Works head of value stream and community engagement; Gerardo Familiar, Chemour’s president of the Advanced Performance Materials Business; Wendy Shriver, CEO of Discovery World on Market; Keith McClung, Board Member of Discovery World on Market.
PARKERSBURG — Chemours Co. has awarded a $350,000 multi-year STEM education grant to the Discovery World on Market children’s museum.
The grant is through Chemours’ Vibrant Communities initiative and will be supported by volunteers from Chemours’ Washington Works site in Parkersburg.
“Discovery World on Market is so excited about this opportunity to develop the next generation of learners, thinkers and makers with this investment from Chemours Co.” said Wendy Shriver, CEO of Discovery World on Market. “We look forward to working with their staff to deliver fun, hands-on STEM learning at the museum.”
Exhibits include the Ball Factory, where a central climbing structure provides children with a graded series of safe but challenging physical obstacles and ambient kinetic ball activities that take inspiration from the factory’s processes.
A River Adventure exhibit provides children with imaginative play and STEM activities, a Makerspace area allows children to work together on projects while sharing ideas, equipment and knowledge and a design studio that encourages problem solving with a range of materials, creative platforms and test devices.
As a hands-on entry point to STEM concepts as well as experimentation and design thinking, the activities guide young visitors through creative and technical processes while providing authentic encounters with materials, tools and technology.
The Chemours grant will provide passes for underserved children and their families to experience all the museum has to offer, and will also provide funding and Chemours volunteers for Science Saturdays, where children and visitors of all ages will be introduced to STEM concepts in a fun and engaging way. hands-on way. Science Saturdays will have the same format as the Fun with Science program Chemours volunteers present at area schools.
“Investing our time, talents and resources and supporting the communities where we live, play and work is part of our Corporate Responsibility Commitment,” said Sierra Gard, Chemours’ Washington Works community engagement manager. “Everyone on our team at Chemours’ Washington Works is ecstatic about this opportunity to partner with the Discovery World Museum and share their love of STEM with the next generation of problem solvers.”
