Education
We understand the importance of a good education and focus many of our community
stewardship efforts on supporting learning, from elementary schools through universities.
Committed to helping young students discover science, Grace engineers and researchers
teach high school-level classes on material science and help students develop and
pursue science projects.
In one example, employees from Chicago, Illinois spent hours and hours working with
first and second grade students at a nearby elementary school. They read stories
and helped students with their alphabet, handwriting, art and basic math skills.
In another example, Grace scientists gave demonstrations to visiting students that
ranged from can seaming to making and testing concrete to a truly close-up look
at slides in a microscopy lab.
We also offer a number of scholarship programs that have benefited students from
Canada to South Africa and from the United States to China:
- We champion a college scholarship program that supports children of Grace employees
across the U.S. and Canada. Since its inception in 1989, this scholarship program
has benefited more than 175 students.
- Grace China partnered with the Qin Yi Youth Affairs Network, a group of social workers,
to develop volunteer community outreach programs focusing on education and youth
affairs. Projects included sponsoring a university scholarship program, supporting
a community-volunteering program and a community education facility, as well as
championing an environmental education program.
In addition, we work directly with schools and institutes for teacher development.
Over the past decade, Grace has sponsored nearly 100 middle school teachers from
15 states to The Keystone Center's Key Issues Institute, a national training workshop
that gives teachers the confidence to investigate environmental issues with their
students in a non-biased manner. Keystone selects the teachers in a competitive
process.
Previously sponsored teachers are now leading their students through open-minded
investigations of environmental, economic, and social issues. Using effective communication
and consensus building strategies, they work toward finding sustainable solutions
to complex, community-based issues.
More details on how Grace brings environmental issues to the classroom are available
in the case study entitled Shaping Tomorrow’s Environmental Decision Makers. Teachers
interested in applying to Key Issues Institute should visit the Keystone Center’s
web site at www.keystone.org.