Arconic Foundation awards grant to promote STEM in manufacturing

Denbigh High School's Aviation Academy, a PRIME School (Partnership Response In Manufacturing Education), was awarded a $40,000 grant from Arconic Foundation to develop a modeling and prototype lab to promote science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) in manufacturing. The lab supports all four of the Aviation Academy's pathways: aviation technology, flight operations, aerospace engineering, and aviation security and safety.

The grant provides students with new equipment including five iPad Pros; five laptop computers; five desktop 3D printers; four Ultimaker 3D Printers; a 3-in-1 machine for milling, drilling, or performing lathe operations; and two 3D scanners. Students will use the equipment to design and build models and prototypes, preparing them for engineering and advanced manufacturing.

The grant award will also be used to support the 2018 Summer LIFT (Learning Integrated with Flight and Technology) program for incoming Aviation Academy ninth-grade students. LIFT introduces students to manufacturing in aerospace professions.

Thanks to the generosity of Arconic Foundation, the Aviation Academy has been awarded a total of $123,000 to support academic programs over the past four years.

Visit the Newport News Public Schools website to learn more about the Aviation Academy and the Arconic Foundation.