Children’s Discovery Museum plans programs, courses with nearly $40,000 in grants

Posted on April 3, 2016
Museum
Grants from The CarMax Foundation, State Farm and Creativity Garden will allow the museum to provide more afterschool programs and courses to McLean County students. (WJBC File Photo)

By Andy Dahn

BLOOMINGTON – The CarMax Foundation, Creativity Garden and State Farm have combined to give nearly $40,000 in grants to The Children’s Discovery Museum in Normal.

Development Coordinator with the museum Teresa Decker said the money will be used for afterschool programs and a variety of courses for students.

“We’re not just boosting their education content with STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Math) courses,” Decker said. “We’re also helping them develop skills that they will use in their careers in the future.”

Decker added that approximately 1,000 students at 16 locations in McLean County will have the opportunity to participate in free STEAM courses through the grants. Another 1,000 youth and teens in kindergarten through ninth grade will be able to work with the Boys and Girls Club of Bloomington-Normal for the Afterschool STEAM Program.

The museum also plans to use some of the grant money to partner with UNITY Community Center and Illinois State University.

Andy Dahn can be reached at [email protected].

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