Local school receives FPL Steam Classroom Makeover Grant

BAY COUNTY, Fla. ( WMBB ) – Merriam Cherry Street Elementary School’s steam classroom is about to get a major upgrade.

The remodel is in an effort to improve the learning environment.

“The FPL stem grant is 1 of 5 that was awarded around the state, and one of them was right here at Cherry Street,” FPL Senior External Affairs Manager Shane Boyett said.

Merriam Cherry Street Elementary School received a special surprise from Florida Power and Light company Friday.

FPL gifted the school a $50,000 grant for a brand-new steam classroom.

“FPL is interested in furthering education, specifically in stem curriculum, not just here in Panama City but across the state,” Boyett added.

FPL’s stem classroom makeover grant will benefit students by creating an interactive educational atmosphere that will make learning fun.

“It’s going to create the classroom environment that’s going to stimulate the thinking and the creativity and the imagination of young people and let them see how things come together through science, technology, engineering, art, math. Through that, I think we’re going to have better outcomes for learning for our students,” Boyett said.

Bay District Schools Superintendent Mark McQueen says the community will benefit from the makeover in the future.

“We’re trying to put the ‘a’ back in bay, and part of that is so that we can have students that are ready to be the trained and educated workforce for the future. That’s what businesses and industries need. That’s what we’re doing here in Bay District schools, is creating those citizens that are going to be trained and educated and ready for tomorrow’s workforce,” McQueen said.

Merriam Cherry Street 4th grader Gemma Christensen says she learned to build a robotic hand this year using art and math skills.

“We had to know the right measure for the hand. Whenever we were cutting out the hand, then we needed to know what measure the hand was.”

Christensen says she can’t wait to see her teacher’s reaction to the new steam room when it’s completed.

“I’m excited to see what Miss Kourtney’s reaction is going to be with the new makeover.”

Bay District School Officials say the steam classroom makeover is projected to be completed sometime next school year.

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