$50,000 donation from tech company helps STEM and outdoor education organization to elementary schools in Northwest Nevada counties
RENO, Nev. (January 18, 2022) — Sierra Nevada Journeys (SNJ), a Northern Nevada-based organization focused on delivering science education programs to youth in order to develop critical thinking skills, is expanding their STEM Enrichment Fund to offer programming to every elementary school in four Nevada counties thanks to a $50,000 donation from Google.
“These programs are vital to connecting Nevada’s students with science and outdoor stewardship,” said Kate Franko, Google's Regional Head of Public Affairs. “We’re proud to support the work of Sierra Nevada Journeys. There’s nothing better to get kids excited about science and engineering than taking those lessons outdoors, no matter the grade level.”
Sierra Nevada Journeys is offering scholarships to every elementary school in the following Nevada counties:
Storey County
Lyon County
Washoe County
Carson County
The education organization’s STEM Enrichment Fund supports scholarships for their benchmark Classrooms Unleashed and Family STEM Nights. Classrooms Unleashed is offered to 1st-6th grade students, combining classroom and field-based programming designed to meet grade-specific Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS). Family STEM Nights bring the whole family unit together via science activities to help students engage more with their school curriculum. These programs will be prioritized for students and schools with financial barriers to participation.
“We’re thrilled that Google’s supports STEM scholarships that will help students in Title 1 schools who have historically been denied access to high quality STEM programs and outdoor experiences,” said Sean Hill, Vice President of Advancement with Sierra Nevada Journeys. “On average, students receive less than three hours per week of science at the elementary school level. They’re also spending 15 times more on screens (phones, computers, tablets, etc.) than time spent outdoors; and that figure only increased this past year due to the pandemic. We look forward to turning this statistic around in Nevada.”
Google’s donation will be used for direct program expenses, as well as funding for more education personnel. Learn more about Classrooms Unleashed.
About Google in Nevada
In July 2019, Google broke ground on its first $600 million data center in Henderson, Nevada, with a second $600 million expansion following in 2020. In 2020 Google also announced a new $600 million investment in Storey County, bringing its total investment in Nevada to $1.8 billion. Once fully operational, all sites will employ people in a variety of fields including computer technicians, engineers, and various service, maintenance, and security roles.
About Sierra Nevada Journeys
Sierra Nevada Journeys is a 501(c)3 nonprofit that delivers innovative outdoor, science-based education programs for youth to develop critical thinking skills and to inspire natural resource stewardship. Through multiple points of contact, our classroom and virtual-based programs, overnight science camps, professional development for teachers, and parent engagement opportunities surround students with resources they need to succeed. All programs are designed to foster higher cognition and build long-term student achievement.