STEM Education Weekly — 2026-06-18

Top Stories

Battelle Invests $968K in Central Ohio STEM Programs Serving 14,000 Youth

• What happened: Battelle awarded $968,000 in grants to 16 Central Ohio nonprofits through its 2026 Central Ohio STEM Grants program, expanding science, technology, engineering, and math opportunities for more than 14,000 students and 1,400 educators across the region.
• Why it matters for educators: This injection of funding signals sustained commitment to STEM access and partnership models. Schools in the region can now tap into these partner organizations for field trips, mentorship, and hands-on learning experiences without straining internal budgets.

2 sources

biospace.com

biospace.com

static.biospace.com

static.biospace.com

15 Robotics Summer Programs Now Available for High School Students in 2026

• What happened: A new guide from Future Forward Labs highlights 15 robotics summer programs for high school students in 2026, ranging from free university research internships at MIT and Johns Hopkins to hands-on robot-building camps at Penn, UT Austin, and WPI.
• Why it matters for educators: These programs offer both enrichment and college-prep pathways. Educators can recommend these opportunities to college-bound students or use them as case studies for the value of robotics in STEM careers. Many include free components, making them accessible to under-resourced students.

1 sources

futureforward.app

futureforward.app

Google Grants $50K to Austin Peay State University for Rural Tennessee STEM Education

• What happened: The Austin Peay State University Foundation received a $50,000 contribution from Google to support the Collaborative STEM Education Initiative for Middle Tennessee K-12 students, expanding STEM access in rural regions.
• Why it matters for educators: This grant demonstrates how corporate funding can bridge rural-urban STEM opportunity gaps. Rural districts can now partner with universities to access professional development and curriculum support, with corporate backing validating the partnership model.

GSIS Launches STEM Subsidy Program for Government Workers' Children

• What happened: The Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) Philippines launched the GSIS Subsidy for STEM Program (GSSP), offering ₱15,000 per year to qualified children of active government workers pursuing STEM college courses.
• Why it matters for educators: This represents a policy-level push to remove financial barriers to STEM higher education, signaling government recognition of workforce shortages. Educators can inform eligible students and families about this income support opportunity.

Policy & Funding

• Battelle Central Ohio STEM Grants (2026): $968,000 awarded to 16 nonprofits serving 14,000 students and 1,400 educators. Focus areas include robotics, science labs, and hands-on engineering.

• Google STEM Education Grant to Austin Peay State University: $50,000 to support Collaborative STEM Education Initiative in rural Middle Tennessee, targeting K-12 students in underserved areas.

• GSIS Subsidy for STEM Program (GSSP): ₱15,000 annual support for college freshmen pursuing STEM fields, limited to children of active government workers in the Philippines.

EdTech Spotlight

KaiBot Professional Development Platform

• What it does: AI-powered platform that builds teacher confidence and skills in delivering inclusive, hands-on STEM instruction, particularly in coding and robotics.
• Best for: K-10 educators who need PD support for integrating STEM without extensive prior experience.
• Standout feature: Achieved 100% educator confidence in delivering inclusive STEM at ESC Region 11 after professional development rollout.

Unruly Splats – Active Coding & Cross-Curricular STEM Learning Tool

• What it does: Combines coding games for kids with active physical play and social-emotional learning (SEL), working across computer, PE, math, art, and music classes.
• Best for: Elementary and middle school students who benefit from kinesthetic, multi-sensory STEM engagement.
• Standout feature: Designed as a cross-curricular tool that breaks STEM out of the computer lab and into mainstream classroom subjects.

Classroom Ideas

1. Partner with Local STEM Nonprofits: Use Battelle's funding model as inspiration—reach out to local nonprofits, universities, and tech companies to establish mentorship, field trip, or guest speaker partnerships that enrich your classroom without adding to your workload.

2. Launch a Summer Robotics Exploration Club: Review the 15 robotics programs listed in the Future Forward Labs guide and select 2–3 that match your students' interests. Share applications with college-bound juniors and seniors; many programs are free or heavily subsidized.

3. Cross-Curricular STEM with Movement: Incorporate active coding tools (like Unruly Splats) into PE, music, or art class, not just computer lab time. This broadens STEM access and keeps students engaged through multiple modalities.

What to Watch Next Week

• June 25: End of application window for several robotics summer programs listed in the Future Forward Labs guide; encourage interested students to apply by mid-week.
• Summer 2026 rollout: Battelle-funded nonprofits in Central Ohio will begin programming; educators in that region should reach out to partner organizations to learn how to leverage their services.
• Ongoing: Monitor state and local STEM grant opportunities; patterns from Battelle and Google grants show major funders are prioritizing rural access and teacher professional development through mid-2026.