Davie, Fla. (January 10, 2022) – Students at Nova High School will benefit from a statewide investment by AT&T this year, one that seeks to engage students who may have fallen behind during the pandemic as well as those in underserved communities, families needing support with distance learning and high school students seeking to jump start their STEM careers through industry certifications.
For the 12th consecutive year, AT&T is working with the Consortium of Florida Education Foundations (Consortium) to support hands-on learning opportunities. 19 separate projects organized and funded through Consortium member local education foundations will re-engage students who have gotten behind in academics and/or are in underserved communities through hands-on STEAM enrichment activities, student-led digital divide support or increasing CTE certification completion.
The AT&T Full STEAM Ahead for Florida’s Future $5,000 grant will help fund several innovative Allusions Made From Fusion projects taught by Joseph Kelly, a 9-12 grade teacher at Nova High School. By mastering computer aided design, students will learn how to apply aerodynamics, mechanical and structural design as they create physical models from virtual designs and test prototypes through simulation and real-world experiments.
The Allusions Made From Fusion projects below aim to increase the number of students certified in Fusion 360 Mechanical Design through hands-on design and creation of custom projects on a 3D printer or laser cutter.
- CO2 Dragster Activity – Students will learn about aerodynamics and the physics of cars as they are applied to their dragsters. Testing their design and simulation skills using Autodesk CFD program, student will create virtual designs which will be transformed into CO2 dragsters from balsa wood blocks, culminating in a classroom competition ranked by the fastest time and most innovated designs.
- Solid Fuel 3D Printed Rocket Activity – Students will learn about aerodynamics. By developing simulations to determine stable flight designs, develop 3D modeling skills, rapid prototyping and advanced computer-aided design techniques. Simulation software will test designs virtually, culminating in print their models in 3D to conduct actual test flight of their prototypes.
- Structural Design Bridge Design Activity – Students will learn how to calculate load (weight) combinations and examine different sizes of support beams (girders) and columns (piers) to design a bridge in Fusion 360. By testing various types of physical stresses, they will produce technical drawings to create an actual balsa wood bridge. Bridges will be structurally tested with students issuing a technical report based on the results of simulations and physical testing.
- Physics of Flight – Airplane Activity – Students will study an aircraft’s center of gravity, how control surfaces effect flight and learn about the four major forces that impact flight. By studying airfoil simulations, students will create a technical drawing of a wing in Fusion 360 then utilize laser cutting software complete their designs to test endurance of prototypes and document outcomes.
“We’re eager to re-engage students who may have fallen behind over the past year by providing opportunities for them to experience the relevance of STEM curriculum in the world of work, through hands-on learning and career certification programs,” said Joe York, President, AT&T Florida. “We’ve all learned how important it is to make sure families in underserved communities have support for digital learning at home so their children have the opportunity to accelerate their education, and we’re interested in supporting local efforts in that area as well.”
This year’s statewide grant brings the total investment by AT&T over eleven years to more than $1 million. More than 79,000 students have been directly impacted through 469 projects involving 954 local workplace partners throughout Florida.
About Broward Education Foundation
Broward Education Foundation is the only 501(c)3 charitable organization solely dedicated to supporting Broward County Public Schools and serves as a catalyst for educational excellence by providing teacher grants to fund development of innovative curriculum that advances Pre K-12 achievement; vitally needed school supplies for Title I school students, and scholarships for qualified high school seniors. Established in 1983, the non-profit Broward Education Foundation contributes more than $3 million to Broward County Public Schools annually. Most recently, and responding to the COVID-19 pandemic, the foundation provided students and teachers with PPE and supplies valued at an additional $2 million. In 2018, responding to the Stoneman Douglas High School tragedy, Broward Education Foundation initiated a GoFundMe campaign, established the official Stoneman Douglas Victims’ Fund and raised $10.5M for victims’ families, survivors and those impacted. Broward Education Foundation is proven agile, adept and responsive to shifting needs in education and our community. For more information visit browardedfoundation.org, email BEFInfo@browardschools.com, like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter.
About Philanthropy & Social Innovation at AT&T
AT&T Inc. is committed to advancing education, strengthening communities and improving lives. Through its community initiatives, AT&T has a long history of investing in projects that create learning opportunities; promote academic and economic achievement; or address community needs. The company’s signature philanthropic initiative, AT&T Aspire, drives innovation in education to promote student success in school and beyond. With a financial commitment of $500 million since 2008, AT&T is leveraging technology, relationships and social innovation to help all students make their biggest dreams a reality.
About the Consortium of Florida Education Foundations:
The Consortium is the membership organization for Florida’s school district-wide local education foundations. Established in 1987, the Consortium connects individuals, organizations, and financial resources to build the capacity and effectiveness of Florida’s local education foundations. Together, Consortium members raise more than $83 million annually for a variety of locally driven initiatives and are led by 1,200 board members, 80% of whom are local business and community leaders working in partnership with school district leaders. The Consortium manages the nation’s only 1:1 legislative match for education foundation initiatives and a variety of privately funded grant programs. To learn more about the Consortium or connect with any member local education foundation, visit https://educationfoundationsfl.org.
