Extension wins $2,000 through AT&T grant
Grundy County’s University of Illinois Extension won AT&T’s $2,000 grant, “AT&T Investing in Illinois Award.”
The extension was nominated for the grant by state Sen. Sue Rezin and state Rep. Pam Roth. The legislators were present at the extension office Friday when AT&T delivered the check.
“With budget cuts in the state, the extension was cut quite a bit, “ Roth said.
By nominating it for the AT&T grant, the legislators hoped they could help ease this financial burden.
“We’re proud of the services they provide to not only the kids, but the community,” Roth continued.
“AT&T Investing in Illinois Award” began about three years ago, said John Quinn, director of external affairs for AT&T. Before that, it had another grant program. This is the first time it was awarded to the U of I Extension in Grundy County.
A prior recipient was the Marseilles Food Pantry, he said.
The award provides resource and recognition to organizations and programs that are improving lives in their community and the state through advancing education, economic growth, technology and other services, according to AT&T’s press release. The recipient must be a non-profit agency.
John Davis, extension educator and in charge of the 4-H program, said the money will be used for Science Technology Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) education. For example, the grant will help with the robotics project some 4-Hers are participating in.
Some students will travel to Chicago for NASA’s “FIRST Robotics Competition,” where they will construct robots to do tasks, such as shoot basketballs. The project is not only a competition for the students, but an opportunity to cooperate with others they don’t know and practice team work.
“We try to push science and mathematics skills, without loosing leadership skills,” Davis said.
AT&T chose the extension because of the educational programs it covers in the areas of healthy society, food security and safety, environmental stewardship, sustainable and profitable food production and marketing systems, and for its work in enhancing youth, family and community well-being, according to the press release.
In addition to going toward STEM curriculum, the grant funds will also help with the extension’s other programs, such as Government Day activities.
“The funds will be used generally for youth leadership development,” he said.
The Grundy extension had more than 4,000 youth involved in programs in 2011, in addition to the 220 youth enrolled in the 4-H program.
Rezin said they are all appreciative of AT&T’s local support, especially for the extension, which operates on limited funds in Grundy, Kankakee and Will counties.
“John wears many hats in general,,” Rezin said. “He’s doing what he can do to educate them and get them into leadership roles.”