• The Aberdeen 3M plant awarded two area schools with grants and Groton Area received $7,176. The grant is part of the Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) program. Public schools in grades one through eight can apply for the grant.
• Grant recipients were selected based on an application process that asked teachers to address how their programs align with goals for the school district, school and classroom; how teamwork is used to combine methods and resources; how the program engages students through instruction that sparks interest and achievement; the program's relevance in connecting learning to the world beyond the classroom, careers and the community; and an evaluation plan to determine the program's success.
• "The 3M Ingenuity Grants recognize that teacher teams create the best learning opportunities for their students," said Barbara Kaufmann, 3M Manager of Education Giving. "We recognize that teachers know their district, their colleagues, and their students, and we want to help them bring innovative methods into their classrooms."
• 3M Foundation presented more than $400,000 to 47 U.S. schools as part of its 3M Ingenuity Grant program.
• The teachers involved with the STEM grant process in Groton were Darlyne Johnson, Cheryl Hanson, Travis Kurth, Lisa Kippley, Jana Duncan, Lance Hawkins and Mary K. Johnson.
• The only other school receiving a grant was Simmons Elementary in Aberdeen with teachers Kelly Hoskins, Summer Jark and Carla Clark.