RICHLAND, WA – A donation of $5,000 from InnovaTek to the Washington State STEM Education Foundation will be used to help fund a professional development day for STEM teachers in the Mid-Columbia. This STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) Collaboration event, to be held at Columbia Basin College on March 28th, 2013, will instruct educators on methods of STEM integration, showcase current technologies, and highlight ways to incorporate STEM into every classroom.
“We live in a complex world where problems and issues are difficult to understand, yet critical decisions and choices must be made” said Dr. Patricia Irving, Founder and CEO of InnovaTek. “We believe that a rich STEM education will create thinkers who lead meaningful lives and feel a responsibility to give something positive to the world. This is why InnovaTek supports Delta High School and why we are sponsoring the STEM collaboration event for professional development in the Mid-Columbia. Science classes need to reflect the reality of discovery and innovation because that is what proves most enticing to potential scientists. That means research activities and active engagement must be the focus of a curriculum or we will not retain students in scientific fields. As the owner of an entrepreneurial, high tech business, I see on a daily basis the value that collaborative, creative employees bring to the Company. InnovaTek is excited to be a part of this community of support for our educators and students and we’re pleased to have the opportunity to support our teachers with this event.”
Ms. Karen Baker, Executive Director of the Washington State STEM Education Foundation said that this is the first year that the Foundation has hosted such an event for teachers and they plan for it to be an annual activity. This year more than 30 teachers will participate in the workshops which will focus on integrating STEM content into all classrooms. “We greatly appreciate InnovaTek’s support for this collaboration of STEM educators. This type of involvement from a local high tech business emphasizes the importance of creating an innovative curriculum that keeps our students on the cutting-edge of real-world advancements and technologies” said Baker. The workshops are being facilitated by teachers from Washington State University and Delta High School. Delta High School is
the Mid-Columbia’s first STEM oriented public high school that engages all students in inquiry, problem-solving, and project-based learning using industry partners within the community to bring relevant experiences to the learning environment.
About InnovaTek, Inc.
InnovaTek, Inc. provides engineering solutions and creates products for sustainable power. The Company is a leader in fuel processing technology and advanced catalysts for hydrogen production from petroleum and renewable fuels. InnovaTek’s vision is to use innovative non-combustion catalytic technologies to move the world away from wasteful fossil fuel combustion and toward clean, efficient electrical energy generation from renewable, sustainable biofuels, providing a path for a better quality of life for future generations. The Company is developing biofuel production technology and integrated fuel cell products for electric vehicles, auxiliary power systems and distributed energy applications. Learn more about InnovaTek at www.innovatek.com.
About the Washington State STEM Education Foundation
The Washington State STEM Education Foundation was established in 2008 by concerned leaders from the private sector who approached the Kennewick, Pasco and Richland School Districts with a visionary idea to create an innovative STEM high school specifically designed to prepare students with the skills necessary to succeed in the modern workplace. The Foundation helps support this revolutionary school, Delta High School, with the mission to create a substantial and sustainable impact on the quality of STEM education in the Mid-Columbia. It is a national model for generating passionate support for Science, Technology, Engineering and Math in Public Education: Every Student, Every Day. For more information visit www.washingtonstemeducation.org.