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BP Adams Announces $26 Million Towards STEM Education in Brooklyn Schools

Brooklyn Borough President Eric L.
New York City Public Schools

Brooklyn Borough President Eric L. Adams announced on Tuesday an allocation of  more than $26 million will go towards STEM-focused education across 150 schools throughout Brooklyn for Fiscal Year 2017, including schools of Central and East Brooklyn neighborhoods of Brownsville, East New York, Bedford-Stuyvesant, Crown Heights, Fort Greene, Clinton Hill, Prospect Heights and East Flatbush*.

The investment represents more than half of the BP's capital budget and double the amount that was allocated in 2016.

"This effort is a direct reflection of my commitment over the last year to actively recruit school administrators to join our shared mission of focusing their institutions' future growth in the critical academic fields of STEM," said Adams. "Through the expansion of continuing projects such as Growing Brooklyn's Future and textbook-free learning, as well as new initiatives such as the South Brooklyn Engineering Pipeline, it's clear that we're not simply investing in education; we're investing in innovation."

Through a partnership with Beam Center, a non-profit creative space for youth in the Columbia Street Waterfront District, Borough President Adams apportioned $100,000 each to five schools for their own fabrication laboratories, including the Nelson Mandela School for Social Justice in Bedford-Stuyvesant. 

[perfectpullquote align="right" cite="" link="" color="" class="" size=""]"A noted educator once said, 'Don't tell me where your priorities are…show me where you spend your money and I'll tell you what they are,'" said Borough President Adams. "As I unveil more than $26 million for education — the largest allocation of my FY17 capital budget — I am prioritizing the students of Brooklyn." [/perfectpullquote]

To expand Growing Brooklyn's Future, an urban farming education initiative that he launched last year with 12 schools across Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brownsville, Canarsie, Cypress Hills, and East New York, Adams designated an additional $560,000 to support greenhouse studies at four institutions, including PS 599 Brooklyn Landmark School in Bedford-Stuyvesant, which obtained $200,000 for a STEM lab and greenhouse.. 

An additional $200,000 went toward a pilot program at MS 763 Brooklyn Science and Engineering Academy in East Flatbush, $200,000 for laptops and tablets to advance paperless learning at PS 243 The Weeksville School in Crown Heights.

Grants were provided to seven East New York schools: $250,000 for technology upgrades at PS 158 Warwick, $150,000 for science lab upgrades at Transit Tech Career and Technical Education High School, $142,000 for a school library at Passages Academy — Belmont, $104,000 for STEM labs at Invictus Preparatory Charter School, $100,000 for technology upgrades at PS 325 The Fresh Creek School, $100,000 for technology upgrades at PS 273 Wortman, and $70,000 for an engineering learning laboratory at IS 364 Gateway

"Invictus Preparatory Charter School's new A+ Mobile STEM Cart will equip and inspire scholars not only to learn about science, but to be scientists themselves, asking real questions and learning through hand-on STEM experiences," said Dr. Camille S. Bell, executive director of Invictus Preparatory Charter School. "Equipping classrooms with fun and engaging STEM tools is one of the most important investments that can be made in Brooklyn's future. The Invictus Preparatory Charter School community appreciates Borough President Adams' foresight and strong advocacy for creating engaging STEM environments for Brooklyn kids, and we are honored to facilitate this mission!"

Nelson Mandela School for Social Justice at Boys and Girls High School in Bed-Stuy
Nelson Mandela School for Social Justice at Boys and Girls High School in Bed-Stuy

Community Partnership Charter School, which has its lower school in Clinton Hill and its middle school in Bedford-Stuyvesant, was granted $200,000  for technology upgrades at both locations. In addition to this as well as the abovementioned Nelson Mandela School for Social Justice and PS 599 Brooklyn Landmark School, Borough President Adams allocated capital funds to an additional 12 schools in Bedford-Stuyvesant: $450,000 to the Gotham Professional Arts Academy for a 'green' auditorium; $200,000 to Bedford Academy High School for a computer laboratory and digital library; $200,000 to PS 59 William Floyd for a library media center and STEM labs; $200,000 to PS 297 Abraham Stockton for STEM infrastructure to support coding and robotics curriculum; $150,000 to Eagle Academy for Young Men II for a fitness center and technology upgrades; $150,000 to PS 23 Carter G. Woodson for an expansion of their STEAM program; $150,000 to PS 54 The Magnet School for Environmental Science, Technology and Community Wellness for labs focused on a variety of STEM disciplines; $150,000 to the Upper School at PS 25 for a computer science and robotics laboratory; $100,000 to PS 25 Eubie Blake School for STEM labs; $100,000 to PS 305 Dr. Peter Ray for technology upgrades; $82,000 to PS/IS 157 The Benjamin Franklin Health & Science Academy for STEM labs, and $60,000 to PS 44 Marcus Garvey for STEM labs.

"Bedford Academy High School administrators, teachers, staff, students, parents, and the community are grateful for the generous contribution from the office of Borough President Adams," said Robert JB Calungsod, math teacher at Bedford Academy High School. "This endeavor of making our students technologically current will go a long way in our goal to 'prepare today's scholars for tomorrow's world.'"

Funds also were designated for five schools in Brownsville: $200,000 for a STEM hub to PS/IS 184 Newport; $150,000 for technology infrastructure to Teachers Preparatory High School; $104,000 for auditorium upgrades, bathroom renovations, and STEM labs to PS 150 Christopher; $100,000 for laptops and smartboards to Knowledge and Power Preparatory Academy (KAPPA) V, and $100,000 for a computer lab to PS/IS 41 Francis White.

Knowledge and Power Preparatory Academy International High School
Knowledge and Power Preparatory Academy International High School

 In Crown Heights, in addition to the previously noted PS 243 The Weeksville School, Borough President Adams awarded $456,000 in capital funding to the International High School at Prospect Heights for STEM labs, $200,000 to Clara Barton High School for computer labs upgrades and smartboards, $200,000 to PS 705 Brooklyn Arts and Science Elementary School for a technology-driven classroom, $150,000 to PS 316 Elijah G. Stroud for technology infrastructure, $100,000 to the High School for Global Citizenship for library technology upgrades, $100,000 to PS 12 Dr. Jacqueline Peek-Davis School for technology infrastructure, $100,000 to PS 241 Emma L. Johnston for STEM labs, $100,000 to PS 289 George V. Brower for advancing their STEM program, $100,000 to MS 484 Ronald Edmonds Learning Center II for technology infrastructure, and $55,000 for STEM labs at PS 138. He also allotted $150,000 for a computer lab at PS 9 Teunis G. Bergen in Prospect Heights.

"This technology upgrade is going to make a huge difference in how teachers deliver instruction and, ultimately, it will have a tremendous impact on student outcomes," said Sandra Soto, principal of PS 705 Brooklyn Arts and Science Elementary School. "Thank you for empowering my students to become more active participants in their own learning."

In East Flatbush, on top of the aforesaid MS 763 Brooklyn Science and Engineering Academy, Adams funded projects at nine additional schools: $350,000 for technology infrastructure at PS 770 New American Academy; $200,000 for an art and technology center at It Takes a Village Academy; $150,000 for STEM labs at PS 189 The Bilingual Center; $100,000 for technology infrastructure at PS 181 John L. Steptoe School; $100,000 for technology upgrades at PS 208 Elsa Ebeling; $100,000 for technology upgrades at PS 235 Janice Marie Knight School; $80,000 for STEAM infrastructure at Arts & Media Preparatory Academy, $50,000 for a computer lab and smartboards at PS 269 Nostrand, and $50,000 for a technology lab at PS 398 Walter Weaver

"A noted educator once said, 'Don't tell me where your priorities are…show me where you spend your money and I'll tell you what they are,'" said Borough President Adams. "As I unveil more than $26 million for education — the largest allocation of my FY17 capital budget — I am prioritizing the students of Brooklyn."

*Note: Substantial budget allocations by BP Eric Adams extended to schools across all of Brooklyn. The ones outlined in this story are exclusive to those schools in East and Central Brooklyn.




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