To mark 100 years of doing business, Garver is giving back to the communities it serves by donating STEM kits and funds to 100 schools across the firm’s 12-state footprint.
The schools, chosen from nominations made by company employees, were each challenged to use the kits to create a Rube Goldberg-style contraption and submit a video for a chance to win additional STEM funding in the Garver Chain Reaction Challenge.
The Texas School for the Blind and Visually Impaired (TSBVI) was named the Garver Chain Reaction Challenge Grand Champion for its submission titled “The Gong Show.” Nine other schools from across the country were recognized as overall winners.
“We received dozens of submissions, and we loved watching each of the students enthusiastically get involved with the engineering design process,” said Garver Chairman Emeritus Dan Williams. “But none were more inspiring than the students at TSBVI, and we’re honored to work with them to expand their STEM program.”
TSBVI students worked alongside engineers from Garver to create even more STEM kits to provide unique STEM educational opportunities for students with visual impairments at other schools throughout the firm’s 12-state footprint.
TSBVI used prize money from the firm to purchase a woodworking bench and tools, and used the woodworking materials to, among other activities, sand wooden blocks that were included in the kits.
“Our students love the sensory experience of woodworking; the sound and vibration of the saw cutting, the drill boring a hole, whacking nails with a hammer,” said TSBVI Teacher Kat Heitman. “It’s an empowering experience for our students.”
The STEM kits came complete with items such as KEVAⓇ planks and BrackitzⓇ connectors to build 3-D structures, a DC motor, marbles, ramps, and a slew of whimsical everyday items to create contraptions limited only by their imaginations. The accessible kits created by TSBVI students and Garver included activities in Braille and items with sound including a Jack-in-the Box, service bells, and party noisemakers, allowing students to hear what they build.
“Through this interactive, hands-on activity, we hope to help students gain a better understanding of STEM concepts, the engineering design process, and the importance of perseverance – all while having fun along the way,” Williams said.
