Garver, Frisco ISD team up to provide scholarships to STEM students

For a third consecutive year, Garver partnered with the Frisco Independent School District to support the advancement of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) learning through a design competition that promotes creative and critical thinking and rewards students with scholarships.  

GarverGives awarded three teams of two students from the Frisco ISD with scholarships totaling $2,000. The winners were chosen from 19 teams and by a panel of Garver judges, who also served as mentors to the students during the design process. Students met with their assigned mentors from Garver throughout the school year before making final presentations.

“We were really impressed with the creativity and ingenuity showed by all students,” said Garver Project Engineer Ikram Sayed, who served as a mentor. “It was a shame that only three teams were awarded prizes, because all of them really executed their ideas well. If the students in this class are any indication, the engineering profession has a great future.”

The first-place prize went to two students who made it so that a standard wheelchair handles curbs and steps with more ease for the operator. Second place went to a team that utilized the school’s 3D printer to keep alive a house plant for four months with a self-watering system. Third went to a team that produced a prosthetic foot that moves easier than current designs.

The students are part of Project Lead the Way, an internationally recognized provider for STEM curriculum and teacher training. Providing assistance to those intending to pursue a career in engineering through the support of STEM programs was a founding principle for GarverGives three years ago. Almost $10,000 has been raised through GarverGives matching funds and grants for the Frisco ISD, which has benefited more than a dozen students.

To learn more about Garver’s charitable giving, visit GarverUSA.com/GarverGives.