Garver presents scholarships to Frisco ISD PLTW students

Garver's Frisco GarverGives committee recently passed along lessons related to STEM concepts to local students by partnering with the Frisco Independent School District’s Career and Education Technology Center’s Project Lead the Way.

Throughout the spring semester, Garver employees worked with teams of students tasked with creating innovative products to present to a panel of judges. Garver employees served as mentors during the planning and design process similar to what engineers face in a qualification-based competitive selection process. Teams were judged based on an ability to communicate an identified need and present their business case to judges in a mock request for funding. 

A total of 22 Frisco ISD PLTW teams presented, and after being shortlisted to a top six, Garver awarded scholarships to three winning teams totaling $2,000. The team awarded a $1,000 first-place scholarship created a “Mobile IV Pole,” which offers an alternative solution for IV poles, allowing increased patient mobility and modularity during patient transfers.

In all, 12 volunteers from Garver’s Transportation and Water Teams served as mentors and judges.

 “We were impressed with both the work ethic and creativity the students showed while learning and implementing STEM concepts,” said Garver Transportation Project Engineer Kyle Moynihan. “Working with STEM subjects helps teach perseverance and problem-solving skills, and we were pleased to see them work together to achieve a common goal.”

Garver has enjoyed a long history with both the Frisco ISD and Project Lead the Way. It is the fourth consecutive year it has assisted in this event, and GarverGives committees have also partnered with Project Lead the Way students in Arkansas and Oklahoma. Garver also teamed with the Frisco ISD during its Chain Reaction Challenge event, held to celebrate Garver’s centennial year by passing along core STEM concepts to help encourage the next generation of engineers.

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