Administration

$50,000 in STEM and solar equipment available to schools

Genesis Energy has established a new Trust to provide science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) equipment to New Zealand schools.

To celebrate its launch, schools are invited to apply now for the first application round. This initial round will distribute $50,000 worth of STEM and solar equipment to schools. Entries can be submitted via the website and successful schools will be announced on 17 May.

A student at Arahoe School investigates the inner workings of the body

Genesis CEO Marc England says that kiwi kids are known to be innovative problem solvers.

“The right equipment is vital for children’s learning. The Trust is another way Genesis and its customers can support schools and help students get the STEM skills they’ll need to meet the social, environmental and economic challenges they will face in the future.”

From April, Genesis customers will be able to donate $1, $2, or $5 through their monthly bill to support STEM and solar equipment packages for schools.

As part of a sponsorship agreement, Genesis will cover the Trust’s administration costs so that 100% of customer donations go to schools for STEM and solar equipment.

“Even if customers only donate a dollar each month, their combined donations will enable the Trust to gift thousands of dollars of equipment every year – which will support children and schools all over New Zealand,” says Marc England.

The Genesis School-gen Trustees, including education, IT and energy-generation experts, will determine which schools receive the equipment packages.

Tamaki Primary School Deputy Principal and Genesis School-gen Trustee, Lou Reddy, says STEM equipment is the key to integrated learning in schools, because it allows children to examine real-world situations and use practical tools to make positive change.

“For kids, learning without a problem to solve is meaningless,” says Lou. “By resourcing education in this way, the Trust provides an energy boost to give teachers an opportunity to integrate STEM learning into a broader context.”

Equipment provided will include electronic devices such as laptops, Chrome books and iPads as well as coding and robotics equipment. Science equipment packs will cover chemistry, physics and biology. Solar packs will include panels and monitoring equipment and the school will be linked to the long running School-gen solar programme, so students can learn about energy production and compare their energy generation to other schools. Solar panels will also help the school to save on energy expenses.

Explore our latest issue...
School News

School News is not affiliated with any government agency, body or political party. We are an independently owned, family-operated magazine.

Recent Posts

What makes a good teacher?

A new report from the University of Auckland’s Our Voices Project asks young people what…

2 days ago

Educators “alarmed” at new standardised assessment tender

The government has opened a tender for new standardised assessment tests, leaving educators shocked and…

2 days ago

Lessons in leadership from our four-legged friends

Early in her career, Kiri Turketo found inspiration in an unlikely source. In this Principal…

2 days ago

Behind the classroom door: A day in the life of New Zealand teachers – part six

Real stories of dedication, challenges, and triumphs from educators in NZ. Part six comes from…

2 days ago

Leading by example with sustainable furniture options

Is fast furniture impacting your school's environmental footprint? We explore eco-friendly solutions to reduce furniture…

2 days ago

Report argues for stronger secondary trades pathway, specialist schools

A new report from the New Zealand Initiative argues we need a stronger and clearer…

1 week ago