PPL’s Empowering Educators grants are designed to support and encourage teachers to provide hands-on learning experiences in the areas of STEM (science, technology, engineering and math).

Teachers Win Big for STEM Education

2019-2020 Winners

Learn more about the types of grants we support by getting to know our most recent award recipients.

• Joshua Abrams, Springhouse Middle School, Allentown, to support the development of a video editing workstation to help students produce videos about local manufacturing and history.
• Heather Aulisio, Tobyhanna Elementary Center, Pocono Pines, for a project that uses photography to incorporate art into science and math lessons.
• Brian Blase, Hershey Intermediate School, Hershey, to develop a STEM club for fourth- and fifth-graders.
• Patricia Bucci, Penn Kidder Campus, Albrightsville, to support a STEAM Night for students and parents.
• Carmella Bullick, Lakeland Jr./Sr. High School, Scott Township, for equipment for the engineering class to study environmental science and energy consumption.
• Adrienne Burns, Linglestown Elementary School, Harrisburg, to develop a STEM club for students in third through fifth grades.
• Casey Cappello, Middle Paxton Elementary School, Dauphin, for materials needed to set up a before-school STEM club.
• Ryan Chlubickiu, Penn Kidder Campus, Albrightsville, for materials needed to use augmented reality to bring engineering lessons to life.
• John Croom, North Pocono High School, Covington Township, to expand the capability of the school’s STEM makerspace.
• Lauran Deibert, Lenkerville Elementary School, Millersburg, to fund a collaborative study with the Keystone Elk Alliance for students to learn about Pennsylvania’s elk population.
• Kim DeLullo, Montgomery Elementary School, Montgomery, for a project that will use fairy tales as the basis of teaching STEM subjects to kindergarten students.
• Cynthia Dyson, Mount Rock Elementary School, Newville, to develop Tinker Tuesday events to give students hands-on experience with coding, robotics and other technology.
• Jeffrey Earle, Forest City Regional High School, Forest City, to incorporate robotics into seventh-grade curriculum.
• Shannon Fetterman, Shamokin Annex, Shamokin, to purchase equipment needed to introduce robotics to early elementary students.
• Rachel Fraser, North Side Elementary School, Harrisburg, for materials needed to teach elementary students about various forms of energy.
• Diane Gabrielle, Jim Thorpe Area High School, Jim Thorpe, to develop a makerspace where students can adapt toys or other devices for students with disabilities.
• Gail Gagner, Wilson Area Intermediate School, Easton, to support the school’s race car club, in which students design, test, adjust and race a car in the Nazareth 90.
• Samantha George, Penn-Kidder Campus, Albrightsville, for a project that combines literacy with STEM subjects by having students create a multimedia analysis of a novel.
• Nadine Gorham, Dickey Elementary School, Lock Haven, to purchase building kits that allow students to design simple machines.
• Barbara Greenway, St. John Neumann Regional Academy, Williamsport, to introduce girls in third through 12th grade to basic robotics and coding.
• Wendi Hair, Mount Rock Elementary School, Newville, for equipment to teach students basic robotics, coding and engineering lessons.
• Sara Heintzelman, Centennial School of Lehigh University, Bethlehem, for curriculum materials to make STEM subjects more accessible to special education students.
• Kristin Heller, Towamensing Elementary School, Lehighton, for materials and books to enhance students’ understanding of STEM subjects.
• Josh Korb, Eastern York Middle School, Wrightsville, to purchase mobile classroom backpacks equipped with solar panels and USB battery packs that allow for teaching outside the classroom.
• Katie Lewis, Paxtonia Elementary School, Harrisburg, to create STEM bins with equipment that young students can use to explore and tinker.

• Stephanie Machmer, Jersey Shore Area Senior High School, Jersey Shore, for an aquaponics system to enhance lessons for environmental science and biology classes.
• Steve Major, Shamokin Area High School, Coal Township, for the software needed to teach students data analysis.
• Michelle Maxwell, Washington Heights Elementary School, Lemoyne, to teach the principals of electronics through coding robotics tools.
• Ryan Maxwell, Rossmoyne Elementary School, Mechanisburg, to purchase basic robotics and coding teaching tools.
• Jillian McDermott, Summit School of the Poconos, East Stroudsburg, to expand the after-school coding and robotics club.
• Suzanne Milkowich, Jim Thorpe Area High School, Jim Thorpe, to provide hands-on engineering lessons through the design and building of a working trebuchet to be unveiled at a community STEM fair.
• Susan Miller, Kolbe Academy, Bethlehem, to purchase a 3D printer and other equipment for hands-on engineering and technology lessons.
• Manda Mosier, Robb Elementary School, Lock Haven, to purchase equipment to teach students basic coding.
• Dan Moyer, Upper Perkiomen High School, Pennsburg, for an aquaponic system to promote sustainable farming practices.
• Ilka O’Donovan, Wind Gap Middle School, Pen Argyl, to support the robotics club competition in regional, state and national events.
• Samantha Pavick, Millville Elementary School, Millville, for equipment to set up a makerspace for fifth-grade students.
• Michele Reiber, Fink Elementary School, Middletown, to purchase a classroom terrarium for students to learn about the life cycle of plants.
• Stephen Roth, Steelton-Highspire High School, Steelton, for computer application classes that will bring coding to life through robotics.
• Matthew Salerno, Riverside West Elementary School, Taylor, to incorporate robotics and coding equipment into second-grade curriculum.
• Sarah Schlegel, Clermont Elementary School, Quarryville, to develop a STEM makerspace for 250 students.
• Sharon Sharp, Hazleton Elementary/Middle School, Hazleton, to introduce students to basic coding and robotics.
• Trisha Sheehe, Mount Carmel Area High School, Mount Carmel, to create a makerspace to be used by more than 100 students.
• Ashley Sipe, Bart-Colerain Elementary School, Christiana, for fairytale STEM kits that help teach students the connections between literacy, math and science.
• Adam Steininger Jr., Midd-West High School, Middleburg, to purchase kits for students to design and engineer radio-controlled devices.
• Sarah Thoman, Eastern York High School, Wrightsville, for the equipment needed for students to design, build and plant hydroponic growing systems.
• Kaylora Thompson, Turbotville Elementary School, Turbotville, to purchase robotics and coding kits for the second-grade class.
• Catherine Tombasco, Drums Elementary/Middle School, Drums, to introduce the Internet of Things concept to students by having them design and build wearable technology devices.
• Jesse Wagner, Mount Carmel Area Jr./Sr. High School, Mount Carmel, for materials to enhance the physics curriculum on the “current wars” between Tesla and Edison.
• Elizabeth Watson, Robert D. Wilson Elementary School, Waymart, to use the school’s greenhouse to foster entrepreneurship classes.
• Greg Zahm, Liberty High School, Bethlehem, for materials needed to enhance the students’ learning about sustainable urban farming practices.

Empowering Educators