Ingalls Shipbuilding – a division of Huntington Ingalls Industries (NYSE: HII) – has announced the winners for nearly $100,000 in grant money to recipients representing local Mississippi and Alabama schools and educational organizations. The grants for 2020 mark the 12th consecutive year that Ingalls Shipbuilding has made an investment in Gulf Coast STEM education, with an award total that now exceeds $1 million.
“These projects expose students to innovative concepts, sharpen their critical thinking skills and broaden their understanding of technology-driven professions,” said Edmond Hughes, Vice President of Human Resources and Administration for Ingalls. “Ingalls is committed to partnering with educators early to promote student engagement in these vital academic disciplines.”
“If individuals are interested in STEM, it’s our opportunity to give back to those schools, and one day those students may be future employers of Ingalls Shipbuilding,” he continued.
Awarded Recipients
Among the 28 separate science, technology, engineering and mathematics grant recipients are awards for:
- Bay High School (MS), where students will experience managing an aquaculture system, including sustaining various fish species, water filtration and sampling, and monitoring utilities usage – $4,394
- Bay Waveland Middle School (MS), for the development of a student-managed wellness garden that will deploy low impact stormwater management engineering and sustainable design practices – $5,000
- Crossroads Elementary School (MS), for development of an interactive learning lab aimed at training young engineers in lab protocols and management – $4,738
- East Central High School (MS), where students will create a hands-on learning environment for advanced scientific applications for ceramics – $4,913
- East Central Middle School (MS), for the purchase of robotics kits – $4,900
- Environmental Studies Center (AL), where students will sample the local marine ecosystem and design custom solutions to promote biodiversity and protect natural resources – $4,199
- Fairhope High School (AL), to create an electronics/robotics lab with stations that provide instruction in voltage and circuits, as well as construct a robot – $4,964
- Harrison Central High School (MS), to launch an engineering program that will help students design and construct a model of a bridge to present to a local review board – $4,201
- Jubilee BEST Robotics Program (AL), where students will explore a robotics engineering lab, from project ideation, through building a robot and creating a tradeshow-style exhibit booth, to further learn enterprise management processes – $5,000
- Mary G. Montgomery High School (AL), to initiate expansion of a fully funded biomedical program featuring graduate college level-equivalent programs and applications – $5,000
- McGill-Toolen Catholic High School (AL), for purchase of advanced DNA analysis equipment and related tools to explore industrial molecular research processes – $4,995
- Moss Point High School Career & Technical Education (MS), where students will participate in labs that simulate real-world medical scenarios and realistic patient care practices – $4,990
- Ocean Springs Upper Elementary School (MS), to create a robotics and coding lab – $4,960
- Martin High School (MS), to launch a program that will allow students to earn an unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) license from the FAA, as well as explore unmanned technologies, build drones and participate in drone competitions – $4,999
- Patrick Catholic High School (MS), for the creation of a research-based composting program focused on managing school cafeteria waste – $5,000
Erica Wilson, a science and social studies teacher at Singing River Academy, received a grant for virtual reality headsets two years ago and this year received another grant for $3,999, to fund additional headsets for the popular program. “Now I have a classroom set so everyone can go on the same virtual field trip at the same time. No one’s left out,” she said.
Ingalls Shipbuilding is located in Pascagoula, Mississippi and is the state’s largest manufacturing employer. With nearly 12,000 local employees, it is a major contributor to economic growth in both Mississippi and neighboring Alabama. Current projects include building the Aegis DDG 51 class guided missile destroyers, LHA 6 class large deck amphibious ships and National Security Cutters for the United States Coast Guard.
Judy Bell has been with Ameri-Force since 2013 and currently serves as the Director of Gulf Coast Operations. Judy has a strong background in recruiting and human resources dating back to 2002. She has a reputation of building lasting relationships with candidates who know she will work tirelessly to keep them working.
