The Roman Road Project - Funding

Money
It's a crime
Share it fairly, but don't take a slice of my pie
Money
So they say
Is the root of all evil today
               -Pink Floyd

Whenever I tell someone about our Roman Technology class projects, I usually hear, "Wow! That sounds amazing. Where was this class when I was a teenager?" After talking about some of the details of the work, the inevitable next question is always, "How do you fund your projects?"

My answer - STEM grants. The available funding for large projects is one of the best aspects of teaching a STEM subject. Industry has the funding and has every reason to give it. They want future engineers, doctors, pipe-fitters, road builders, etc. And I am happy that my students receive this funding. They are 75% students of color. People of color are underrepresented in STEM fields as they are in classics.

This year, our program received two grants:
$500 from the National Lieutenant Governors Association. During the summer of 2022, this organization announced its new STEM Scholarship Program, and we received one of its first awards.
$2500 from the Neighbors Bank Capital Area Foundation. Our Roman Technologists received a Project Grant for Public Schools for "projects that exhibit a lasting impact on the school and community." Since our Roman road will offer another pathway through our outdated campus, it was a strong contender for this award.

Applications for STEM grants can be complicated and time-consuming, but they are worth the effort. We have gotten funding from Lowe's Toolbox for Education, Exxon Mobil, local water conservation companies, and the International Association of Material Science (for our Roman concrete project).

Thanks to NEIGHBORS and the NLGA for their generosity and support!