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A Boost for Science

Science Teacher John Benson earns STEM grant from Toshiba America Foundation
Trinity Episcopal School is pleased to announce it has received a $5,000 STEM grant from the Toshiba America Foundation (TAF). These funds will support the Arson and Genetics Project which will allow students to be exposed to current and innovative scientific techniques and tools that are relevant to science today.  

The grant-writing process was spearheaded by John Benson, a third-year chemistry teacher at Trinity (he has been in the field for over 7 years). With a degree in forensics, Benson loved some of the more scientific and investigative classes and experiences he had while in school, as it shaped his future in teaching. He wanted to offer more hands-on learning opportunities for his students to get “real-life” examples in the classroom.

The grant will go towards the purchase of a Polymerase Chain Reaction Thermal Cycler (PCR), micropipettes, and a Gas Chromatography (GC), all of which significantly enhance the learning experience in the science classroom. “This equipment will expose our students to different ways of investigating science and to allow for an authentic experience,” says Benson. “The PCR will allow our Forensic Science classes and Biology classes to be able to experience the DNA replication and identification process from start to finish. The GC will allow our Forensic Science and Chemistry student to interact with a separation technique that is used often in the industry.”

Toshiba America Foundation’s grants fund projects designed by individual classroom teachers. This “direct-to-teacher” approach brings immediate results. Teachers are able to change the way they teach Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) subjects because the grant supports equipment for hands-on experiments and inquiry-based approaches to the curriculum. TAF believes that STEM is a lot more fun than just reading a textbook. TAF grants provide teachers with the tools they need to be more effective educators. The grants make the classroom a more exciting place for both teachers and students.

“We are so excited and grateful to receive this grant from Toshiba America Foundation,” said Trinity Head of School Rob Short. “As a former science teacher, I have seen first hand the sense of wonder students feel when they are able to put text book theory into real life practice. This grant will enable our students to examine, in real time, how forensic science is performed in the outside world.”
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Trinity Episcopal School

3850 PITTAWAY DR | RICHMOND VA 23235-1099 | Phone: 804.272.5864 | Fax: 804.272.5865 Email: mail@trinityes.org