“After this robotics experience, I told my dad I want to be an engineer.”

 – Kendall Elementary student

Competitive Robotics teaches students electro-mechanics,  structures, programming and more, and makes it fun. It’s a great ‘hands-on’ introduction to engineering principles involving design, prototyping and testing.  Just as important, it teaches students time management, problem solving, teamwork, and how to accept both failure and success.

Nearly 750 students in grades 4-12 participate in IPSD204’s STEM robotics clubs. IPEF and its key partners fund the program’s equipment and software purchases, travel, and tournament expenses. But we need to do more:

• Some elementary schools are still without clubs.
• Clubs turn away more students than they accept due to limited space. 
• We want to hold more tournaments

Interested in STEM Robotics?

Volunteer to help a robotics club ❤

“We bring it to life so students go beyond reading paper in a classroom.”

 – Invited subject matter expert

IPEF has been funding innovative teacher initiatives for over 30 years. Teachers and staff propose novel approaches to enhance classroom curricula, and IPEF funds the most promising ones – anywhere from $500 to $5000. Some of these ideas go on to become permanent parts of the curriculum in a process that refreshes classroom learning.

Each year, several of the proposals, at every grade level, fall under the category of STEM (Science-Technology-Engineering-Math). IPEF now ‘bundles’ these STEM proposals together in our efforts to seek sponsorships. Sponsors like this approach:

• they see an immediate impact – a program’s duration is one year,
• their investment touches all grades and groups of students,
• sponsors can sometimes come into the classroom and see their dollars at work.

 Sponsor STEM Teacher Grants ❤

“PLTW takes things you learn in Science and Math and really applies them.”

 – Neuqua Valley High School student

Project Lead The Way (PLTW) is a nationally recognized engineering-track curriculum first adopted by IPSD204 in 2014. PLTW elective classes, offered at both middle school and high school levels, teach students design, functional evaluation, prototyping, testing and documentation.  They are ‘hands-on’ classes that apply principles learned in other STEM classes, helping students build the ‘mental bridge’ between theory and application.

When IPSD204 wanted to introduce the PLTW high school capstone class, a year-long product design class, it turned to IPEF. Purchase of curriculum, equipment, supplies and the culminating student design exhibition all benefited from IPEF support.

IPSD204 will be introducing new PLTW classes and there is an on-going need for workstations, 3D printers, design competitions and field trips. IPEF is ready to support these needs as part of its commitment to STEM excellence.  

  Learn About PLTW Sponsorship  ❤

“We’ve had hundreds of students doing research in high school. How exciting!”

 – Elaine Modine, Awarded WVHS Teacher

• The annual district Science Fair features projects by 1600 students.
• Elementary and middle school STEM Family nights attract 2200 families.
• MakerSpaces in school libraries bring 3D printing to all IPSD204 students.
• Coding clubs and Girls in Engineering, Math & Science (GEMS) focus on girls’ STEM.

IPEF has supported the district Science Fair for 20 years, while other programs just need one time ‘seed funding’ to get started until they become self-sustaining.

These diverse programs are supported through IPEF’s general fund which is, in turn, funded by direct parent donations and the TEAM IPEF fundraiser. Help us keep them going:

Donate to the IPEF General Fund ❤