American Water Charitable Foundation Awards $10,000 Workforce Readiness Grant to North Scott Community School District
American Water Charitable Foundation Awards $10,000 Workforce Readiness Grant to North Scott Community School District |
| [12-October-2026] |
Grant funds to support the District's Regional Innovation Center ELDRIDGE, Iowa, Oct. 12, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- The American Water Charitable Foundation, a philanthropic nonprofit organization established by American Water (NYSE: AWK), and Iowa American Water recently announced a $10,000 Workforce Readiness grant to the North Scott Community School District's Regional Innovation Center. "North Scott High School and its Robotics and LEGO League teams are incredibly thankful for the American Water Charitable Foundation's generosity," said Andrew Lehn, principal of North Scott High School. "The grant funding from the past two years has had a significant impact on the teams' ability to purchase necessary materials, technology and curriculum to compete at the highest level." The 2026 grant will support hands-on STEM, robotics, engineering and career-readiness opportunities for North Scott students. Funding will provide LEGO League materials and registration fees for three elementary school programs and help advance the district's robotics program for students in grades 7–12 through tournament fees, new materials, technology upgrades, 3D-printing resources and equipment, including a planned CNC machine. The Regional Innovation Center provides students with opportunities to develop technical, problem-solving, leadership and collaboration skills through real-world learning. Students design, manufacture and assemble custom parts; use computer-aided design programs and 3D printers; build and test robots; and share their knowledge with younger students and the broader community. "The continuous support we've received from the American Water Charitable Foundation has allowed us to push past our limits and focus on developing and growing our program," said Josh Le, a North Scott robotics student. "The new parts, electronics and machinery will give us an even richer engineering experience, including in-house machining and manufacturing. It has opened new doors for our team and will help us bring middle school students into the program so they can learn alongside us." Robotics Team Coach Michele Mess said the grant has generated enthusiasm and creative plans as students begin designing and testing this season's robot. "These learning opportunities are priceless in the growth of our students' experience and can help lead them toward careers that allow them to reach their potential," Mess said. "They are eager to challenge themselves, learn to design parts using computer programs, produce those parts with 3D printers and a CNC machine, and assemble them into working robot functions. They also want to share what they learn with junior high and elementary students. We are grateful for the grant funding that helps sustain these dreams and gives students the opportunity to become amazing young engineers." The Workforce Readiness grant is part of the American Water Charitable Foundation's Keep Communities Flowing Grant Program, focusing on three pillars of giving: Water, People and Communities. This grant program focuses on general career readiness, financial and business literacy, positive youth development and life skills training. "The American Water Charitable Foundation is proud to support initiatives that provide access to high-quality learning students need to be successful," said Carrie Williams, president of the American Water Charitable Foundation. "We take pride in supporting American Water's continued efforts to be a responsible neighbor and reliable partner in the community." Through its partnership with the North Scott Community School District, Iowa American Water is helping connect local students with innovative workforce-development experiences that prepare them for future careers in science, technology, engineering, manufacturing and other skilled fields. "At Iowa American Water, our commitment to the communities we serve goes beyond providing safe, clean and reliable water," said Brad Nielsen, president of Iowa American Water. "By supporting hands-on learning opportunities at the North Scott Regional Innovation Center, we are investing in the next generation and helping students build the skills, confidence and experience they need to become part of Iowa's workforce of tomorrow." Learn more about Iowa American Water's community impact at iowaamwater.com. About American Water About American Water Charitable Foundation About Iowa American Water About the North Scott Regional Innovation Center
SOURCE American Water | ||
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