Grant applications for the 2025-2026 school year are now being accepted through April 25, 2025!
The Minneapolis – St Paul Post of the Society of American Military Engineers (SAME-MSP Post) annually offers educational grants for up to $3,000.00 for elementary and secondary schools. A fundamental goal of SAME is …
To promote an understanding of, and appreciation for, the engineering related disciplines and to help the young people in our communities be better prepared to become our future engineers
The SAME-MSP Post requests applications from schools and classroom teachers who are committed in supporting the math and sciences that support future engineering-related career opportunities. We are encouraging all grade levels to participate.
Applications for these grants will be reviewed on the following criteria:
Creativity and quality of proposed project
Demonstrated demand or need for the project
Support of the Minnesota or Wisconsin math and/or science academic standards
Elementary and secondary teachers/schools that are promoting the math and sciences within a 100-mile radius of the Minneapolis – St Paul area are encouraged to apply.
Complete information on the application process is available in the information packets below
If you have questions about the MSP Post Educational Grants, please email: Chris Erickson.
Sibley East Elementary School, Gaylord, MN – Awarded $2,599 for the purchase of a 3D printer and materials. They plan to teach students in grades 3-5 how to use and care for the 3D printer while building a Lego Wall for the Media Center. The students will also design and create their own 3D projects using the MakerBot’s design software. They hope to teach students how to utilize a 3D printer to solve everyday problems and once it is complete, how to interact with the Lego Wall. The Lego Wall will be utilized by all the students in the elementary school. The number of student participants is 250 per year.
June 24, 2024: Chris Erickson, SAME, awarding Amanda Feterl, Principal (left), and Tricia Wagner, Teaching & Learning Coordinator (right) the SAME Education Grant.
Dassel Cokato High School, Cokato, MN – The Dassel Cokato school has approved a Robotics 2 course which focuses on teaching automation in the real world. It will utilize VEX Workcells as its main learning system. They use robotics electronics, motors, sensors, mechanical, and motion components to help in CTE fields. Students learn factory automation and programming using a robotic arm and conveyors. This is a follow-up course after Robotics 1 and/or computer science. This grant allows them the ability to purchase the cells needed to support running a full class multiple times a year which will impact 60+ students per year in grades 10-12. They were awarded $3,000.
May 24, 2024: Haley Djock (far left) and Bryn Langrehr of SAME awarding the SAME Educational Grant.
2023
Dassel-Cokato Middle School, Cokato, MN – Again in 2023, Dassel-Cokato Middle School was the recipient of one of the Posts SAME Educational grants for the 2023-2024 school year.
On 22 May 2023, Helen Walz, MSP SAME Mentor, presented Mrs. Stertz, teacher, a check for $2,898.00 (photo left) with which the school will purchase Sphero robots (Bolt’s and RVR’s) to be implemented in the STEM classroom to develop students’ understanding of computer science. Students will work collaboratively under the direction of the STEM educator to develop their programming skills and their application in STEM careers. The material purchased under this grant are geared towards grades 5 through 8, reaching approximately 600 students.
2022
Our Educational Grant Committee would like to highly recommend the two projects below that fall within the SAME $6K budget for the 2022-2023 School.
Dassel-Cokato Middle School, Cokato, MN – The school requested 16 Snap Circuits kits to introduce students to the concepts of engineering and technology through incorporation of science and mathematics. Students used Snap Circuits kits in teams working together to develop an understanding of electrical circuits, electronic exploration, and to complete challenges. Students will be introduced to the basic properties of electricity and electronics. They will learn the fundamentals behind circuitry and how circuits are used in the technological devices we use today. An overview of simple circuits, followed by paired students’ testing of the kits will provide insight into the types of circuits and compare the differing properties of series circuits and parallel circuits. In STEM classes in 5th grade students will begin investigation into electrical engineering and will continue developing their engineering skills through eighth grade. The school was awarded $2,986.64 to support approximately 625 students in grades 5 through 8. Post member Helen Walz is the SAME sponsor on this project.
Moreland Arts and Health Sciences Magnet, West St. Paul, MN – The school requested 10 Lego Education Spike Essential kits. The students received age-appropriate instruction in block coding. Students in grades K-2 use Scratch Jr, an app with simple icon block coding. In grade 3, students completed lessons on Code.org, which moves students to using word-block coding. Finally, in grade 4, students conducted simple projects using the full Scratch program, which is a web-based interface that allows for more open-ended projects. These programs encourage skills in computer-based logic, problem solving, critical thinking, persistence, and processing/language. Lego SPIKE takes coding concepts and skills and brings them to life by allowing students to encounter the power of hands-on projects. SPIKE pairs familiar Lego bricks with motors, light matrixes, color sensors, and an intelligent hub to bring it all together. The school was awarded $2,749.50 to support approximately 350 students in grades K through 4. Post member Wade Carr is the SAME sponsor on this project.
Normandy Park Education Center, Early Childhood, White Bear Lake, MN – This education center requested a grant to purchase two Fairy Tale Problem Solving STEM Kits and eight Ramps and Balls Exploration Kits.These kits were shared across multiple locations. The Fairy Tale kit allows students to design a house that can’t be blown down, construct a bridge to keep goats safe from the troll and build a chair that Goldilocks cannot break. With the Ramps and Balls kit, wooden ramps and balls of different sizes are used as students build, test and experiment. The materials and resources support interactive experiences with questions related to mass, friction, speed, inclined planes, structural support, etc. Students ask questions and challenge themselves until a solution is found. The program was awarded $1,710.00 to support approximately 400 students at eight different schools for the pre-K level. Post member Kevin Denn is the SAME sponsor on this project. This application is focused on the pre-K levels (i.e. 4- and 5-year-olds) which is technically outside of the K-12 grades of the Post Stem grant program. However, practically it met the intent of the program. This was demonstrated on the application which requested materials to support the MN Educational Science standards.
2021
Saint Ambrose Catholic School, Woodbury, MN – The school was awarded $2,801.62 to support a project in which approximately 60 seventh and eighth grade students will benefit. The project uses robots to be used for simulating recovery efforts because of natural disasters. Specifically, students will look at how recovery teams use technology such as robots to find survivors, determine damage, and plan clean-up responses. The funds are being used to purchase Dash Robots and Bee Bots so that students can work in pairs to program and learn with this technology.
2020
Sibley East Elementary School, Gaylord, MN – The school was awarded funds to purchase Engineering is Elementary curriculum activity kits. These are hands on engineering challenges that will enhance the engineering initiative within each grade level. The curriculum activity kits will give students the opportunity to design alarm circuits, bridges, windmills, and shelters. The estimated number of participating students is 462 elementary school students. The grant was for $2,411.
Dassel Cokato Middle School, Cokato, MN – The school was awarded funds to purchase 15 programmable BOLT robots and a Sphero self-guided course for the instructor. The BOLT robots will be used to complete a variety of coding challenges while utilizing math and science principles in the STEM classroom. Utilizing these robots and the challenges/opportunities they bring will open doors and provide experiences that students did not know were available. The estimated number of participating students is 214 middle school students. The grant was for $2,700.
Communities of Interest
SAME’s Communities of Interest offer members a chance to engage nationally with other professionals focused on a particular technical field or demographic within joint engineering and the A/E/C industry.
