The Lowe’s Charitable and Educational Foundation has awarded a $4,950 Lowe’s Toolbox for Education grant to Prince Edward County Middle School and a $4,980 Lowe’s Toolbox for Education grant for the addition of mobile robotics learning center to be used to supplement content instruction as well as to introduce students to robotics. PECMS and PECES are two of 593 schools across the United States to be awarded a Lowe’s Toolbox for Education grant during its fall 2016 grants cycle for improvement projects.

According to a press release, the mobile robotics learning center at PECMS will consist of one large mobile cart that will be equipped with classroom sets of LittleBits Droid Inventory Kits, LEGO Simple and Powered Machines Sets and three LEGO MindStorm Education EV3 Core robotics kits. The mobile robotics learning centers at PECES will consist of two mobile carts that will be equipped with classroom sets of LEGO WeDo 2.0 and Wonder Workshop — Dash & Dot robotics kits.

“These robotics kits come with curriculum that will allow teachers to incorporate robotics in their normal content to further engage students in the learning process,” officials said in the release. “The addition of these kits will also allow the opportunity for students to participate in after school robotics clubs during the 2018-2019 school year. This project is ongoing and will provide students with many wonderful learning opportunities for many years.”

“Prince Edward County Public Schools (PECPS) is pleased to be named a recipient of the Lowe’s Toolbox for Education Grant,” said Tammy Hurt, PECPS principal on special assignment. “We look forward to providing our students with new opportunities in STEM through hands-on learning as well as building upon 21st century skills such as critical thinking and problem-solving, collaboration, communication and creativity.”

The release cited that since its inception in 2005, Lowe’s Toolbox for Education has provided more than $45 million in grants to more than 10,000 schools, benefiting more than 6 million schoolchildren. To view a full list of projects by state, visit ToolboxForEducation.com/winners. Select the fall 2016 winners tab, which will list the school and the supporting Lowe’s store available for assistance.

Since 1957, the Lowe’s Charitable and Educational Foundation has helped improve communities across North America through financial contributions and support for employee volunteerism.